David Raterman

“Raterman has published what may be the first thriller set in Afghanistan on 9-11 with 'The River Panj.' Raterman's debut uses the world events of Sept. 11, 2001, to show a personal tale of Derek Braun, a former Notre Dame football star who has found a calling doing relief work in Afghanistan. As terrorists shock the world, Derek is on his own when his fiancée and a colleague are kidnapped."
- Oline Cogdill, South Florida Sun Sentinel (Oct. 2, 2011)

“There’s a new voice in the world of thriller writers ... Raterman is the real deal. Just read the first few pages of The River Panj and you’ll discover an exciting new writer.” 
- David Hagberg, three-time Edgar nominee and best-selling thriller novelist

On Sept. 11, 2001, Derek is doing relief work in war-torn Afghanistan when his fiancée and elderly colleague are kidnapped along the border with Tajikistan, which is struggling out of its own civil war. With no one to help, he goes in search. On this dangerous journey, he faces Islamic terrorists, heroin smugglers, corrupt Russian soldiers, Iranian spies and helpless CIA agents, witnessing an assortment of terrible acts that culminate in his own kidnapping.

Meanwhile terrorists begin using bodies of released hostages to export radioactive material to America. Osama bin Laden wants to acquire cesium-137 powder from the Soviet nuclear plant still operating in Tajikistan. But is al-Qaeda involved in the plot to detonate the world's first suicide dirty bomb at the Sears Tower in Chicago? Or another terrorist group?

Derek finds out. But can he escape with his loved ones and alert authorities before it's too late?

BEST EBOOK READER

“The October issue of THE BIG THRILL is here with the latest books from some of your favorite authors, including Wendy Corsi, Staub, Lee, Child, John Sandford, Vincent Zandri, David Raterman, Todd Ritter, Nate Kenyon, Jordan Dane, Eric Wilson, Shiloh Walker, and F Paul Wilson.”
- Janice Gable Bashman, editor of The International Thriller Writers’ newsletter

“That’s great. Best of luck with it.” 
- Sebastian Junger, author of War and The Perfect Storm

“Congrats! Break a leg!”
- Jeff Lindsay, author of the Dexter suspense novels

"Congratulation - I downloaded your book on my Kindle when it was pubbed."
- Jim DeFelice, co-author of best-selling techno thrillers with Dale Brown, Stephen Coonts, and Richard Marcinko

“Great change of venue plot with a charismatic lead character (Ryan Goslin, are you reading this?) So real it was like reading The New York Times.”
- Ron Castell, former senior VP of programming at Blockbuster

“The profession of relief worker is difficult and demands an enormous commitment, but gets hardly noticed except at the moment of great crises. I like this book for the way it is written but also because it sheds light on this incredibly important job.”
- Peter Goossens, deputy country director of the UN World Food Programme in Afghanistan from 1999 to Sept. 13, 2001.

“The humanitarian effort that goes with major combat operations isn’t always clean and precise. Terrorists look for every opportunity to exploit those trying to help. David Raterman’s novel has vividly captured the true essence of that.”
- US Army Lt. Col. Blain Reeves, who served in combat operations with the 101st Airborne.