In Galveston author A. Hardy Roper’s latest novel, “Girls Lost,” Roper’s lead character Parker McLeod (an ex-U.S. Army Intel officer) becomes heavily invested in the whereabouts of two teenage girls, Maria and Akemi, who are kidnapped by traffickers while on their way to McDonald's in Galveston.
For McLeod, the mission to save them is personal: Akemi's grandfather, Rudy Aoki, is not only a WWII veteran and a member of a biker gang called the Dead Peckers, he is also an old friend. Aoki enlists the aid of his friend to find his granddaughter, and the duo join forces with Galveston PD detective Donna Sumner to find the girls.
Roper said the story alternates between the girls' experiences with their kidnappers and the search for them. The search becomes increasingly intense as time runs out, and the story culminates in a rescue attempt, he said.
Fans of the book series who have anxiously waited for McLeod’s next adventure won’t be disappointed.
“Readers who enjoy fast-paced action and who like thrillers, mysteries and crime novels will enjoy ‘Girls Lost,’” Roper said. “My reviews on Amazon tell me that my readers also enjoy the descriptions of Galveston along with the island’s history that are interminably placed in the book and sometimes woven into the plot.“
Roper’s other novels include “Bad Moon Rising” (2019), “Saving Jake” (2015), “Assassination in Galveston” (2011), and “The Garhole Bar” (2007).
The first book in the series, “The Garhole Bar,” introduces the continuing characters and their relationship to each other along with the plot.
Roper said the former owner of a local bookstore - Galveston Bookshop, 317 23rd St. - planted the seeds for “Girls Lost” during a conversation the two had about one of the world’s most shameful crimes.
“As human trafficking is rampant in the nation, she suggested I should write my next book about the growing problem,” the author said. “During my research, I found that several factors collide to make Texas and especially Houston the most prevalent areas in the nation conducive to traffickers.”
The geography of Texas, and the Galveston-Houston area, in particular, was the perfect setting: Texas shares a lengthy, largely unsecured boundary with Mexico. The state is well-connected to both the eastern and western coasts through its interstate highway system, which facilitates transportation to other regions. Houston also boasts a significant international airport, George Bush Intercontinental Airport.
“In addition, many large Hispanic neighborhoods are scattered through-out Houston and surrounding areas,” he said.
“Every barrio has its share of cantinas, which make it easy for traffickers to place their girls and difficult for authorities to monitor. Girls find it difficult to escape. If they do not cooperate they are often beaten and threatened with the murder of their families in their home country.”
Tragically, a considerable number of kidnapped young women get addicted to drugs and remain in the trafficking trade because they require a steady supply furnished by their exploiters.
Due to the substantial influx of undocumented visitors, human traffickers find it effortless to bring girls into the region, knowing that both federal and local authorities are struggling to keep up with the overwhelming situation, he said.
“After reading several books on the subject and scouring the massive amount of available information on the internet, I felt comfortable writing the story and feel I have produced a realistic account of human trafficking.”
Other characters in the book are familiar to fans of the series.
“All five of my books have continuing characters, including the Dead Pecker group, Bully Stout, Neddie Lemmon, and Harry Stein,” he said. “Each of these characters has a distinctive personality as well as different interests.”
To keep readers even more intrigued, new characters are introduced in each novel “including new lady friends for Parker in the first four books.”
Roper said each of his readers seems to have a favorite character, but most share with him that their favorites are Bully Stout and Harry Stein, “and everyone seems to identify with Parker McLeod,” and of course, “the bad guys are always new.”
His work has also caught the eye of Hollywood talent.
“The screenplay for my book ‘Assassination in Galveston’ is being distributed by my agent to producers in Los Angeles such as Netflix, Amazon Prime, etc. Our goal is to see an eight-episode series produced followed each season by one of the other books.”
Among Roper’s favorite authors are Michael Connelly, who has penned a series of mysteries featuring his character Harry Bosch, and Roper enjoys the work of Pulitzer Prize-winning author John Roswell Camp, who writes under the pseudonym of "John Sandford."
Camp has written 54 novels, all of which have been published and many have appeared on the New York Times best-seller lists, often debuting at #1. His work includes the “Prey,” “Virgil Flowers,” and “Letty Davenport” novels, which are all part of the Prey universe.
“I also enjoyed all of James Lee Burke’s early novels featuring Detective Dave Robicheaux.”
Roper will be in Galveston to sign copies of “Girls Lost” from 1 to 3pm on April 8 at Galveston Bookshop, 317 23rd Street in downtown Galveston. The prolific author then heads to Houston for a book signing from 2 to 5pm on April 15 at Nundini’s Chef’s Table, 500 N. Shephard Drive.
All of Roper’s books are available at the Galveston Bookshop, as well as on E-Readers, and Amazon.com, including Roper’s two children’s books, “Ma Skeeter” and “Gullet the Mullet.”
Book Signings Book signings for “Girls Lost” are scheduled from 1 to 3pm on April 8 at the Galveston Bookshop, 317 23rd St., and from 2 to 5pm on April 15 at Nundini’s Chef’s Table, 500 N. Shephard Drive, Houston.