The Protocol

About the Book

Doctor Robert Appleton is a promising young research psychiatrist who has patented a new drug to curb violence in humans. He recruits young women to consent to his sordid research design by injecting them with a street-drug “cocktail” of PCP, Ritalin, and cocaine. The U.S. Government is interested in Appleton’s work to quell a Muslim uprising in Indonesia in retaliation for the U.S. victory in the Gulf War. However, the U.S. intelligence community is compromised when Appleton’s secret obsession of sexually molesting young women is uncovered. Hounded by the Houston police, Appleton goes undercover with the CIA’s help. However, Appleton’s predilections propel him to kill again and again, safe within the government’s witness protection program. The reader is quickly immersed in the worlds of psychiatric research, espionage, and detective work as the CIA vows to protect Appleton’s identity at the expense of young girls dying to his sexual fantasies. At stake is global economic stability and the U.S. Government is not about to sacrifice its international reputation.

About the Author

Keith Barton grew up on the Eastern Shore of Virginia on Chincoteague Island where the ponies roam and swim from Assateague island to his birthplace each year. The son of a naval officer, he moved every three years until his teens and enjoyed the waters on the East and Gulf Coasts including: New Orleans, Saint Simons Island, Virginia Beach, Puerto Rico, and Bermuda. When Keith is not writing, he pursues his clinical psychology practice in Houston, Texas. He is married to his high school sweetheart, Jenny, and they have two children, Greg and Kim. Greg works for Exxon in Houston as an environmental engineer and Kim works for an internet dot.com company in Houston. When he is not writing, Keith enjoys golf and church work. He has attended writing workshops and entered several local contests in Houston. He prefers suspense thrillers and has just completed his fourth book.