April 5 2026
If you missed our book launch party: Listen to the interview as Noir bestseller Chris Chambers turns the table on show host Jeffrey James Higgins, who is celebrating the release of the last book in his 4-part Nathan Burke series
Hello friends! If you missed the book launch party at Elaine’s Literary Salon on April 2, listen and watch the impressive interview between Jeff and award-winning noir author Christopher Chambers, ChrisChamberNoir.com.
Help us celebrate the release of book 4 in the 4-part Nathan Burke series. “I wanted to write a story about what happens when devotion and duty collide, giving my protagonist — FBI Agent Nathan Burke — a heart-pounding challenge to uncover a global conspiracy to save his wife, and the nation,” explains Jeff, whose critically-acclaimed books are referred to as “pulse-pounding and a must-read.”
About Book 4: The Uganda Protocol
The Uganda Protocol
Terror strikes from inside America’s own institutions, turning one agent’s manhunt into a fight to save everything that matters.
FBI Special Agent Nathan Burke expected a routine prisoner transport. Instead, he finds an airplane full of corpses and his most wanted terrorism suspect gone without a trace. The investigation plunges him into an international manhunt for Imam Omar Yemeni, a man whose network runs deeper and deadlier than anyone imagined.
Meanwhile, Iranian immigrant Leila Kabiri works as a court interpreter, building a new life for her neurodivergent son Darius after fleeing her homeland. But when colleagues start disappearing and foreign operatives make contact, Leila discovers the American justice system itself has been compromised. Someone is watching her every move, and they want something only she can provide.
What Nathan doesn’t realize is that Yemeni’s escape was just the opening move in a much larger plan—one that targets the most vulnerable and threatens mass casualties. As Nathan races across continents tracking his fugitive, Leila finds herself trapped between protecting her family and doing what’s right. When their paths finally converge, both will discover that the most dangerous enemies are the ones hiding in plain sight.
Jeff says: “This book is perfect for fans of Michael Connelly, David Baldacci, and Vince Flynn, this pulse-pounding international thriller delivers high-stakes action and unforgettable characters in a race against time where the cost of failure is measured in thousands of lives.” Click here to buy the book!
Back to the beginning — About Book 1: The Havana Syndrome
FBI Agent Nathan Burke is in the middle of a high-stakes operation to dismantle a terrorist network when his world is turned upside down―his estranged wife, Reagan, falls victim to the mysterious and debilitating Havana Syndrome. Determined to reconcile with her and find the responsible party, he teams up with his former academy classmate Meili Chan and CIA liaison Bashir Gemayel to launch a rogue investigation, putting his own job at risk.
As more American spies and diplomats fall prey to this unexplained phenomenon, and terrorist attacks increase at home and abroad, Nathan unearths evidence of high-energy weapons and a conspiracy that threatens the very fabric of national security.
But when the CIA dismisses his findings, and the balance between his official and illicit missions teeters on the edge of collapse, Nathan must choose between his duty to his country and his devotion to Reagan. With his allies falling one by one to mysterious attacks and with friend and foe seemingly indistinguishable, Nathan must stop the spread of the Havana Syndrome and uncover the truth…or risk becoming its next victim.
Bestselling author Jeffrey James Higgins takes readers from the buzzing streets of Washington, D.C., to the eerie silence of Tallinn, Estonia, where suspense meets the stark realities of espionage, assassination, and deception. Perfect for fans of David Baldacci and Michael Connelly.
Click here to buy Jeff’s books!
About bestselling thriller novelist and our Elaine’s Literary Salon Host, Jeffrey James Higgins: A retired supervisory special agent who writes thrillers, short stories, creative nonfiction, and essays, Jeff has wrestled a suicide bomber, fought the Taliban in combat, and chased terrorists across five continents. He received the Attorney General’s Award for Exceptional Heroism and the DEA Award of Valor. Jeffrey has been interviewed by CNN, National Geographic, and The New York Times. Learn more: jeffreyjameshiggings.com
Find more Elaine’s Literary Salon events here. And check back for new episodes of Elaine’s Literary Salon on Inkandescent.tv and listen to all the podcasts on InkandescentRadio.com.
“StreetWhys,” by Christopher Chambers, ChrisChambersNoir.com
About Christopher Chambers: A Washington, D.C. native, Chris is a lecturer at Georgetown University, Chair of the International Conflict Resolution Center and is General Counsel to a not-for-profit benefitting HBCUs: Student Housing of America. He is the author of the Angela Bivens thriller series for Random House, The Rocket Crockett pulp noir series, and Black Pulp for Prose-Press, and editor, along with Gary Phillips, of The Darker Mask graphic short story collection, the Bronze Buckaroo Rides Again: Honoring Harlem’s Herb Jeffries. He was a finalist in 2008 for the PEN/Malamud Short Story Award for “Leviathan.”
He’s contributed short stories to The Obama Inheritance: 15 Stories of Conspiracy Noir (Three Rooms Press) and is the winner of the Anthony Award. The Black Panther: Tales Of Wakanda, The Faking of the President, and Midnight Hour, Witnesses for the Dead with Gar Anthony Haywood–all major award-winning collections and bestsellers. His noir hardboiled mystery Scavenger (2020) won a starred review and profile in Publishers Weekly; the sequel Standalone sees the return of the indestructible homeless addict turned PI Dickie Cornish, patrolling the unforgiving city streets ravaged by COVID, with the third in the trilogy Streetwhys in 2025. His next Marvel contribution is in Captain America: The Shield of Sam Wilson. Learn more: ChrisChambersNoir.com
About our Elaine’s Literary Salon Host 
And meet the PR Director for Elaine’s Literary Salon, InkandescentPR.com’s founder, Hope Katz Gibbs. With her team of award-winning journalists, illustrators and video producers, they help writers up their PR and marketing game with professionally produced podcasts on 
