The Plantation was the debut novel

Debut novel

A debut novel is the first novel an author publishes. Debut novels are the author's first opportunity to make an impact on the publishing industry, and thus the success or failure of a debut novel can affect the ability of the author to publish in the future...

 by New York Times bestselling author Chris Kuzneski

Chris Kuzneski

Chris Kuzneski is a New York Times bestselling American author. His books have been translated into more than 20 languages and have been published in more than 40 countries. His works have also been named a Literary Guild's featured selection and honored by the Florida Book Awards...

. First published in 2002, it introduced the characters of Jonathon Payne and David Jones, who have been featured in all of Kuzneski's thrillers. The book was endorsed by several notable authors, including James Patterson

James Patterson

James B. Patterson is an American author of thriller novels, largely known for his series about American psychologist Alex Cross...

, Nelson DeMille

Nelson DeMille

Nelson Richard DeMille is an American author of thriller novels. His works include Word of Honor , The Charm School, The Gold Coast, Plum Island, and The General's Daughter .DeMille has also written under the pen names Jack Cannon, Kurt...

, Lee Child

Lee Child

Jim Grant , better known by his pen name Lee Child, is a British thriller writer. His wife Jane is a New Yorker, and they currently live in New York state. His first novel, Killing Floor, won the Anthony Award for Best First Novel....

, and James Rollins

James Rollins

* For the American baseball pitcher, see Jim Czajkowski* For the American baseball shortstop, see Jimmy Rollins* For the 19th century American politician from Missouri, see James S. Rollins...

.

Berkley Books

Berkley Books

Berkley Books is an imprint of Penguin Group that began as an independent company in 1955. It was established by Charles Byrne and Frederic Klein, who were working for Avon and formed "Chic News Company". They renamed it Berkley Publishing Co. in 1955. They soon found a niche in science fiction...

 re-released an updated version of The Plantation in July 2009, featuring several new scenes.

Recurring characters

Jonathon Payne, a retired Special Forces

Special forces

Special forces, or special operations forces are terms used to describe elite military tactical teams trained to perform high-risk dangerous missions that conventional units cannot perform...

 officer and former commander of the MANIACs. Payne is CEO of Payne Industries, a hi-tech company. He was introduced in The Plantation and has appeared in every Kuzneski novel.

David (D.J.) Jones, Payne’s former second in command with the MANIACs. Best friends with Payne, he operates a detective agency out of the Payne Industries building in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania

The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...

. Jones was introduced in The Plantation and has appeared in every Kuzneski novel.

MANIACs, an elite Special Forces

Special forces

Special forces, or special operations forces are terms used to describe elite military tactical teams trained to perform high-risk dangerous missions that conventional units cannot perform...

 team composed of the best soldiers in the United States

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

military. The term MANIACs is an acronym for Marines Army Navy Intelligence Air Force and Coast Guard.

External links

• Chris Kuzneski's Official Site