The Potato Chipper

An academic has a chance meeting with a covert surveillance specialist, who agrees to mentor him in the dark arts. Fast forward eighteen months and he jets off to Afghanistan, the 'Graveyard of Empires'. There he undertakes information-gathering missions, saving numerous lives, carrying only a concealed stun grenade, a pistol and a laptop, all the while battling his inner fears.

Mexican standoffs, truck bombs, missionaries, romantics, plus the rollcall of over 31 fallen friends and colleagues, remain a constant reminder of lurking danger. Inner alchemy guides him through the kryptonite and maelstrom of his later diagnosed psychological shock.

This is a true story - highly engaging and non-judgmental - including real-life experiences in medicine, competitive sport, martial arts, investigations and risk mitigation, to educate the reader.