Rise Early. Work Hard. Strike Oil. And pray the Black Ghost doesn't find you first.Set against the explosive backdrop of the 1930s Chaco War between Paraguay and Bolivia, Black Ghost is a gripping tale of war, oil, and a legendary predator haunting the wild frontier.As global oil giants manipulate two impoverished nations into a bloody proxy war over "black gold," another deadly force prowls the Gran Chaco: a monstrous jaguar known as the Black Ghost. When livestock start vanishing and fear grips local Mennonite settlers, their leader, Menno Pannabacker, joins forces with Guaraní tracker Tumpa González to hunt the beast. But tensions simmer-between natives and settlers, corporations and governments, predators and prey.Meanwhile, across the border, an American expedition led by Standard Oil geologists enters Paraguayan territory, lured by promises of untapped oil fields. Their ambition sets them on a collision course with war, nature, and the raw chaos of the jungle.Part historical epic, part survival thriller, part political allegory, Black Ghost is a pulse-pounding, atmospheric novel that weaves indigenous myth, geopolitical greed, and human resilience into a story as untamed as the land it's set in.Perfect for fans of Wilbur Smith, Robert Stone, and Graham Greene, and readers who crave adventure soaked in history, tension, and moral ambiguity. James Dargan is the author of over thirty books spanning crime, noir, satire, historical fiction, and literary fiction. Known for razor-sharp dialogue, vivid characters, and a knack for weaving grit with dark humour, his work ranges from the hard-boiled streets of the Napoleon Clancy thrillers to the sprawling crime sagas of The Bayside City series, the evocative Latin American novels, and a host of standalone titles.Dargan's novels often drop readers into morally complex worlds where loyalty is fragile, justice is elusive, and survival depends on quick thinking and a little luck. Influenced by the likes of Elmore Leonard, Dennis Lehane, and Cormac McCarthy, his prose balances propulsive storytelling with atmospheric detail, creating stories that are as cinematic as they are immersive.Whether exploring mob wars and political corruption, the quiet desperation of outsiders, or the chaos of history's turning points, Dargan writes with an unflinching eye and a storyteller's instinct for pacing, character, and place. His work is as much about the people caught in the crossfire as it is about the bullets themselves.James Dargan: Writer, Raconteur, Blogger, and Journalist.For more detailed information on the latest news on his books, please visit: jamesdargan.com
