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Broken Under Interrogation

Jeffrey M. Hopkins
BookSurge Publishing (2008)
ISBN 9781419698309
Reviewed by Kam Aures for RebeccasReads (8/08)

Although “Broken Under Interrogation” is a work of fiction, the events in the book closely parallel situations that exist in the world today.  John Powers served his country in Iraq and returned home with many disturbing images burned into his mind.  He arrived home to find a country filled with drugs and despair, and along with Mike Miller, a fellow war veteran addicted to methamphetamine, Powers wages war on his home soil, a war against drugs.  Utilizing techniques that he learned in Iraq, he embarks on a mission to find drug dealers, torture them, and issue final justice.        
 
The story is told after SecuriCorp officers find and seize John Powers at his home in Illinois.  “The specialists found his tool box, which contained enough different blood and other DNA trace material, hair, and bone fragments to link him to the brutal torture of at least twenty-five individuals.  The police photographed each tool separately and placed them into red biohazard evidence bags.  John had chastised Mike several times, but Miller didn’t waste the time cleaning up after himself after they talked to someone.  For Mike, holding a blood caked power drill in front of a detainee would often elicit a confession.  The detainee was assured of Miller’s willingness to use it when they looked into his soulless black eyes, which only lit up with life when he spun the drill bit into place.” (p. 17)   John’s story is told through a series of flashbacks as he is being interrogated by the privatized police as they attempt to flush out his co-conspirators and to determine where John has hidden money that he took from drug dealers.

The author, Jeffrey M. Hopkins, was inspired to begin work on “Broken Under Interrogation” immediately after he returned home from his second tour of duty in Iraq.   The resulting work is a very disturbing and graphic novel.  It is not written for those that are the least bit squeamish.  Hopkins’ writing is very raw, powerful and will definitely grab your attention.  The story told is an interesting one that will remain embedded in your consciousness.   I believe that “Broken Under Interrogation” will appeal to anyone who likes reading about war and contemporary issues.   

  

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