Born in nineteen fifty-four and brought up on a literary diet of Alistair MacLean, Clive Cussler, Ian Fleming and similar writers of the sixties and seventies - Michael J. Lawrence has been a wannabe writer since he was old enough to spell Thriller. But with forty-odd years of career and parenthood getting in the way it is only now that his first dynamite novel The Aphrodite Conspiracy gets to see the light of day.

Set underwater and sea level in Cyprus and at ground level on a two hundred mile-an-hour motorcycle this is not a story written purely from imagination.

As an accomplished Divemaster (pictured below left and also twenty metres down on a wreck off Santa Lucia in Cuba) and owner of one of the fastest production motorcycles on the face of the earth, Michael is no stranger to the world that he writes about. Nearly thirty years in sales and marketing honing his communication skills to the keenness of a Samurai sword means that he has written this story to be easily savoured by anyone wanting to escape from everyday life into a rip-roaring thriller.

Michael lives in Buckinghamshire with his wife Suzanna and their son Elliot.

Authors personal note.

My heartfelt thanks are due to the following people: My wife Suzanna and son Elliot for the freedom to finally finish this novel. My friends and colleagues who read the manuscript in various stages and spurred me on when I had doubts and my friend Chris for the hours spent slaving over a hot Mac. Last - but by no means least - Graham Rye, Editor of 007 Magazine for the review that makes me smile every time I read it! Thank you all!

Finally, every author dedicates their story to one person - In this case it is my beautiful daughter Rebecca, without whose love and laughter I may not have made it through the dark times of the early nineties (but that's another story). You were my light, my life and you made
me proud. I love you.