Reviewed by Elizabeth Ellis
Book Notes

Even with the horizontal rain, the darkness, and the storm shrieking in the rigging, it was obvious that a heavy weight had shifted deep inside the hull. Now the ship was struck with a new affliction. She was heeling more than normal for the wind and seas, and it was clear that a new and unknown peril was active below decks.”

— Lost and Found

Reviewed by Midwest Book Review
Oregon, WI

There's no such thing as easy money. "Lost and Found" tells the tale of science and lost treasure, and two men who use a satellite to explore, originally looking for oil. But on the ocean floor they find countless sunken treasure, ripe for the taking. To profit, Brian, Peter, and Billie must go into the deep, but it won't be a simple excavation as there are forces that are out to prevent their seizing of the riches. "Lost and Found" is an exciting novel of adventure, highly recommended.

Reviewed by Lee Libro
The Paper Book Editor

In Lost and Found by Tom Williams, two scientists, Peter Clopec and Brian
Pauliss, are employed by Odessa Petroleum Consultants to search for oil
deposits on the earth from outer space via satellite. However, the
satellite's task was doomed from the start. The density of oil at the
distance from which the satellite orbits the earth is unreadable, and the
CEO of the company had knowingly rigged the project in order to scheme up
some insider-trading. He aims to bring down the satellite and the company
with it, but not without first selling off all his stock.



Clopec and Pauliss are fired. Spiked with a wee bit of alcohol while
drowning their sorrows, the two scientists have a "eureka" moment. They know
how they can save the company. They break into OPC that very evening and
brilliantly recalibrate the satellite to detect the density of another
equally valuable resource: GOLD.



Later, as planned, the CEO sabotages the satellite and brings its orbit low
enough to send it careening into the earth's atmosphere and forever dashing
the hopes of OPC investors. Little does he know that the two men had already
found ninety seven anomalies, gold deposits across the earth, treasures lost
from shipping vessels and ancient empires dating back as far back as King
Midas, the legendary Byzantine emperor.



On this premise begins a adventure which harps back to the days of treasure
hunting and pirates, but with a modern twist. The scientists aren't out for
gold for the sake of greed, but rather as proof and redemption for their
work and the people and investors of the OPC company. To complicate their
mission however, they'll have to contend with one of the most hateful
antagonists I think I've encountered in literature. William's vivid
portrayal of Cedric Bowles makes you grit your teeth and your hackles stand
up. He invokes fear and loathing, apprehension, concern for the outcome of
the other characters, and with enough venom to measure up to the densely
compacted plot.



I found Tom William's story built up into a crescendo in all the right
places and most of it was so gripping that I didn't want to put the book
down. His writing has that magic quality, the ability to transport the
reader effortlessly. When a writer achieves this, the reader's imagination
becomes fully engaged with the story so words on a page pass hardly
detectable beneath the eye. The reader no longer delineates black words on
white paper, but rather internalizes full action and emotion. With Lost and
Found, you will arrive at this true entertainment level, the apex of good
fiction.



Lost and Found is the perfect book for anyone who likes action and
adventure, characters rich with three-dimensionality, so real you know them
in no time, and the kind of suspense that compels you to read eagerly. The
adventure of Peter Clopec and Brian Pauliss are fraught with obstacles,
murder, arson, romantic rivalry, an ancient curse and even a little natural
disaster, as they travel from the Gulf states halfway around the world for
just a sample of the gold to prove their case. Williams is a master
storyteller in that he unfolds all of this high drama with the excitement of
a James Bond movie, but when all is said and done, he delivers their story
as a simple one of daring, intellectual bravery and a triumph of friendship
and love over greed.



Will we see more of Peter Clopec and Brian Pauliss? After all, the satellite
has detected ninety-five more anomalies to be explored.



On my rating scale, I give this book a 5 out of a possible 5 magic books.

Reviewed by Mary Lignor of Book Pleasures
A scientific tale along with buried treasure -- Who could ask for anything more?

Two scientists Peter Clopec and Brian Pauliss are working for OPC (Odessa Petroleum Consultants). They were hired to look for oil deposits on the earth using satellite technology. The satellite is unable to figure the density of oil and the scientists are fired from OPC. The CEO of the oil company has planned this move using a satellite to find oil to drive up the price of the company's stock so he can buy, sell and retire a billionaire (SOUND FAMILIAR?) and actually, he plans to bring the satellite down and, of course, blame the scientists and they are fired because they couldn't find oil. Instead of slinking away they are determined to show that their ideas are noteworthy and they sneak into OPC and re-calibrate the satellite to detect the density of gold. And, by the time the CEO's plan is completed they will have found treasure beyond their wildest dreams.

Along with Billie Johnson, a beautiful dive master and salvage expert they start on their quest for treasure. Peter and Brian think that although the satellite couldn't find the oil deposits it is able to ascertain that there is real gold under the ocean and can find it. After all, the antique gold is there for the taking and the three of them are game to try. They are also running away from a real psycho from the ocean near South Florida to the Black Sea depths in Europe. If the super-trio can stay alive long enough they will collect treasure that will astound the world.

Lost and Found is an intriguing book that will keep you reading long into the night. Along with treasure hunting, CEO's back-stabbing their own companies and of course a villain who is a real crazy, this fabulous book is very hard to put down. These men are not greedy, they just wanted everyone to know that their satellite technology really works and wanted redemption from the scientific community. But, it is such a treasure hunt in the likes of Captain Jack, Indiana Jones and, of course, Clive Cussler.

Mr. Williams lives in Florida and is a columnist and feature writer for a number of newspapers in South Florida. He is also a Master Merchant Marine Officer with the US Coast Guard. Along with being a veteran scuba diver specializing in shipwrecks and has an enthusiastic interest in deep-sea archeology. So, it stands to reason that he knows his subject. I thoroughly enjoyed reading Lost and Found. The book has everything you could ask for in a mystery/thriller. Good Luck Mr. Williams!!!

Reviewed by Stacie Hearne, President, AuthorsReading.Com
What an extraordinary tale!

One of Intrigue, sabotage, greed, conspiracy, and Gold! Tom Williams has spun a captivating novel that is impossible to put down! You find yourself lost within the pages of this book, imagining yourself there, and secretly wishing you were!
Scientists Clopec and Pauliss, make a discovery within a satellite system, that can change the world, but is it worth all the risk that they must take to search for? Their discovery leads to a world wind of seeking sunken treasure. While looking for the treasures, they just might discover some treasures of their own, within their own lives. Will it lead to gold, love, destruction, or murder? Clopec, Pauliss, and Billy, find themselves in a race to see if the satellite imagery is accurate. They are on the hunt of a lifetime but meanwhile, they are also being hunted .There are so many different characters that you fall in love with, and also love to hate in Lost and Found. This tale spans from Texas, to Florida, to Turkey. It twist and turns through old tales of the sea.
Lost and Found spins a whole new light on "Big Oil" companies and what possibly could be going on behind closed doors. It quickly makes you wonder about the oil companies and if it is truly fiction or not? Oil prices rising, and CEO's getting richer and richer, sabotaging their own oil equipment for money, it does raise questions in my mind, what about yours?
Tom Williams is truly a gifted writer. His knowledge of the subject of boating, scuba diving, and searching are compelling. It makes you wonder why there are not more of these sunken treasures found? It makes you want to be a treasure hunter! He has a gift in his area of expertise and has a gift for writing this intriguing book. The book is a treasure to read, and I only hope you can find the gold for yourself in reading this magical novel.

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