The Broker: Shadows on Chessboard

Joel Backman, the man once known as the most influential power broker in Washington, swears under his breath as he looks out over the quiet, ancient streets of Bologna, Italy. He's not the same man he used to be - now, he's Marco Lazzeri, an average man studying Italian in a quaint language school. A tug of war between old habits and new realities.

One morning, he gets an unusual email. It's coded and his heart pounds in recognition. Few minutes spent on decoding, it leads to a chess move. The echo of this old game ripples through Backman, drawing him towards his forgotten world.

His curiosity piqued, he heads to the ancient Piazza Maggiore and sits across from an old man, known only as The Sicilian. The Sicilian, a chess fanatic, understands Backman's chess move. They engage in a quiet, deadly game of chess, each move tipping them deeper into a web of intrigue and danger.

In between the game, The Sicilian mentions a name - Ermanno. The mention of this name sends chills down Backman's spine because Ermanno was supposedly dead, a casualty in the same scandal that forced Backman into hiding.

Haunted, Backman return to his apartment only to find it ransacked. This isn't random burglary. His past life is leaking, and someone wants something from him. Bewildered and afraid, he realizes he's being watched. He's overwhelmed by a sense of paranoia. He's not safe, not even in this quiet Italian city.

In the following days, Backman finds himself untangling the past, finding clues in coded emails and chess moves. What follows is a pulse-pounding adventure filled with suspense, betrayal, and a stunning revelation which forces Backman to face his past, and his inevitable future.

In this dangerous and thrilling chase, Backman learns that, whether under the bright lights of Washington or the quaint streets of Bologna, whether as a power Broker or Marco Lazzeri, he can't escape from who he is. Ultimately, he is the Broker, ever entangled in a web of secrets and lies, power and intrigue. The only way out is through, facing the shadowy figures of his past in the hope of a chance of survival, and perhaps redemption.