Book excerpt: New York City attorney Victor takes his Ukrainian-born former lover, Siren Myskina, for dead until he receives an unexpected phone call at work. Jolted by the voice from his past, Victor must unearth the true identity of the woman who had warned him to run when they made love for the first time. Siren's Silence portrays the tale of two young lovers whose relationship comes to an abrupt end shortly after their cross-country journey to Stillwater, Minnesota. Victor Frantiska - the handsome son of a four-star general - and Siren Myskina - a stunning mysterious green-eyed girl - are both freshmen at Duke when they first meet. Siren immediately captured Victor's heart. What strings their fate together is not Siren's beauty but her oddity of personality, a personality that spawns Victor's desperate attempts to root out the source of her elusiveness. This contemporary literary work, influenced by authors such as Thomas Wolfe and F. Scott Fitzgerald, weaves in lyrical elements to create a tapestry that narrates an intricate tale of love, lust, obsession and suspense that vividly reflects the reality of our time. It is for students, teachers, scholars, and avid readers of classic literary novels. The theme of this novel - love is war - serves as a reminder to all of us that love can bring peace, or it can bring terror, uncertainty, and unbearable pain.