Ceremonia - Shop now
$0.99 with 88 percent savings
Print List Price: $7.99

Promotions apply when you purchase

These promotions will be applied to this item:

Some promotions may be combined; others are not eligible to be combined with other offers. For details, please see the Terms & Conditions associated with these promotions.

Sold by Amazon.com Services LLC.
Read with our free app
You've subscribed to ! We will preorder your items within 24 hours of when they become available. When new books are released, we'll charge your default payment method for the lowest price available during the pre-order period.
Update your device or payment method, cancel individual pre-orders or your subscription at
Your Memberships & Subscriptions
Kindle app logo image

Download the free Kindle app and start reading Kindle books instantly on your smartphone, tablet, or computer - no Kindle device required.

Read instantly on your browser with Kindle for Web.

Using your mobile phone camera - scan the code below and download the Kindle app.

QR code to download the Kindle App

Follow the author

Jim Nelson
Follow
Something went wrong. Please try your request again later.

Man in the Middle Kindle Edition

by Jim Nelson (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
3.8 out of 5 stars 7 ratings

During the first week of the pandemic lockdown, a security guard starts seeing things he's not supposed to see.

Men working underground on Internet data lines in the dead of night—neighborhood patrols enforcing the shelter-in-place order—the upcoming presidential election looking bought and paid for—and a conspiracy to steal millions of dollars in Bitcoin. All the while, he shows worrying symptoms he's infected with COVID-19. It's only a matter of days—even hours—before he's taken into emergency care and quarantined in an isolation unit. All signs point to something amiss in his affluent suburban town…and the further he digs into it, the more he discovers nothing is as it seems.

“No one tells a hard-boiled tale like Jim Nelson.” – Instant City

“Nelson is a tried and tested author.” – The Drifting Paige
Read more
Previous slide of product details
  1. Print length
    134 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publication date
    November 15, 2020
  4. File size
    1.1 MB
  5. Page Flip
    Enabled
  6. Word Wise
    Enabled
  7. Enhanced typesetting
    Enabled
Next slide of product details
Unwell Hydration from Alex Cooper
Hydrate & focus with every sip Shop now

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Definitely worth a read ... The character development was solid and the storyline was captivating ... a welcome escape from the real-life unease and uncertainty." - Margaret P. Olson

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B08LTTQNY4
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ November 15, 2020
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 1.1 MB
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 134 pages
  • Customer Reviews:
    3.8 out of 5 stars 7 ratings

About the author

Follow authors to get new release updates, plus improved recommendations.
Jim Nelson

Jim Nelson

Brief content visible, double tap to read full content.
Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.

Jim Nelson's books include Bridge Daughter (Kindle Press, 2016), Stranger Son, and In My Memory Locked. His latest is A Man Named Baskerville. All are available at Amazon.com.

He divides his time between San Francisco and Tokyo.

https://j-nelson.net

Customer reviews

3.8 out of 5 stars
7 global ratings

Review this product

Share your thoughts with other customers
Write a customer review

Top reviews from the United States

  • margaret p olson
    5.0 out of 5 stars Definitely worth a read
    Reviewed in the United States on February 8, 2021
    This past year has been a hell of a dystopia. I couldn't have imagined this sort of setting previously, but pandemic life was an enticing backdrop for this novel. As someone who has been having a lot of covid/quarantine-related dreams lately, it was really refreshing and validating to read a piece of fiction that felt so relatable. I found myself thinking a lot about this book between chapters because every aspect of pandemic life reminds me of it. It was so interesting to see how different characters responded to the circumstances in varying ways. In particular, Craig Russell's character was really well-written, and his attitude about the virus felt all too familiar. The main character's relationship with his wife also really nailed how heartbreaking it's been to see the pandemic's effect on relationships. Overall, the character development was solid and the storyline was captivating. It was a welcome escape from the real-life unease and uncertainty.
    One person found this helpful
    Helpful
     Report
  • Marge K
    1.0 out of 5 stars More time wasted
    Reviewed in the United States on June 27, 2022
    The book was intriguing. I had read just about half of it when Mr. Nelson used the name of Christ as a swear word. That is a deal breaker for me, and I quit reading - this book and anything else he has written. Authors need to realize - and care - that when Scripture says that God will not hold blameless those who misuse His Name, that includes them. In fact, they will be held more responsible because they are doing it before thousands.
    Helpful
     Report
  • Scout Mom
    3.0 out of 5 stars Pandemic, paranoia, and a persecuted individual
    Reviewed in the United States on December 12, 2020
    Pandemic, paranoia, and a persecuted individual. Sounds like a synopsis of an article in today's newspaper, but it also describes Jim Nelson's "Man in the Middle" tale. 
    This story, by the author of the excellent "Bridge Daughter" trilogy and "In My Memory Locked" futuristic noir thriller, makes the bold choice to use our current COVID-changed world as the setting for a mystery.
    It may be jarring for those readers who turn to fiction to escape reality, to instead be faced with grim reminders of today's post-pandemic life at every turn of the page. Set in March 2020, each section starts with a sober heading of a date and numbers of confirmed COVID-19 cases & deaths. Scenes include cops patrolling streets, enforcing curfews with a lack of empathy - and our character listening to right-wing talk radio, filled with its standard fare of conspiracies and White male anger.
    Interestingly, we never learn the name of the main character. His life, and life choices, have led him to live alone in a rented room at the edge of a half-built housing development. The stark setting reflects his life - separated from friends, his wife, and a sense of self-worth. As the story progresses he becomes increasingly sick, as he similarly becomes infected emotionally, always interpreting others' comments as put-downs, and finding no joy in life.  
    While he spirals into this illness, he also finds himself in the middle of a mystery that only deepens as he becomes more curious and reaches out to more people. His interaction - and active concern for - a former colleague and friend is the catalyst that finally deliver him to a final showdown.
    It was this emotional story arc that interested me more than the mystery itself. And although I was comforted by his character growth in the final chapters, the transition was too abrupt, making it clunky and less believable than I wanted.
    If you're interested in how COVID-19 will be reflected in art and fiction in the years to come, this short story could serve as an excellent baseline. If you're looking for a richer character story, I would recommend "In My Memory Locked."
    One person found this helpful
    Helpful
     Report
  • bridgit
    4.0 out of 5 stars Absorbing story
    Reviewed in the United States on November 10, 2021
    This story is set during early days of Covid-19 lockdown. It is easy to relate to this setting by watching the main character deal with this and with the situations he finds himself in as a consequence. A good pace and excellent plot make this an absorbing read. I like the clear portrayal of the narrator's personality.
    Helpful
     Report

Report an issue


Does this item contain inappropriate content?
Report
Do you believe that this item violates a copyright?
Report
Does this item contain quality or formatting issues?
Report