In 1935, Fred, a shell-shocked World War veteran, wins a suicidal bet with a ghost from his past. The payoff is more than he could ever imagine: the love of his dream girl, great wealth, and the respect of those who had disdained him.

But there are conditions attached and the dead will have their due. Over Labor Day Weekend, Fred becomes enmeshed with three young women.

Blonde coed Cindy offers him sex in exchange for playing the fall guy in a bank job. Her best friend Ella, a German Jew and fervent Communist, has a terrible secret she will do anything to protect, displaying an aptitude for deception and violence.

Local girl Bernice Mae is infatuated with Fred, but when he falls for Cindy, she accepts an illicit invitation from his brutal rival. The arrival of a monster hurricane brings death for many and opportunity for some.

Veterans Key is based on actual events. It is set in the Florida Keys, with major excursions to period Havana, New York, and Miami.

The novel is a deep dive into Depression-era America, its prejudices, politics, poverty, crime, technology, and humor. Central are the “Forgotten Men”, World War veterans who never readjusted to civilian life, a large proportion afflicted with battle trauma and now relegated to Federal relief camps, working dollar-a-day coolie jobs.

Features: map, extensive historical notes, detailed lists of sources and acknowledgements. Editorial Reviews:“This compellingly readable book is all the more remarkable for its profound erudition.

”— Rhodri Jeffreys-Jones, Emeritus Professor of American History, University of Edinburgh, author of "The Nazi Spy Ring in America" (2020). “Bareford’s outstanding debut integrates a riveting story of political intrigue into the genuine historical events and social tensions of post-WWI America .

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Takeaway: Exciting, immersive political thriller that blends historical fact and fiction. Comparable Titles: Ken Follett, Frederick Forsyth.

”— BookLife Reviews“As the story unfolds, the characters’ various involvements with good guys and thugs, including the Cuban police, American FBI agents, Communists, Nazi spies, and mobsters from the Meyer Lansky gang make for a rich mix of deceptions, lies and misdirection. Ultimately Ella may be the most complex figure of them all, a 17-year-old German Jew living an impossible balancing act.

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Highly recommended!”— Chanticleer Book Reviews“Bareford skillfully weaves in real history about such things as veterans’ camps and the 1935 Labor Day Hurricane, and he expounds upon them in engaging notes at the end that give the eventful plot a pleasing sense of real-world consequence. ”— Kirkus Reviews“A wry, dark, and pistol-packing story .

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From page to quick turning page, intrigue is in full force. Spies are everywhere, Commies, Nazis and mobsters .

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The action becomes even more suspenseful as the notorious Florida Keys hurricane of 1935 approaches, unforgettably described by the author . .

. What makes this book especially enjoyable and noteworthy is that it is steeped in historical fact and the author is especially sensitive to the plight of WWI veterans in America.

I highly recommend this book, but spoiler alert! Veterans Key is not for the prudish, as erotic scenes steam off the pages. ” — R.

w. Meek, award winning author of “The Dream Collector” (2023).