Claymore Straker is trying to forget a violent past. Working as an oil company engineer in the wilds of Yemen, he is hijacked at gunpoint by Islamic terrorists. Clay has a choice: help uncover the cause of a mysterious sickness afflicting the village of Al Urush, close to the company's oil-processing facility, or watch Abdulkader, his driver and close friend, die. As the country descends into civil war and village children start dying, Clay finds himself caught up in a ruthless struggle between opposing armies, controllers of the country's oil wealth, Yemen's shadowy secret service, and rival terrorist factions. As Clay scrambles to keep his friend alive, he meets Rania, a troubled journalist. Together they try to uncover the truth about Al Urush. But nothing in this ancient, unforgiving place is as it seems.

Accused of a murder he did not commit, put on the CIA's most-wanted list, Clay must come to terms with his past and confront the powerful forces that want him dead. A stunning debut ecothriller, The Abrupt Physics of Dying is largely based on true events.

Gritty, gripping and shocking, this book will not only open your eyes but keep them glued to the page until the final, stunning denouement is reached.

Paul is a writer, chartered environmental engineer, university professor, and triathlete. He lives in Perth, Western Australia, with his wife, Heidi; and sons, Zachary and Declan. His first novel, The Abrupt Physics of Dying, has just been published by Orenda Books. It is a story of greed, corruption, and the power of redemption.