Mastarone publishes second novel

Osceola man Dale Mastarone has published his second novel, “Spook Smith,” available for purchase now.

The book’s blurb describes the story contained within:

“Who is Spook Smith?

The Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) consists of highly trained agents used by our federal government for a variety of purposes, spying on foreign governments at the top of the list. Many times the operatives are called spooks because they have an invisible image, just like ghosts. The vast majority of CIA agents abide by the law of the land and their sworn oath to uphold and live up to it--but some few do not.

One certain CIA agent swore an oath at one time that he kept. He swore that he would get more than even with that team of military police officers that interfered in an illegal drug-smuggling operation he was carrying out for personal gain. They would pay with their lives if they exposed him. His coconspirators reached all the way up into the White House, and he was given protection from prosecution. He was taken off CIA payroll, but that did not trouble him--he had already been working for a major criminal enterprise operating internationally and domestically, making megabucks! Among other evil deeds, he was heading up an operation of kidnapping young attractive girls for sale to foreign dignitaries to install in their harems. One girl he kidnapped and sold to a Saudi prince for a million dollars escaped the harem and found her way back to the USA, reported the crime to the FBI using a fake name for herself -- then disappeared. She just happened to be the baby sister of the key man who interfered in Spook Smith’s drug-smuggling enterprise.

Because she escaped, there was a hit order on her life. Was Spook Smith able to find her and kill her as he was ordered to do?”

Mastarone used his military experience, studies of the law and work as a paralegal to aid in writing the subject matter found within the book. He also drew inspiration from real people, and pets, as characters in his novel.

About the author

Mastarone was raised in Leechburg, Pennsylvania. His father and uncle were mushroom farmers, and Mastarone grew up working with them.

“It was hard work, tough work,” Mastarone said of growing the mushrooms that were used for canning purposes.

After high school, Mastarone was drafted into the military where he learned to become a radio repairman during the Vietnam War era, and was stationed in Germany. When he came back to the States, Mastarone returned to Pennsylvania and worked with his dad before getting married and starting his own mushroom operation. He did that for several years, then took a job with a different mushroom growing operation in eastern Pennsylvania as an assistant growing manager. When that company was bought out, Mastarone accepted a new job in Michigan as a manager of a mushroom growing operation. A couple of years later, he came to Iowa to work for Mrs. Grimes Foods company, working for the mushroom growing and canning operation in Spencer.

After some years, Mrs. Grimes Foods went bankrupt, and Mastarone was asked if he’d be interesting in purchasing it. He and a friend went in together to purchase it, and ran what Mastarone said was a successful mushroom business for many years until President Jimmy Carter removed tariffs on foreign mushrooms. By doing so, third world countries were then able to sell their product in the United States.

“There were 30 of us [growers and canners]…in the U.S. before that. Six months later, it was down to three. I was one of the 27 put out of business,” said Mastarone.

Left with a large plant in Spencer, Mastarone decided to open an ethanol production facility with a friend. They worked with an investor to design a ethanol operations that could be built and sold to farmers. As loans became harder for farmers to get, the ethanol plant fell away and Mastarone turned from farming to studying the law. He took the job as a paralegal for a lawyer in Osceola, and moved to Osceola.

Where to buy and other works

“Spook Smith” is available for sale at a discounted price at Solutions! in Osceola, as well as online at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and various other places online. Mastarone said he doesn’t expect his novel to become a bestseller, but he would like it to be a good seller, and get people to think more about what is going on in today’s political world.

“The main point of the books I’m getting after is to prevent…what we’re going through today with government,” said Mastarone, who encourages readers to keep an open mind.

He has dedicated the book to statesmen and women, peace officers, military and all those who have sworn an “oath for life,” similar to the one he took when drafted. He also notes former Clarke County Veterans Affair director Joella Perry for the reason he is still alive, as she encouraged him to get a health issue looked into.

In addition to “Spook Smith,” Mastraone published “The Energizer Twister Solution” in 2003 (under pen name Dale Master), and has seven more books ready to go. His next book, “Rizzo’s Law,” was written prior to “Spook Smith,” and many of the same characters appear throughout each book. He is currently looking for a publisher who will take on the others as ebooks, to cut down on production costs and increase availability to readers.**