Bestselling author Eric Madeen has announced his latest novel, 'Massage World,' will be available at no charge in ebook form December 13 and 14. The promotion coincides with the holiday season, when books are often sought as gifts for their ability to offer escape, enrichment, and meaningful conversation. The novel is described as a multicultural thriller that explores both sides of the massage industry, creating narrative drive through conflict and ambiguity.
The story follows ambitious therapist Ingrid Swanson, who opens a grand health spa called Massage World, defying local underworld kingpin Jack Cobb. Cobb, a ruthless massage parlor lord, attempts to seize control through illicit 'massage wars,' aided by a crooked undercover vice cop. The plot escalates with a dramatic police raid, neighborhood protests, and involvement from a fearless female biker gang, resulting in what reviewers describe as a phantasmagoric vision of a world in pain.
'Massage World' has received significant critical acclaim. Larry McCaffery, author of 'Some Other Frequency: Interviews with Innovative American Authors' and former Professor of English and Comparative Literature at SDSU, called it 'earthquaking powerful and fresh.' William Luvaas, winner of a Huffington Post Book of the Year award, described it as 'a sizzler of a thriller bursting with eccentric energy.' Harold Jaffe, Professor Emeritus of Creative Writing and Literature at San Diego State University, noted its 'canny and calculated construction' and 'high-octane' quality.
The free ebook promotion represents an opportunity for readers to access critically praised literature without cost during the gift-giving season. Madeen's other works include the travelogue 'Asian Trail Mix: True Tales from Borneo to Japan,' which has been praised for its lush prose and vivid depictions of Asian cultures. His novel 'Water Drumming In The Soul' explores Peace Corps experiences in equatorial Africa, while 'Tokyo-ing!' presents three tales set in Tokyo. Another work, 'Tennis Clubbed, Snubbed and Rubbity-Dub Dubbed,' examines social dynamics in Yokohama.
Readers can access the free promotion of 'Massage World' at https://www.amazon.com/stores/Eric-Madeen/author/B08VGRNJVW?. More information about the author is available at his website https://ericmadeen.com/. Madeen is a recently retired associate professor of modern literature at Tokyo City University and adjunct professor at Keio University, with writing published in Time, Asia Week, The East, and numerous other publications.
This holiday promotion matters because it makes literary fiction accessible to wider audiences during a season when entertainment and enrichment are particularly valued. For the publishing industry, such promotions demonstrate alternative distribution strategies that can increase author visibility and readership. The novel's exploration of the massage industry's dual nature—both holistic and illicit—offers readers insight into a globally relevant service sector while providing the narrative tension and character development that define quality thriller fiction.
