Book Review - Hiding in Plain Sight - By Thomas LeBrun - Publlication Date: 5 May 2022

 

This memoir feels like it has been told as if one is sitting down with Tom LeBrun, perhaps in a club somewhere, and he is telling you the story of his life from his early beginnings of physical training, weightlifting, boxing, martial arts training and of how all culminated into his Executive Protection Specialist (EPS) vocation where he pro-actively protected celebrities and corporate persons of some means and importance.  As he speaks, different ones of is friends and trusted colleagues would come sit down, tell their side of the story as it related to Tom and the 'current' scene of his life he was narrating.  That person would get up and a little while later, another chap would come along and tell his piece and so on.   The reader is the silent witness who just nods the head and smiles in encouragement for Tom to continue.

Tom tells us he has protected such well-known figures as Whitney Houstan, the Back Street Boys and others.  Of particular interest  to me was his time of protecting Whitney Houstan as he mentions his trip with her to Brunei.  I really perked up when he mentioned that because my family was living there at the time so it was pretty cool to read about it from Tom's perspective.

Something I learned is that a bodyguard and an Exective Protection Specialist are two different roles although there could be some overlapping moves.  Learning about this was of great interest to me and very likely to folks who are an EPS or know or have known someone in this line of work.  

Guys are most likely the ones to dig this book with all the talk of bodybuilding, wrestling, boxing, weightlifting and martial arts of various thought and practice.  These dudes and others, will no doubt find they can relate with Tom who used his brawn, along with his brain, to great and good effect.

Tom emphasises that EPS work is best orchestrated in low profile manner, thus the book's title Hiding In Plain Sight.  Tom pulled this off with excellent aplomb and it made his day to hear or overhear others wondering where a client's protective operative was at any given moment.  Tom's Nighthawk Security businss thrived because of all these skills and more.

It's not often a child keeps, and grows into, his childhood dream into adulthood.  Tom was one who did, becoming 'Superman' of exceptional quality and character.  He helped to train many others in various strengths and roles and it was not always about muscle, it was the positive input of discipling himself into good personal temperate character and an on-going input into his mind of learning new things to improve himself.  All were qualities that made him that Superman Executive Protection Speecialist that his clients could count on with solid trust.

Although at times I got bogged down in details about how many bench presses, and with how many fingers, Tom could do,  I enjoyed this book and believe others will too.

                                             ~Eunice C.  Reviewer/Blogger~

                                                        March 2022

Disclaimer:  This is my honest opinion based on the review copy sent by NetGalley and the publisher.

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