Tag Archives: Espionage

The Confidence Games by Tess Amy – a Review

Posted on by
15

The Confidence Games by Tess Amy – a Review

 

Amazon / B&N / Kobo / Google Play / Apple / BAM / Bookbub

 

Description:
Two female con artists must pull off the ultimate heist in this rollicking caper from a dazzling new voice.

Emma Oxley and Nellie Yarrow have been inseparable their whole lives. Ever since they reinvented themselves, changing their names and wiping clean their digital footprints, they have made a game of following wherever the next adventure leads and challenging themselves to thefts, street cons, and mind games.

Adhering to only two rules—they will only swindle men, and only ones who deserve it—Emma and Nellie are secure in their reputation as the most trustworthy swindlers on the European black market. Until suddenly, they must play to save their own lives.

Blackmailed into stealing a priceless bracelet from a high-security exhibit, Emma will reexamine everything she believed to be true. This heist takes her far beyond her comfort zone…and she and Nellie will need allies among the glitzy bejeweled gathering in London in order to survive. Will they be able to do the right thing before it’s too late?

 

 

Review:

The Confidence Games by Tess Amy is a fun standalone novel about two best friends who are con artists. We meet Emma Oxley and Nellie Yarrow, who have been best friends forever.  When Emma lost her job, as well as her fiancée, she is despondent, but when Nellie shows up, everything is about to change.  

They reinvent themselves, changing their names, and cleaning digital prints, with them becoming very successful con artists over a 5-year period; making a name for themselves in the European Black Market.  They develop many cons travelling the world, to swindle men, operating under fake personas, stealing valuable things and reselling to them to highest bidders. I really loved their wonderful inspiring friendship and how successful they were. 

But when Nellie is kidnapped, Emma is forced make a plan on stealing a very expensive bracelet (worth millions), The Heart of Envy from a London high-security exhibit. The difficulty of the heist, is because of so much high-tech security, as well as people all over. Nellie is released to help Emma steal the bracelet, with death threats holding against them; they have to race against time to save their own lives. Dax is a member of their team, being a tech and hacking expert. Sophia was a young girl, who was locked up, as Nellie and Emma helped keep the girl save with Dax.  As the day arrives, and plans are put into place, they discover surprising reveals and a family that stays together to fight the battle. To say too much more would ruin it for you, and the last quarter of the books was very exciting.

 I have to say I actually loved this book, as it was so much fun and very enjoyable.  I loved both Emma and Nellie, as well as Dax and Sophia.  The Confidence Games was very well written by Tess Amy, whom I have never read before but I will check out her next book.  The Confidence Games was a fun, delightful, action-filled, suspenseful, exciting story, with wonderful characters, and an amazing heist. I suggest you read this book, as it was so much fun.

Reviewed by Barb

Copy provided by Publisher

 

 

 

Share

Killers of a Certain Age by Deanna Raybourn – a Review

Posted on by
10

Killers of a Certain Age by Deanna Raybourn – a Review

 

Amazon / B&N / Kobo / Google Play / Apple / BAM / Book Depository

 

Description:
Older women often feel invisible, but sometimes that’s their secret weapon.

They’ve spent their lives as the deadliest assassins in a clandestine international organization, but now that they’re sixty years old, four women friends can’t just retire – it’s kill or be killed in this action-packed thriller by New York Times bestselling and Edgar Award-nominated author Deanna Raybourn.

Billie, Mary Alice, Helen, and Natalie have worked for the Museum, an elite network of assassins, for forty years. Now their talents are considered old-school and no one appreciates what they have to offer in an age that relies more on technology than people skills.

When the foursome is sent on an all-expenses paid vacation to mark their retirement, they are targeted by one of their own. Only the Board, the top-level members of the Museum, can order the termination of field agents, and the women realize they’ve been marked for death.

Now to get out alive they have to turn against their own organization, relying on experience and each other to get the job done, knowing that working together is the secret to their survival. They’re about to teach the Board what it really means to be a woman–and a killer–of a certain age.

 

 

Review:

Killers of a Certain Age by Deanna Raybourn is a fun, exciting & and entertaining standalone novel.  I have not read Deanna Raybourn for many years, and was so pleasantly surprised how much I enjoyed this book. Our heroines, Billie, Mary Alice, Helen and Natalie, have worked for the secret Museum, an elite private network of assassins for 40 years. We get to see them in action during their first assignment (after much training, becoming the first all-female group), and now 40 years later, they have retired, with the company sending them on a bon voyage cruise trip.  The story line is split between two time periods, the present and many of their past escapades.  In the early days of their unique career, they were assigned to kill as many Nazi’s as they can, with after the war and more to the present, their assignments become dangerous murderers, drug dealers, dictators, etc.

The ladies came from different backgrounds, remained friends, though many of their assignments were not together. While enjoying their cruise, they recognize someone who one of them knew from years ago, who worked for the Museum, and they realize that because of their knowledge, they are in danger of being targeted for death. The ladies manage to escape the ship, and begin the process of trying to get more information, as they know they are in a race for their lives.  When an old friend makes an attempt on their life, Billie, Mary Alice, Helen and Natalie, step up their game to eliminate the leaders who have targeted them.  These ladies were so much fun to watch, as they were not only smart, but tough and amazing.  To say too much more would be spoilers, and you really need to read and enjoy this book.

Killers of a Certain Age was fast pace, at times tense, entertaining, and a fantastic thriller; and very well written by Deanna Raybourn.  The banter (lots of humor) between the ladies was great, as this was so much fun to watch them, with us praying they will survive.  Great concept that at their age (60’s), that they can still fight and prove that they will not go down quietly.  I thoroughly enjoyed this book, and bravo to Deanna Raybourn for a wonderful story. 

Reviewed by Barb

Copy provided by Publisher

 

 

 

Share

Deadlock by Catherine Coulter – a Review

Posted on by
10

Deadlock by Catherine Coulter – a Review

 

Amazon / B&N / Kobo / Google Play / Apple / BAM / Book Depository

 

Description:
A young wife is forced to confront a decades-old deadly secret when a medium connects her to her dead grandfather.

A vicious psychopath wants ultimate revenge against Savich, but first, she wants to destroy what he loves most—his family.

A series of three red boxes are delivered personally to Savich at the Hoover Building, each one containing puzzle pieces of a town only FBI agent Pippa Cinelli recognizes. Savich sends in Cinelli to investigate undercover but someone knows who she is.

Savich and Sherlock are up to their eyebrows in danger, but can they figure out the red box puzzle and the young wife’s secret before it’s too late?

 

 

 

Review:

Deadlock by Catherine Coulter is the 24th book in her FBI Thriller series. I looked forward to returning to this series, and it’s wonderful FBI heroes, Savich and Sherlock.  Though this is the 24th book in the series, it does read very well as a standalone. Deadlock has two cases, with one involving a past case, but it is easy to follow without a problem.

Savich begins to receive strange violent puzzles from an unknown person, and knows that this is some sort of threat.  We meet FBI agent Pippa Cinelli, who recognizes the puzzles from her old hometown, and Savich gets permission from Pippa’s boss to allow her to investigate the puzzles in her hometown to figure out who and why. 

At the same time, Savich is in the right place and the right time to rescue a kidnapping attempt of Rebeka, a congressman’s wife. Savich with some help from Sherlock, will begin to investigate who is trying to hurt Rebeka. They learn that she had gone to a medium, who claimed her deceased grandfather was trying to talk to her, and the medium kept talking about stolen money hidden many years ago; Rebeka claims she knows nothing, as her grandfather’s stories were not real.  But Savich knows this is the why Rebeka’s life was in danger, and assigns Agent Griffin Hammersmith (whom we have met in previous books) to protect Rebeka.  The investigation begins with many surprising twists, with Savich being pulled between two intense cases.

Pippa begins to work with Police Chief Wilde to investigate the puzzles, and finds herself under attack by someone who is trying to stop her from going further.  Sherlock and their son are rescued from a fire in their house, which was also a threat.  We the reader, know from the start about the past case, where psychopath Marsia Gay, whom Savich sent to prison, is hell bent to enact her revenge against Savich by hurting those close to him before she has him killed.  This is a vicious and complex web going back years, and Savich, Pippa, Police Chief Wilde need to tie the missing pieces to prove Marsia is behind the threats.

What follows is a non-stop exciting and intense adventure with two different cases. Both cases intensified, with wild endings that was so very well done.  This review is difficult to write, as there are so many surprises, twists, game changers, and to tell too much more would be spoilers. I love Savich and Sherlock together, as they are a great team.  The addition of Pippa, Wilde, Griffin was also very good.  Coulter not only gives us wonderful characters we care about, but she also creates evil villains.

Deadlock was a thriller from start to finish, and even if intense at times, it was an enjoyable ride, especially with terrific our marvelous heroes.  Catherine Coulter once again gives us a fabulous story, with so many different surprises and excitement all the way to the climax.  Deadlock was a fast-paced, exciting, intriguing, suspenseful mystery.  If you like suspense, mysteries, espionage, especially in the world of CIA/FBI, I wholly suggest you read Deadlock.

Reviewed by Barb

Copy provided by Publisher

 

 

 

 

Share

The King’s Justice by Susan Elia MacNeal – a Review

Posted on by
10

The King’s Justice by Susan Elia MacNeal – a Review

 

Amazon / B&N / Kobo / BAM / Book Depository / Google Play / Apple

Description:
London. December, 1942. As the Russian army repels German forces from Stalingrad, Maggie Hope, secret agent and spy, takes a break from the Special Operations Executive division to defuse bombs in London. But Maggie herself is like an explosion waiting to happen. Shaken by a recent case, she finds herself living more dangerously–taking more risks than usual, smoking again, drinking gin and riding a motorcycle–and the last thing she wants is to get entangled in another crime. But when she’s called upon to look into a stolen Stradivarius, one of the finest violins ever made, Maggie finds the case too alluring to resist.

Meanwhile, there’s a serial killer on the loose in London and Maggie’s skills are in demand. Little does she know that in the process of investigating this dangerous predator, she will come face to face with a new sort of evil…and discover a link between the precious violin and the murders no one could ever have expected.

 

 

Review:

The King’s Justice by Susan Elia MacNeal is the 9th book in her historical Maggie Hope series. I have not read this author before, and was concerned that starting in the 9th book would be a problem.  But Macneal did a great job writing this story, and giving any needed information to learn about our heroine.  In this historical fiction background, Maggie Hope, our heroine, has had various jobs during this time period (approx. 1942-1943), such as secret agent, spy, and secretary to Winston Churchill.  After a harrowing time, where she had been kidnapped, as well as her time in Scotland,  Maggie wants nothing to do with murder cases, as she steps away from Special Operations Executive Division and instead defuses bombs in London. 

Detective Chief Inspector James Durgin, who worked with Maggie in previous cases, is handling a serial killer case.  He begs Maggie to help him find the killer, but Maggie doesn’t want to get into anything to do with murder.  A previous serial killer (Book 6), Nicholas Reitter, who is on death row, professes to know who this new killer is, he requests Maggie, who put him in prison, to come talk to him in jail.  Maggie hesitated, since he had kidnapped her in a previous story, and she still has nightmares about him.  But when James pleads with Maggie to help him out, she gives in.

What follows is an exciting story revolving around a mass murderer, and Maggie’s attempt to discover what Reitter knows.  Will she be able to rebound from the trauma of past cases, and find the murderer before they strike again?  The King’s Justice was a thought provoking story line, with a great historical background, which includes the dark side of the war, intrigue and violent serial killers.

Maggie was a great heroine, who in this book was suffering mentally with PSTD and nightmares from previous cases, which is why she stepped away from her job.  When she is needed, she will push away her inner demons to use her amazing detective skills to help find the killer.  I did enjoy this book, but I also felt it is better to start from the beginning to learn more about Maggie Hope.  I suggest to read this series and start with the first book.

Reviewed by Barb

Copy provided by Publisher

 

 

Share

Labyrinth by Catherine Coulter – a Review

Posted on by
11

Labyrinth by Catherine Coulter – a Review

 

Amazon / B&N / Kobo / iTunes / Google Play / BAM / Book Depository


Description:
On a dark night, Agent Sherlock is driving along circuitous mountain roads in West Virginia when her car is suddenly T-boned at an intersection. As her car spins out of control, a man’s body slams against her windshield and then—blackness. When she finally comes to, Sherlock has no memory of the accident, nor of the moments that led right up to it. But what she does know is that the man she hit is a local CIA analyst…and now he’s missing.

Meanwhile, in the small town of Gaffer’s Ridge, Virginia, Special Agent Griffin Hammersmith has just rescued a kidnapped woman who claims her captor admitted to the murder of three teenage girls. However, the man she accuses is related to the local sheriff and a member of a very powerful family. Special Agent Hammersmith reaches out to Sherlock for help, and they soon realize that the disappearance of the CIA analyst is actually connected to the string of murders. But how?

 

 

Review:

Labyrinth by Catherine Coulter is the 23rd book in her FBI Thriller series.   I have read a few books in the series, but this read very well as a stand alone.  Dillon Savich and Lacey Sherlock, both FBI agents, return as our heroes in Labyrinth.   Almost at the start, we are caught by surprise, as Sherlock is in a terrible car accident, having be hit by another car, as well as someone bouncing off her windshield.   Savich runs to the hospital worrying about his wife’s condition, and though she was lucky, she now has amnesia from her concussion.  She finds some familiar things, but she does not remember her husband, Dillon.  While many of the FBI agents close to Dillon and Sherlock stick around concerned about her, another mystery is happening in Virginia.

Agent Griffin Hammersmith is on vacation with friends in Gaffer’s Ridge, when he hears a woman screaming.   He manages to help her escape, and between himself and the rescued woman, Carson DeSilva, they manage to stop the kidnapper and call for help from the local police.  Unfortunately, the police turn things around and put both Griffin and Carson in jail for harming the local resident.    Griffin manages to call Dillion for help, and the FBI will come in full force to help Griffin, and try to solve the disappearance of three 16 year old missing girls.

When Sherlock is released from the hospital, even if she cant remember a lot, she insists to work with Dillon to help Griffin, and eventually dig deep to find out the missing man (who bounced off her car, and is a CIA Analyst) as well as discover why the CIA is involved in some kind of behind the scenes mystery.

With Sherlock at his side, they go first to Virginia to help Griffin, and discover a family that controls the town and police.  There is a slight element of psychic attacks, that someone is leashing out at first Sherlock, but Dillion will rescue her.  However, this is an important part of the Virginia story, which has some twists and surprises.  Griffin and Carson work together to get to the bottom of the missing girls.

Dillon and Sherlock return back home to slowly piece together who is the villain at the CIA, and why.  What follows is a non-stop exciting and intense adventure with two different cases. I was great to see how despite her amnesia, Sherlock as an agent was masterful, something she did not forget.  She worked so well with Dillion and other members of the FBI Team.  It was tough for Dillion as she didn’t know him, but slowly their love for each other will be instrumental in her recovery process.  Griffin and Carson had their lives on the brink, but the wild ending was so very well done.  This is a difficult review to write, as so much happens, especially with two different cases, and to tell too much more would be spoilers.

Catherine Coulter once again gives us a fabulous story, with so many different surprises and excitement all the way to the climax.  Labyrinth was fast-paced, exciting, with marvelous heroes, who have to delve deep within the CIA resolve the crimes.  If you like suspense, mysteries, espionage, especially in the world of CIA/FBI, I wholly suggest you read Labyrinth.

Reviewed by Barb

Copy provided by Publisher

Share

Checkmate, My Lord (Nexus #2) by Tracey Devlyn-a review

Posted on by
8

CHECKMATE, MY LORD (Nexus #2) by Tracey Devlyn-a review

Checkmate, My Lord

Paperback
Amazon | Barnes and Noble
| B-A-M | Booktopia | Google | IndieBound | Powell’s | Sourcebooks | The Book Depository

eBook
Amazon | Apple | All Romance | Barnes and Noble | B-A-M | Sourcebooks

ABOUT THE BOOK: Released February 1, 2013

A desperate mother falls in love with the spymaster she’s sent to betray.

Spymaster Sebastian Danvers, Lord Somerton, has spent the last decade protecting England’s shores against a French invasion. Known for his cold logic and ability to sacrifice anything for the greater good, few can outwit him, and even fewer dare challenge him. Until now.

After being exiled to his country estate, Sebastian is surprised when his beautiful, no-nonsense neighbor turns her seductive wiles on him. But years of intrigue have left him wondering why a respectable widow would risk scandal for a few nights in his bed. Sebastian takes his time unraveling the widow’s secrets, for he quickly realizes she might be the one sacrifice he is unwilling to make

**************

REVIEW: CHECKMATE, MY LORD is the second storyline in Tracey Devlyn’s regency romance Nexus series set in the historical English countryside of 1804 against the backdrop of the French Revolution and continuing wars in Europe, and the men and women who work as British Secret agents.

Sebastian Danvers (Lord Somerton) returns home to discover that his widowed neighbor- Catherine Ashcroft- has taken it upon herself to aid the people of the ton on his behalf. With their Lord away on government business, much of the ton has fallen into disrepair. As a young mother and widow, Catherine learns more about the people of the ton than the absent Lord could have imagined and by doing so, she has also placed herself in a position to aid the Lord on his return. Sebastian will soon discover that he has feelings for the young widow but there are secrets about her late husband’s murder that Sebastian refuses to divulge and in this, the story begins. Catherine is unable to trust Sebastian and feels betrayed that he has knowledge that he refuses to impart.

Throughout the story, we see an emotionally strong young woman who has had to overcome the loneliness of an absentee husband only to discover that he may have been murdered by someone she has taken into her confidence and befriended.

But I had an issue as the storyline progressed. This fiercely independent, smart and free-thinking woman is told by a stranger that Lord Somerton and his men are responsible for her husband’s death and she willingly agrees (without question) to spy for and steal important documents for this stranger.  Catherine is consumed in her journey to unravel the mystery of her husband’s murder but in doing so places everyone, including her young daughter and Lord Somerton in harms way. When Sebastian refuses to tell her the information, she believes he is responsible for the death of her husband and blindly sets out to retrieve important information of which she has no idea. It seemed completely out of character for the woman to whom we were first introduced.

Lord Somerton’s refusal to reveal information to Catherine sets up a series of lies, betrayals and emotional heartbreak when Catherine believes he is trying to hide his own guilt. In doing so, Catherine is willing to trust complete strangers before she can trust the man in whom she has fallen in love. Sebastian continues to prove that his intentions towards Catherine are those of a man protecting the woman that he loves, but Catherine sees only deceit and refuses to look at the bigger picture-even when evil moves into her home and threatens their lives. 

CHECKMATE, MY LORD is the second storyline, but for a few references to previous events, can be read as a stand-alone without too much difficulty. The story is filled with espionage, deceit, betrayal, romance and love. Catherine and Sebastian are perfect for each once each can get past the fact that their relationship has been built on lies. If you like your historical romance novels with a bit of real history and background story, Checkmate, My Lord and the Nexus series are the perfect read for you.

Copy supplied by the publisher through Netgalley

Reviewed by Sandy

Share

The Jordan Sandor Series by Jeffrey S. Stephens-a review

Posted on by
9

The Jordan Sandor Series by Jeffrey S. Stephens-a review

Targets of DeceptionTargets of Deception (Jordan Sandor .5) by Jeffrey S.Stephens

ORDER LINKS: Amazon / Barnes and Noble / The Book Depository / KOBO

ABOUT THE BOOK:

Targets of Deception (Variance Publishing), while written as fiction, is based on actual events and Jeffrey Stephens’ ( A Local Author) hair-raising tale of espionage has readers trying to identify a genuine special forces hero who matches the description of the lead character, in much the same way researchers insist they have discovered who inspired the characters of Jack Bauer, Jason Bourne and Jack Ryan.

REVIEW:

Targets of Deception by Jeffrey S. Stephens is the first installment of the Jordan Sandor series. It’s an exciting saga of intrigue and adventure.
This novel is extremely well written, intelligent and, for me the scariest part of all, – realistic! Not full of “Bond” gimmicks and devices…just really intelligent observations and skills. I love the determination and patriotism of Jordan Sandor, he’s my kind of hero.

Jordan starts out as a disappointed ex-agent turned journalist…and quickly leads into an adventure of espionage, murder and terrorism. This story has many intriguing twists and turns, making it one of the most interesting thrillers I’ve read. It’s descriptive, but never boring! Exciting action and thrilling fight scenes. Exotic travel and romance are part of the charm without taking over the story.

This is a wonderful read and I highly recommend this series. I look forward to more in this most interesting of series from this talented author!

Reviewed by Georgianna S.

****************

Targets of OpportunityTARGETS OF OPPORTUNITY (Jordan Sandor # 1)

ORDER LINKS: KOBO/ Amazon / Barnes and Noble / The Book Depository

ABOUT THE BOOK:
Whisked from his Manhattan town house to a gabled CIA safe house in Virginia, Sandor faces off with a top terrorist agent from Iran’s Revolutionary Guard. In exchange for protection from his own side, Ahmad Jaber is offering the CIA explosive information: word of a secret, unholy alliance forged among operatives in the Middle East, a ruthless South American, and Kim Jong-Il’s North Korea. Jaber claims not to know specific details, only that the strike will target the heart of America

Brilliantly conceived, electrifyingly paced, Targets of Opportunity captures a terrifying twenty-first century reality: terrorists can—and will—try as many times as they need to attack the United States. For the brave men and women who defend our country, failure is not an option.

REVIEW:

Targets of Opportunity (Jordan Sandor #1)

Targets of Opportunity is the second book in the Jordan Sandor series by Jeffery S. Stephens. It’s a masterpiece of plot, characters and action!
Jordan Sandor and his team go into North Korea as Canadian visitors to gain information on a plot against the US. Again Mr. Stephens takes us on a globe traveling adventure into exotic places with rich descriptions and admirable characters.

This novel is a delight of twists and turns with so much action, a little romance, and really great dialog. The villain has a plan that is actually quite brilliant, scarily so, but fortunately for us Jordan is a talented and determined adversary.

This story is paced superbly with Jordan piecing together this mastermind plot and following leads all over the globe to thwart this latest threat to our nation’s safety. The pace increases the closer he gets to the actual event. Ending with a breath taking last minute ( ….oops…almost a spoiler) heroic saving actions (whew, saved that one)!

If you love action/thriller novels this one is just the ticket! I thoroughly enjoy this author’s talented storytelling! Can’t wait for more!


Reviewed by Georgianna S.

***********************

Targets of RevengeTARGETS OF REVENGE (Jordan Sandor #2)

ORDER LINKS: Amazon / Barnes and Noble / The Book Depository


ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date-February 19, 2013

COUNTRY FIRST. All the bureaucratic scolding in Washington cannot stop resourceful CIA Agent Jordan Sandor when he’s hungry for revenge. This time he’s on the hunt for the cold-blooded sociopath known as Adina, whose indiscriminate slaughter of innocent people, including Sandor’s close friend, represents man at his worst.


REVIEW:

Targets of Revenge – Review by Georgianna S

Calling all fans of 24 and espionage everywhere – meet Jordan Sandor! This is a wonderfully complex and often compelling story of intrigue and danger. It’s masterfully written by Jeffrey S. Stephens.

Mr. Stephens via Jordan takes us on an exciting journey to many ports of call from the US to Venezuela, Mexico, Egypt, and Russia. Using his extremely proficient skills of intelligence, martial arts, and deadly weapon expertise he begins a rogue mission of revenge in the jungle and turns it into a department uniting venture in anti-terrorism and anti-drug smuggling.

Taking us deep into the world of espionage we see how our world has changed and how issues develop around the globe. His insights into national defense problems and the political posturing that goes with our government are astute and right on target. Handling these sensitive issues with finesse makes this thriller a really complex story adding to the great plot.

As I mentioned earlier, this is masterfully written which makes it just a little too real and more than a little scary! The intricate plan of a super villain, to create a horrible disaster in the US using anthrax powder and explosives, is so exciting and well thought out I can only hope we have a Jordan Sandor keeping watch over us for real! Working so hard to find the path of this villain and uncover his very intricate plans is amazing, not to mention life threatening. The way Jordan does this makes my head spin! Of course a few night with Jordan could make any girls head spin!

We even get a glimpse of his softer nature as he tries and fails to save a lovely young girl from a horrible death at the hands of a ruthless Russian drug lord. He vows revenge for her innocent life and he is a man of his word! Sorry, I don’t want to spoil the story for anyone…
For all adventure and danger junkies…Targets of Revenge is a must read! I highly recommend this book and this series!

Copies supplied by publisher

Reviewed by Georgianna S.

Share