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From the publisher:

An exhilarating spy thriller written by an intelligence veteran about two women CIA agents whose paths become intertwined around a threat to the Russia Division–one that’s coming from inside the agency.

Lyndsey Duncan worries her career with the CIA might be over. After lines are crossed with another intelligence agent during an assignment, she is sent home to Washington on administrative leave. So when a former colleague–now Chief of the Russia Division–recruits her for an internal investigation, she jumps at the chance to prove herself. Lyndsey was once a top handler in the Moscow Field Station, where she was known as the “human lie detector” and praised for recruiting some of the most senior Russian officials. But now, three Russian assets have been exposed–including one of her own–and the CIA is convinced there’s a mole in the department. With years of work in question and lives on the line, Lyndsey is thrown back into life at the agency, this time tracing the steps of those closest to her.

Meanwhile, fellow agent Theresa Warner can’t avoid the spotlight. She is the infamous “Red Widow,” the wife of a former director killed in the field under mysterious circumstances. With her husband’s legacy shadowing her every move, Theresa is a fixture of the Russia Division, and as she and Lyndsey strike up an unusual friendship, her knowledge proves invaluable. But as Lyndsey uncovers a surprising connection to Theresa that could answer all of her questions, she unearths a terrifying web of secrets within the department, if only she is willing to unravel it….

The very versatile Alma Katsu publishes another novel different than her previous works. This book deals with the American spy agency the CIA and like her other books, shows a good deal of research to go behind the scenes and realistically tell the story. Lyndsey Duncan, a longtime employee of the agency is returning to CIA headquarters in Washington from a field assignment with a cloud hanging over her head. Her sin was having an affair with a member of another intelligence agency: a man that worked for England’s MI5. She does expect to either be fired or find that her career is over with the CIA and being pigeonholed for her remaining years with the agency.     

Much to Lyndsey’s pleasant surprise she is asked by a former colleague, now the head of the Russian division, to handle an internal investigation. She was once stationed in Moscow and successfully “ran” a senior Russian official and her expertise is seen to be of use in the search. The investigation she is tasked with has to do with the unmasking of several assets in Russia giving rise to the logical supposition that there is a mole in the department.     

Lyndsey meets Theresa Warner whom she remembers from years ago and is currently working on situations for the Moscow division. Theresa’s husband, also a CIA employee was killed in the field several years ago under mysterious circumstances. The two form a friendship with Lyndsey finding that Theresa is somehow mixed up in the “mole” situation. The ingredients of the situation involving both women make for an interesting story and a satisfying read. 

4/2021 Paul Lane

RED WIDOW by Alma Katsu. G.P. Putnam’s Sons (March 23, 2021). ISBN: 978-05255394140. 352 pages.

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A Marcus Ryker Series Political and Military Action Thriller, Book 4

From the publisher:

From the New York Times, USA Today, and Publishers Weekly bestselling author!

A game-changing peace treaty between Israel and the Saudis is nearly done.

The secretary of state is headed to the region to seal the deal.

And Special Agent Marcus Ryker is leading an advance trip along the Israeli-Lebanon border, ahead of the secretary’s arrival.

But when Ryker and his team are ambushed by Hezbollah forces, a nightmare scenario begins to unfold. The last thing the White House can afford is a new war in the Mideast that could derail the treaty and set the region ablaze. U.S. and Israeli forces are mobilizing to find the hostages and get them home, but Ryker knows the clock is ticking.

When Hezbollah realizes who they’ve captured, no amount of ransom will save them―they’ll be transferred to Beirut and then to Tehran to be executed on live television.

In the fourth installment of Rosenberg’s gripping new series, Marcus Ryker finds himself in the most dangerous situation he has ever faced―captured, brutalized, and dragged deep behind enemy lines.

Should he wait to be rescued? Or try to escape? How? And what if his colleagues are too wounded to run?

This is the CIA’s most valuable operative as you have never seen him before.

Joel C. Rosenberg is the author of 16 novels, the majority set in a Middle East background.  He has an uncanny knack of hitting upon situations in that region that that are in the process of occurring or shortly do take place. His current novel, although published with the situation in place was undoubtedly written prior to the epic signing of peace agreements between Israel and previous enemies of theirs. These accords are, therefore, prophetic in nature although certainly based on the author’s close knowledge of regional shifts.     

Marcus Ryker is the main protagonist in the novel, and an individual that has appeared previously in four of Rosenberg’s books. The story opens with Ryker leading a small force out of Israel reconnoitering the border with Lebanon in preparation for the forthcoming visit of the U.S. president’s envoy in order to take part in the signing of the negotiated peace accords.  They have not crossed the border out of Israel but are attacked by a contingent of Hezbollah soldiers coming from Lebanon. Most of the accompanying Israeli troops are killed in the attack and Marcus, his assistant, and an Israeli minor officer are taken prisoner. The attack and the abductions are seemingly without reason with both the Israelis and Lebanese authorities blindsided by the attack and the kidnappings.     

By coincidence at the same time as the attack the supreme leader of Iran passes away from the cancer he has been fighting with infighting among the ruling committee beginning to shape up to name the successor. What does Iran and it’s changing of rulers have to do with the kidnapping is a basic part of the reasons for that happening. Other factors involved in the unfolding events are first that Marcus’ assistant is a female and certainly in danger of being raped and the Israeli minor official is the nephew of the Prime Minister. And there is another coincidence involved when one of the Hezbollah soldiers taking part in the raid turns out to be the younger brother of one of the main officers of that group.     

Marcus and his two companions are subjected to beatings and torture to obtain any information they may have. Certainly, if Hezbollah knew of Marcus’ true identify they would publicly execute him or even sell him to Iran for their public trial and subsequent execution.  And bringing the Israeli Prime Minister to a trial would be devastating for that country. The group was prepared for these eventualities and had false IDs ready. The Hezbollah are led to believe that they have three Americans in their hands all employees of the State Department.  Thinking possibly to have sold their captives as Israelis the price goes up when it is thought that they now have three Americans to barter.     

Rosenberg has given his readers one continuous adrenaline rush from the start with the capture by terrorists to an ending which clearly sets up the next book by the author. An all-night read – of course how could it be anything but.

4/2021 Paul Lane

THE BEIRUT PROTOCOL by Joel C. Rosenberg. Tyndale House Publishers, Inc. (March 9, 2021). ISBN: 978-1496437891. 364 pages.

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