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cybergoths's review against another edition
4.0
This is an entertaining spy-adjacent thriller which I found hard to put down. The protagonist is a former CIA agent who has taken the fall for a failed operation which they were in charge where French citizen's died. Now imprisoned in France, he is held in a facility which also holds those imprisoned for war crimes, shunned by his colleagues and divorced by his wife.
Three years into his sentence, he gets the news that his wife is dead, along with a son that no one had told him that he had. His release is brought forward, putting him in jeopardy as elements in the CIA need to ensure his silence.
The plot moves at pace and heads all around Europe. I'm not sure how I felt about the way the author approached the female protagonist and her mental health; it felt a little contrived. The involvement with war criminals was interesting, as it tried to portray them as human beings as well as the monsters that their actions showed them to be.
Overall, an entertaining read. Better than a popcorn book, but definitely not a le Carre.
Three years into his sentence, he gets the news that his wife is dead, along with a son that no one had told him that he had. His release is brought forward, putting him in jeopardy as elements in the CIA need to ensure his silence.
The plot moves at pace and heads all around Europe. I'm not sure how I felt about the way the author approached the female protagonist and her mental health; it felt a little contrived. The involvement with war criminals was interesting, as it tried to portray them as human beings as well as the monsters that their actions showed them to be.
Overall, an entertaining read. Better than a popcorn book, but definitely not a le Carre.
johnnyb1954's review against another edition
4.0
This is the only prime first read book I've finished in months, so that was worth three stars. I read all the three star reviews and I thought the book was better than they stated, so I gave it four.
It's true that Wes succeeds because of a chance meeting, but that didn't bother me. I liked the character, Mia, and I liked Wes well enough. I bought in to the premise of the book, and was entertained by the story. It was a fast read and I thought the end was satisfying.
It's true that Wes succeeds because of a chance meeting, but that didn't bother me. I liked the character, Mia, and I liked Wes well enough. I bought in to the premise of the book, and was entertained by the story. It was a fast read and I thought the end was satisfying.
tasmanian_bibliophile's review against another edition
4.0
‘They didn’t even need to discuss it.’
James ‘Wes’ Wesley is a former CIA agent. He was part of an anti-terrorism operation that went awry: the wrong helicopter was shot down. Abandoned by the CIA, Wes has been locked up in a French prison for three years. Isolated from friends and family, Wes is devastated to learn that his ex-wife Rachel was killed in a terrorist attack in Spain. Wes also learns that he and Rachel had a son, Ethan, who is also missing. What he doesn’t know is why Rachel was in Spain, and why she’d not told him about their son.
Wes is released from prison on compassionate grounds and sets out to try to find out who killed Rachel and why. But nothing is straightforward: some of his former colleagues would rather see him dead.
Wes joins forces with Mia, the daughter of a fellow inmate who’d recently died. Together they try to stay ahead of those pursuing Wes while trying to find Ethan and to uncover the truth about why Rachel was killed.
Wes’s search for answers takes him into the past. Dangerous territory where he can’t be sure who he can trust.
This is the first of Mr Wignall’s novels I’ve read, and I’m keen to read more. The story moves at a rapid pace, travelling through several different European locations. Mia is an enigmatic character who complements Wes well on his quest. And the ending? I really wanted to know what would happen next.
Note: My thanks to NetGalley for providing me with a free electronic copy of this book for review purposes.
Jennifer Cameron-Smith
James ‘Wes’ Wesley is a former CIA agent. He was part of an anti-terrorism operation that went awry: the wrong helicopter was shot down. Abandoned by the CIA, Wes has been locked up in a French prison for three years. Isolated from friends and family, Wes is devastated to learn that his ex-wife Rachel was killed in a terrorist attack in Spain. Wes also learns that he and Rachel had a son, Ethan, who is also missing. What he doesn’t know is why Rachel was in Spain, and why she’d not told him about their son.
Wes is released from prison on compassionate grounds and sets out to try to find out who killed Rachel and why. But nothing is straightforward: some of his former colleagues would rather see him dead.
Wes joins forces with Mia, the daughter of a fellow inmate who’d recently died. Together they try to stay ahead of those pursuing Wes while trying to find Ethan and to uncover the truth about why Rachel was killed.
Wes’s search for answers takes him into the past. Dangerous territory where he can’t be sure who he can trust.
This is the first of Mr Wignall’s novels I’ve read, and I’m keen to read more. The story moves at a rapid pace, travelling through several different European locations. Mia is an enigmatic character who complements Wes well on his quest. And the ending? I really wanted to know what would happen next.
Note: My thanks to NetGalley for providing me with a free electronic copy of this book for review purposes.
Jennifer Cameron-Smith
lauraakersauthor's review against another edition
3.0
This is my first book by the author. The wrongfully accused MC Is in prison at the start and there’s some action once he gets out. The companion character Mia is interesting, as is the interjection of religion and Bible passages.
I think the main issue for me was pacing and lack of tension. I didn’t cheer for this MC enough.
I think the main issue for me was pacing and lack of tension. I didn’t cheer for this MC enough.
kiraav's review against another edition
4.0
I'll be honest, this isn't what I usually prefer to read and espionage is definitely not my go to genre but the story was so well written that I found myself invested before I knew it. Both the MCs, James Wesley and Mia and very interesting and don't come off as unlikeable at all.
I love the way they travel together to the various European countries in order to find Ethan and uncover the mystery behind the bomb blast. The conclusion was pretty apt as well so I liked it.
The only thing I was frustrated by were the biblical references and I wish it wasn't a part of the book.
I love the way they travel together to the various European countries in order to find Ethan and uncover the mystery behind the bomb blast. The conclusion was pretty apt as well so I liked it.
The only thing I was frustrated by were the biblical references and I wish it wasn't a part of the book.
megmegjo's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
justasking27's review against another edition
2.0
A decent thriller with not much action (which was fine by me) but lots of suspense and a puzzle to sort through. Flat characters and a plot very similar to The Bourne Identity (the movie) kept the rating low.
sara_h's review against another edition
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5