I think Charles Cumming is currently one of the best writers of spy novels.  Like Le Carré, he lets us see the person behind the spy with all of their fears and vulnerabilities while meticulously crafting his plots with suspense and thrills.

Lachlan Kite is a member of an elite black ops outfit called Box 88. His cover is that he works in finance in London, which allows him travel extensively. Married and now expecting their first child, Lachlan is feeling more settled than he has ever felt before. So it is unsettling to find that one of his childhood friends, someone his own age, has suddenly died.

At the funeral, Lachlan falls into a trap and is kidnapped by a man who wants to know about an incident that happened in the summer of 1989, the year Lachlan was recruited to become an agent of Box 88. To elicit his cooperation, the man also claims to have kidnapped Lachlan’s pregnant wife.

That summer in 1989, Lachlan was just out of boarding school and he was invited to go with his friend’s family to the coast of France. This was an ideal placement for him to have access to one of Iran’s most dangerous men, but Lachlan’s memories of that time are complicated by feelings of remorse for the deceit and betrayal that were necessary for him to accomplish his assignment. Now thirty years later, he must negotiate those feelings again, while seeking to protect his family and trying to thwart the goals of his kidnappers. Time is of the essence!

Brenda’s Rating: ***** (5 Out of 5 Stars)

Recommend this book to: Marian and Sharon

Book Study Worthy? Yes

Read in e-library format.