A good spy novel makes me very happy! It’s even better is when a former CIA agent is the author because you get a sense of truth and reality in the writing. But when the former CIA agent has a flair for creating interesting, non-traditional quirky characters you are in for a great and satisfying reading experience!

Artemis Proctor knew the minute that the mission in Singapore went bad that there was something deeply wrong. She had sent Sam Joseph to Singapore to meet with a Russian agent who was trying to sell some important information. But when Sam goes missing and the Russian agent is killed, Proctor knows the mission was compromised. But before she can even begin an investigation, she is dismissed from the service, a scapegoat for the massive failure of a mission gone wrong.

Months later, Proctor is surprised to find Sam on her doorstep. After months of being “interrogated” by the Russians, he was unexpectedly returned to the US as part of some deal negotiated by the State Department. During his time of captivity, Sam becomes convinced by the way he was questioned and the information that the Russians apparently knew, that there must be a mole in the CIA. Procter, who had also suspected that the Singapore mission failure had resulted from some sort of information compromise, is more that willing to entertain the idea of a mole. Quickly the two begin to analyze the flow of information, and draw up a short list of possible suspects within the CIA including some of Proctor’s closest friends and a few enemies. 

Now Sam and Proctor must figure out a way to test their theory and somehow catch the mole before anymore intelligence is compromised. The Russians, however, are willing to protect their critical asset in the CIA at all costs and soon Sam and Proctor are in the middle of a deadly cat and mouse game. 

I really enjoyed meeting Artemis Proctor. A woman who drinks more than is good for her, is brutally honest and who fights crocodiles as well as she fights Russians, is someone you can really root for!  Sam is still a bit naive, still believes in the good of the world and provides the perfect foil to Procter’s jaded cynicism. Not only must they confront how little they actually know about their friends and colleagues, but Proctor must also deal with the fact that although she has given her all for the organization, the CIA does not reciprocate her devotion.

This is book three in this series- Damascus Station and Moscow X which were both great as well, but Procter was not given a starring role in those two books. McCloskey is definitely a writer to be following! 

Brenda’s Rating: **** (4 Out of 5 Stars)

Recommend this book to: Marian, Sharon, and Keith.

Book Study Worthy: Yes

Read in ebook format.