A Very Good Spy Novel

Defector in Paradise is the perfect book for me.  It not only teaches me something I don’t know.  But it also does it with a fascinating storyline.  This is Book #2 in the Owen Roberts’ trilogy.  And here’s the thing:  It doesn’t matter if you haven’t read Book #1.  I didn’t even know there was a Book #1 until after I finished DiP!

So I have to say I don’t know much about intelligence officers and what they do.  Having been alive throughout most of the Cold War, I have an outline of what went on between the U.S. and the Soviet Union.  But this book goes deep into how it played out.  The story is about a Russian spy who has been in the U.S. for 30 years and who has established himself as a potential very high level political figure.  And Owen Roberts is literally the only person who can stop him.  He does get some help from another in-country Russian.  But he pretty much has to expose the mole or that spy will be in a position to wreak havoc on our political system.

Not only is there a lot of spy stuff, but there are plenty of other elements too.  There are alliances that wouldn’t normally take place.  There are Russian thugs who have just one thing in mind.  There is the guts and cunning of an intelligence officer (Owen, of course) who has a plan to keep the free world free.  And let’s not ignore a little romance along the way.

Defector in Paradise will definitely hold your attention until it ultimately becomes unputdownable.  Get a hold of it, and maybe you/I will check out how it all started in Book #1, The Clandestine Education of Owen Roberts.  

Dugoni does it again!

Everybody knows what a big fan of Robert Dugoni I am.  I have read many of his books and have thoroughly enjoyed every one.  The Extraordinary Life of Sam Hell is one of my favorite books all-time!

When I received an ARC of Beyond Reasonable Doubt from his publicist, I was extremely happy!  But then I noticed that it was Book 2 of a new series, and I hadn’t read (or even been aware of) Book 1.  So I asked Megan about it, and she was kind enough to send me a copy of Her Deadly Game.  I devoured it!

So what is it about, you ask?  Keera Duggan is a prosecutor on the rise in Seattle.  Unfortunately, though, she has a bad break-up with a colleague which leads her to going from prosecution to criminal defense.  In fact, she ends up working for the family business, which was founded by her father and also includes her two sisters.  And, as luck would have it, she immediately takes on a case in which an investment advisor is accused of murdering his wealthy wife.

Let me say that I’ve always liked books where much of it takes place in the courtroom (does everybody know Sheldon Siegel? - if not, get to it!).  This is definitely no exception.  Bob has created a powerful story about a criminal defense family with some great courtroom drama.  And on top of all that, is it possible the defendant has secrets that Keera uncovers and doesn’t know what to do with?  I would say that, yes, it’s possible!

I didn’t need proof that I would enjoy Bob Dugoni’s latest.  But the proof was definitely in the Her Deadly Game pudding.  Don’t hesitate to grab a copy so you can follow right up with Book 2, which hits the bookstores on October 22.