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Never Say Spy #1
Never Say Spy
Book 1 of the Never Say Spy series
Despite her penchant for weapons and ripe language, Aydan Kelly’s resumé reads ‘bookkeeper’, not ‘badass’. She’s leaving the city to fulfill her dream of rural tranquillity when she gets carjacked by a man who shouldn’t exist.
When RCMP officer John Kane kills her would-be abductor, Aydan thinks her troubles are over. But Kane’s investigation implicates her in an international espionage plot, and criminal charges become the least of her worries when she’s targeted by the very spies Kane suspects her of aiding.
Pity her enemies. Because nobody’s tougher than a middle-aged woman who wants her dream back.
- Spicy suspense served hard-boiled -
Despite her penchant for weapons and ripe language, Aydan Kelly’s resumé reads ‘bookkeeper’, not ‘badass’. She’s leaving the city to fulfill her dream of rural tranquillity when she gets carjacked by a man who shouldn’t exist.
When RCMP officer John Kane kills her would-be abductor, Aydan thinks her troubles are over. But Kane’s investigation implicates her in an international espionage plot, and criminal charges become the least of her worries when she’s targeted by the very spies Kane suspects her of aiding.
Pity her enemies. Because nobody’s tougher than a middle-aged woman who wants her dream back.
- Spicy suspense served hard-boiled -
400 pages, Paperback
First published October 12, 2011
2238 people are currently reading
2426 people want to read
About the author
Diane Henders
27 books105 followersBy profession, I’m a technical writer, computer geek, and ex-interior designer. I’m good at two out of three of these things. I had the sense to quit the one I sucked at.
To deal with my mid-life crisis, I also write adventure novels featuring a middle-aged female protagonist, Aydan Kelly. And I kickbox.
This seemed more productive than indulging in more typical mid-life crisis activities like getting a divorce, buying a Harley Crossbones, and cruising across the country picking up men in sleazy bars. Especially since it’s winter most of the months of the year here.
It’s much more comfortable to sit at my computer. And hell, Harleys are expensive. Come to think of it, so are beer and gasoline.
Oh, and I still love my husband. There’s that. I’ll stick with the writing.
To deal with my mid-life crisis, I also write adventure novels featuring a middle-aged female protagonist, Aydan Kelly. And I kickbox.
This seemed more productive than indulging in more typical mid-life crisis activities like getting a divorce, buying a Harley Crossbones, and cruising across the country picking up men in sleazy bars. Especially since it’s winter most of the months of the year here.
It’s much more comfortable to sit at my computer. And hell, Harleys are expensive. Come to think of it, so are beer and gasoline.
Oh, and I still love my husband. There’s that. I’ll stick with the writing.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 307 reviews
October 5, 2016
Kindle freebie: This action-packed and often humorous light suspense indie novel about Aydan Kelly, a Canadian bookkeeper in her 40's who gets mistaken for a spy, is a little rough around the edges, but it definitely has its moments. Aydan accidentally gets mixed up in some high-tech networking stuff (SFnal kind of stuff) that the spies will do anything to get their hands on. Aydan is a kick-ass-and-take-names kind of gal, great with guns, and good in a pinch. She can't even convince the police that she's not a spy! And she's unashamed of her hefty appetite, which is refreshing.
This novel plays rough, though: there are shootings, kidnappings, torture, other assorted acts of violence, explicit sex, and innuendos and F-bombs galore. Aydan has quite the potty mouth. It was at the edges of my tolerance for that kind of content, but the story was enjoyable and interesting enough that I kept reading. It lost me, though, when Aydan had casual sex -- and it wasn't even with the guy she was attracted to and lusting after the whole book. It was with his long-time friend! No, sorry. Just no. It lost a couple of stars just for that.
For those who like this type of book, this is otherwise a fun read.
This novel plays rough, though: there are shootings, kidnappings, torture, other assorted acts of violence, explicit sex, and innuendos and F-bombs galore. Aydan has quite the potty mouth. It was at the edges of my tolerance for that kind of content, but the story was enjoyable and interesting enough that I kept reading. It lost me, though, when Aydan had casual sex -- and it wasn't even with the guy she was attracted to and lusting after the whole book. It was with his long-time friend! No, sorry. Just no. It lost a couple of stars just for that.
For those who like this type of book, this is otherwise a fun read.
October 3, 2016
This was ripping good fun. Which is good because that overcame some weaknesses that would have overwhelmed a lesser story.
I liked Aydan from the start. She's an interesting mix of unlikely attributes that probably shouldn't have worked. She's 46, for example, but has an active lifestyle that includes bloodsports (ahem, basketball) and really, really odd hobbies. I loved that her reactions were always reasonable, even as they were sometimes unexpected. Like when a guy puts down her back seat to crawl out of her trunk while she's driving and she notices he has a gun, she doesn't hesitate to stand on her brakes and introduce his face to her windshield. Awesome. These odd skills and the willingness to act when pressed is why John Kane has such a hard time buying her as a simple bookkeeper. For example, at one point he hands her a random firearm taken from a fallen badguy. She pops the magazine to check it's load, pops it back in and is ready to go. Like no big deal. Having done this, I can tell you that this takes some familiarity and many gun models have a slight twist to the procedure/mechanism that take at least a second or two of examination to pull off. Aydan doesn't take that second. She just pops, checks, returns. And later uses the gun to good (deadly) effect, including knowing exactly how many rounds are left after a minor shootout (without rechecking). This is not normal, but Aydan has an explanation for all these things, even if they're unlikely. I loved this, even as I could sympathize with poor John. And here's the thing I noticed: Henders keeps us in Aydan's perspective, but always in the now. We get some minor tidbits that explain motivation and such, but I reached the end of the book after paying close attention and John could be right that she's an agent because we never hear through anything but dialogue why it is that Aydan knows all these things.
Keeping the perspective exclusively in the now also had the effect of making this feel very much like an action-packed ride with no relief and no exits. And I mean that in the very best way. The pacing of this is brilliant and very much in the spy/thriller/action vein. This action kept me glued to the book way past when I should have stopped for minor things like sleep, food, or family.
And it doesn't hurt that the dialogue is snappy and the side characters interesting. Henders goes a bit overboard here, so by the end it felt a little forced or like everybody had the same personalities, but I mostly enjoyed the good guys on John's team and the people they came into contact with. And I really liked some of the play with expectations Henders incorporates (like the main front for the terrorists is the Fuzzy Bunny company). Unfortunately, she also has some unthinking stereotyping that was more than a little disappointing .
Some of the weaknesses are amateur stuff like said bookisms and adverb overuse. I hope this evens out in future books because I fully plan to acquire at least the next one. The tradecraft weaknesses were bad enough to keep this from rounding to four stars, but I'm interested to see if it improves.
A note about Steamy: There's only one explicit sex scene, and it was a very fun one, but there are also a couple instances where Aydan is at the mercy of people who have none and some of that violence was sexual in nature. There's no rape, but it's a near thing. Henders handles it well, I think, particularly with someone as tough and grounded as Aydan obviously is (i.e. she is affected, but not incapacitated). The presence of those elements bear mentioning, I think.
A note about the publisher: This one made me laugh and may have influenced my initial purchase. PEBKAC is a tech acronym for "problem exists between keyboard and chair". It's used for when you can't blame the user even though it's the user's fault. As a name for an indie publisher, it's also a fun self-deprecation...
I liked Aydan from the start. She's an interesting mix of unlikely attributes that probably shouldn't have worked. She's 46, for example, but has an active lifestyle that includes bloodsports (ahem, basketball) and really, really odd hobbies. I loved that her reactions were always reasonable, even as they were sometimes unexpected. Like when a guy puts down her back seat to crawl out of her trunk while she's driving and she notices he has a gun, she doesn't hesitate to stand on her brakes and introduce his face to her windshield. Awesome. These odd skills and the willingness to act when pressed is why John Kane has such a hard time buying her as a simple bookkeeper. For example, at one point he hands her a random firearm taken from a fallen badguy. She pops the magazine to check it's load, pops it back in and is ready to go. Like no big deal. Having done this, I can tell you that this takes some familiarity and many gun models have a slight twist to the procedure/mechanism that take at least a second or two of examination to pull off. Aydan doesn't take that second. She just pops, checks, returns. And later uses the gun to good (deadly) effect, including knowing exactly how many rounds are left after a minor shootout (without rechecking). This is not normal, but Aydan has an explanation for all these things, even if they're unlikely. I loved this, even as I could sympathize with poor John. And here's the thing I noticed: Henders keeps us in Aydan's perspective, but always in the now. We get some minor tidbits that explain motivation and such, but I reached the end of the book after paying close attention and John could be right that she's an agent because we never hear through anything but dialogue why it is that Aydan knows all these things.
Keeping the perspective exclusively in the now also had the effect of making this feel very much like an action-packed ride with no relief and no exits. And I mean that in the very best way. The pacing of this is brilliant and very much in the spy/thriller/action vein. This action kept me glued to the book way past when I should have stopped for minor things like sleep, food, or family.
And it doesn't hurt that the dialogue is snappy and the side characters interesting. Henders goes a bit overboard here, so by the end it felt a little forced or like everybody had the same personalities, but I mostly enjoyed the good guys on John's team and the people they came into contact with. And I really liked some of the play with expectations Henders incorporates (like the main front for the terrorists is the Fuzzy Bunny company). Unfortunately, she also has some unthinking stereotyping that was more than a little disappointing .
Some of the weaknesses are amateur stuff like said bookisms and adverb overuse. I hope this evens out in future books because I fully plan to acquire at least the next one. The tradecraft weaknesses were bad enough to keep this from rounding to four stars, but I'm interested to see if it improves.
A note about Steamy: There's only one explicit sex scene, and it was a very fun one, but there are also a couple instances where Aydan is at the mercy of people who have none and some of that violence was sexual in nature. There's no rape, but it's a near thing. Henders handles it well, I think, particularly with someone as tough and grounded as Aydan obviously is (i.e. she is affected, but not incapacitated). The presence of those elements bear mentioning, I think.
A note about the publisher: This one made me laugh and may have influenced my initial purchase. PEBKAC is a tech acronym for "problem exists between keyboard and chair". It's used for when you can't blame the user even though it's the user's fault. As a name for an indie publisher, it's also a fun self-deprecation...
Read
December 5, 2016Perfect read for a day of two hours of sleep. Aydan is mid-forties, a big girl, who knows her way around a monkey wrench, and is pretty good at street fighting. Luckily, as she falls into adventure when she's knocked out under mysterious circumstances, and then attacked.
The action is nearly non-stop, but Aydan handles herself with verve and wit. Lots of cute guys add to the fun, as the mystery slowly unfolds. The bad guys are obvious from their introduction, but that is okay--the fun here is in Aydan's vivid, funny personality, narrative style, unashamed sexuality.
First in a series.
The action is nearly non-stop, but Aydan handles herself with verve and wit. Lots of cute guys add to the fun, as the mystery slowly unfolds. The bad guys are obvious from their introduction, but that is okay--the fun here is in Aydan's vivid, funny personality, narrative style, unashamed sexuality.
First in a series.
February 15, 2014
I have really strong feelings about this series. I guess that says something right there because there aren't that many books that really get under your skin. Unfortunately, it is a love-hate relationship.
First, what I loved. It's very well-written in the sense that the author has some natural talent at storytelling and "stringing the words together" so to speak. I love her voice and style of writing. It's very fast paced and I really get the impression the author is having a lot of fun writing the books. The action scenes are well done. The romance is hot and the romantic tension is top notch. The characters are (mostly) well developed, interesting and likable. I love that the author makes the characters have a lot of non-traditional characteristics (e.g. the female main character is in her 40s, one of the male main characters is "ugly", a sweet little old lady has constantly changing hair, wears leather and runs a s*x shop, etc.) I love the premise of accidentally falling into the spy business and I love the portrayal of being inside a computer network in a virtual reality. It's clear the author either has some IT experience or a good advisor in that regard.
Now, for the problems. :-( I guess I can sum it up in two concepts - plausibility and missed opportunities.
When it comes to suspending disbelief, I can tolerate a lot of implausibility. Technology that defies the known laws of physics? No problem. Flying superheroes? You betcha. Action stars that do 30 flips in the air before shooting 5 bad guys with one bullet? I'm there. But I have to draw my line when you move into the realm of human psychology. It is really, really difficult for me when characters react in ways that just don't make any darn sense! Add to that the authors portrayal of the military/law enforcement/national security organizations as shallow, one-dimensional, cartoonish characters and my head starts to hurt. Perhaps that bothers me so much because I have a military background myself and have lots of family and friends currently in law enforcement and the military and I understand what truly motivates those who serve and how serious they are about it. They are not unthinking caricatures and frankly, I found a lot of the authors portrayal of the military/law enforcement/national security organizations in this book a little offensive and very juvenile. I choose to believe that is just ignorance on her part rather than bias, so I don't really hold it against her or the books, it's just very distracting.
A few questions to illustrate my point. (I don't think I will reveal anything with these questions that isn't already revealed by the book summaries themselves, but if you're super sensitive to spoilers, look away now.......................................)
Who in their right mind would cavalierly accept that executing an innocent civilian is the right thing to do because she would be a danger to national security if she fell into enemy hands? The main character just placidly accepts that it's ok if she gets executed. Her friends don't like it but accept it as "orders" and just go along since after all, it's in the interest of national security. WTF? I know this book takes place in Canada and I am American, but I'm fairly certain Canadians value freedom, justice and individual rights as much as Americans, EH??? Sheesh...
Who in their right mind would cavalierly accept and demand that an innocent civilian (or any human being, for that matter) do things that constantly cause her intense pain and even cause her to flat line and almost die - over and over and over again in the name of "national security."
Who in their right mind allows themselves to be manipulated with a very shallow and artificial sense of "duty" and "guilt". There are times when the main character approaches if not crosses that dreaded "to stupid to live" line, in my opinion, because of her unquestioning non-resistance to whatever is asked of her.
And how is it that a chain of command that treats all their agents like potential traitors by demanding constant loyalty tests in a guilty-until-proven-innocent mindset doesn't notice when one of the secondary character does a Jekyll and Hyde and turns into a bad guy?
There's more, but you get the point. Now, I could believe a lot of the above if I was given a plausible explanation for this behavior. For example, if the setting was a mafia organization instead of military. But the books repeatedly insist these are the "good guys". Or maybe she has some secrets in her background that would explain a lot of things. I read all the books because I just kept hoping that all would be explained, and while there was some small things explained, mostly it never was. The reader is just supposed to accept things at face value. Sigh.
Which leads to the second problem - missed opportunities. This author clearly has some skills at writing. I note that she is publishing independently and says that these are her first books. I do hope she keeps on writing and improving her craft, because I could see so much potential for this series and probably a lot of other ideas in her head. I'm thinking about the tv series Lost. It has a lot of mysteries in it - some little, some big. The little mysteries come and go, thus giving the viewer satisfaction while continuing to tease the bigger mysteries until the big reveal at the end of the series. I wish these books had been done like that. For example, the main character's insistence that she is just a bookkeeper and all her friend's suspicions that she is really an undercover spy. Frankly, I'm with her friends. But no, the author leaves us to believe her flimsy excuses for how she knows all these spy skills. And what's with the main character's supposed low blood sugar that leaves her with a constant need for food? It's such a pivotal and repeated characteristic that readers are used to picking stuff up like this as clues to something bigger (at least that's how I read). Real estate is valuable and I just assume an author wouldn't waste space with non-essential details. But again, no, we are left hanging and apparently expected to just accept it at face value. The author could have been fleshing out her background a little more in each book. Maybe she's been experimented on and had her memories erased. Maybe she really is a former spy and is in the spy version of witness protection. Maybe, this is all just another virtual reality sim. Lots of things I can think of to tease and stretch the mysteries while giving enough answers to satisfy while continuing to draw the reader in to the next book. Sadly, this doesn't exist currently and I see it as a missed opportunity to make this series something really special.
I will wrap up this review by saying that yes, I will be buying the next book - and the one after that if/when it comes out - despite the problems above. Like I said - I love this author's voice and am ever hopeful that I will get the answers I crave. :-)
First, what I loved. It's very well-written in the sense that the author has some natural talent at storytelling and "stringing the words together" so to speak. I love her voice and style of writing. It's very fast paced and I really get the impression the author is having a lot of fun writing the books. The action scenes are well done. The romance is hot and the romantic tension is top notch. The characters are (mostly) well developed, interesting and likable. I love that the author makes the characters have a lot of non-traditional characteristics (e.g. the female main character is in her 40s, one of the male main characters is "ugly", a sweet little old lady has constantly changing hair, wears leather and runs a s*x shop, etc.) I love the premise of accidentally falling into the spy business and I love the portrayal of being inside a computer network in a virtual reality. It's clear the author either has some IT experience or a good advisor in that regard.
Now, for the problems. :-( I guess I can sum it up in two concepts - plausibility and missed opportunities.
When it comes to suspending disbelief, I can tolerate a lot of implausibility. Technology that defies the known laws of physics? No problem. Flying superheroes? You betcha. Action stars that do 30 flips in the air before shooting 5 bad guys with one bullet? I'm there. But I have to draw my line when you move into the realm of human psychology. It is really, really difficult for me when characters react in ways that just don't make any darn sense! Add to that the authors portrayal of the military/law enforcement/national security organizations as shallow, one-dimensional, cartoonish characters and my head starts to hurt. Perhaps that bothers me so much because I have a military background myself and have lots of family and friends currently in law enforcement and the military and I understand what truly motivates those who serve and how serious they are about it. They are not unthinking caricatures and frankly, I found a lot of the authors portrayal of the military/law enforcement/national security organizations in this book a little offensive and very juvenile. I choose to believe that is just ignorance on her part rather than bias, so I don't really hold it against her or the books, it's just very distracting.
A few questions to illustrate my point. (I don't think I will reveal anything with these questions that isn't already revealed by the book summaries themselves, but if you're super sensitive to spoilers, look away now.......................................)
Who in their right mind would cavalierly accept that executing an innocent civilian is the right thing to do because she would be a danger to national security if she fell into enemy hands? The main character just placidly accepts that it's ok if she gets executed. Her friends don't like it but accept it as "orders" and just go along since after all, it's in the interest of national security. WTF? I know this book takes place in Canada and I am American, but I'm fairly certain Canadians value freedom, justice and individual rights as much as Americans, EH??? Sheesh...
Who in their right mind would cavalierly accept and demand that an innocent civilian (or any human being, for that matter) do things that constantly cause her intense pain and even cause her to flat line and almost die - over and over and over again in the name of "national security."
Who in their right mind allows themselves to be manipulated with a very shallow and artificial sense of "duty" and "guilt". There are times when the main character approaches if not crosses that dreaded "to stupid to live" line, in my opinion, because of her unquestioning non-resistance to whatever is asked of her.
And how is it that a chain of command that treats all their agents like potential traitors by demanding constant loyalty tests in a guilty-until-proven-innocent mindset doesn't notice when one of the secondary character does a Jekyll and Hyde and turns into a bad guy?
There's more, but you get the point. Now, I could believe a lot of the above if I was given a plausible explanation for this behavior. For example, if the setting was a mafia organization instead of military. But the books repeatedly insist these are the "good guys". Or maybe she has some secrets in her background that would explain a lot of things. I read all the books because I just kept hoping that all would be explained, and while there was some small things explained, mostly it never was. The reader is just supposed to accept things at face value. Sigh.
Which leads to the second problem - missed opportunities. This author clearly has some skills at writing. I note that she is publishing independently and says that these are her first books. I do hope she keeps on writing and improving her craft, because I could see so much potential for this series and probably a lot of other ideas in her head. I'm thinking about the tv series Lost. It has a lot of mysteries in it - some little, some big. The little mysteries come and go, thus giving the viewer satisfaction while continuing to tease the bigger mysteries until the big reveal at the end of the series. I wish these books had been done like that. For example, the main character's insistence that she is just a bookkeeper and all her friend's suspicions that she is really an undercover spy. Frankly, I'm with her friends. But no, the author leaves us to believe her flimsy excuses for how she knows all these spy skills. And what's with the main character's supposed low blood sugar that leaves her with a constant need for food? It's such a pivotal and repeated characteristic that readers are used to picking stuff up like this as clues to something bigger (at least that's how I read). Real estate is valuable and I just assume an author wouldn't waste space with non-essential details. But again, no, we are left hanging and apparently expected to just accept it at face value. The author could have been fleshing out her background a little more in each book. Maybe she's been experimented on and had her memories erased. Maybe she really is a former spy and is in the spy version of witness protection. Maybe, this is all just another virtual reality sim. Lots of things I can think of to tease and stretch the mysteries while giving enough answers to satisfy while continuing to draw the reader in to the next book. Sadly, this doesn't exist currently and I see it as a missed opportunity to make this series something really special.
I will wrap up this review by saying that yes, I will be buying the next book - and the one after that if/when it comes out - despite the problems above. Like I said - I love this author's voice and am ever hopeful that I will get the answers I crave. :-)
February 28, 2016
A real breather to read.
That's a real comedy of characters going in here. If you are a bit crazy, how can you prove you are actually crazy and not some spy?
Q:
I thought you were Mr. By-The-Book.
I am. Some days I use a different book.
That's a real comedy of characters going in here. If you are a bit crazy, how can you prove you are actually crazy and not some spy?
Q:
I thought you were Mr. By-The-Book.
I am. Some days I use a different book.
December 9, 2021
2.5 stars ~
skim read. too much cussing and physical stuff to keep me interested. the plot seemed to revolved around the character and her mid-life crisis of needing to have sex again. 🙄
#wouldnotrecommend
skim read. too much cussing and physical stuff to keep me interested. the plot seemed to revolved around the character and her mid-life crisis of needing to have sex again. 🙄
#wouldnotrecommend
March 6, 2018
If I had to pick a genre for this I would have to make on up. I would probably call it: SciFiHornyBadAssWoman. I could add in "meets sexy spy" but that seems overly specific. There were times I really liked this book and there were times I wanted to like it more. In seriousness it was a tongue in-cheek Sci Fi Spy Caper featuring a woman who didn't run around screaming for a change. The virtual reality subplot was an interesting twist and germane to the story but it's explanation was a little fuzzy and it's legitimate purpose a little vague. The book calls for a definite suspension of belief. No I am not talking about the virtual reality world or the fact this woman, Aydan, kept getting beat up and basically recovering overnight so she could get assailed, rescued and recover again. Sure she is a middle aged bookkeeper but after wrestling with the IRS I am sure the average spy is small potatoes. I could even buy the fact she was able to incapacitate men of any size without effort and the fact she could shoot any weapon with deadly accuracy was absolutely believable as well. However no one gets to eat like she does: hot meat laden pizzas, burgers, fries, onion rings, cold pizza, bagels with peanut butter and stay "curvy". At least she wasn't rail thin but I am not buying it. I do have a minor quibble. While I think Diane Henders is a very talented writer, if she used the sentence "dug in" one more time when referring to Aydan or Kane eating a meal , I was going to have to hurt her. .. Most of the time this was followed by the men "watching in silence" or in amusement. If Kane, he of rock hard abs, was really that good looking I think I would have had my mind elsewhere, which, quite believably, Aydan did at times.
Am I going to read the next one? I haven't decided.. Probably because for the most part I enjoyed the book and I am curious to see where Henders takes Aydan and maybe Kane next.
Am I going to read the next one? I haven't decided.. Probably because for the most part I enjoyed the book and I am curious to see where Henders takes Aydan and maybe Kane next.
January 28, 2018
First sentence: "French-kissing the hot guy in my fantasy seemed like a good idea at the time."
This is certainly a different sort of espionage book. Our heroine Aydan is a horny forty-something book keeper with mad skills, stamina, and perseverance. There is virtual reality technology, and an evil entity called "Fuzzy Bunny". There's a great mix of humor and bad-assery throughout, and a bit of sexy-time.
I may read number two to see what Aydan's up to next.
3.5 stars
This is certainly a different sort of espionage book. Our heroine Aydan is a horny forty-something book keeper with mad skills, stamina, and perseverance. There is virtual reality technology, and an evil entity called "Fuzzy Bunny". There's a great mix of humor and bad-assery throughout, and a bit of sexy-time.
I may read number two to see what Aydan's up to next.
3.5 stars
March 5, 2015
Well, that was fun. A tall, red-headed, middle-aged protagonist--just like me! She's pretty kick-ass, too--not exactly like me, though I'm hell on spiders and probably could take on a couple of toddlers, if they weren't too cranky. But, hey, that's why we read fiction.
Ayden, apparently a bookkeeper, suddenly finds herself pursued by bad guys who either want to kidnap her or want her dead, and she's helped by some fed types who think she's a spy. She takes a lot of stuff with remarkable aplomb and a sense of humor that lightens things for everyone. The story takes a sharp turn into a bit of sci-fi, but somehow as a reader I continued to suspend my disbelief because Ayden is such a likeable character. The ancillary characters likewise are engaging and atypical. Even her "romantic" interests, including what would have been a cliched triangle in most books, are handled in a refreshing way.
She gets bashed up quite a bit, and it's far from being a light-hearted story, but the balance worked for me. I definitely will check out the next book in the series.
Ayden, apparently a bookkeeper, suddenly finds herself pursued by bad guys who either want to kidnap her or want her dead, and she's helped by some fed types who think she's a spy. She takes a lot of stuff with remarkable aplomb and a sense of humor that lightens things for everyone. The story takes a sharp turn into a bit of sci-fi, but somehow as a reader I continued to suspend my disbelief because Ayden is such a likeable character. The ancillary characters likewise are engaging and atypical. Even her "romantic" interests, including what would have been a cliched triangle in most books, are handled in a refreshing way.
She gets bashed up quite a bit, and it's far from being a light-hearted story, but the balance worked for me. I definitely will check out the next book in the series.
October 9, 2018
Aydan Kelly, middleaged Canadian bookkeeper with a penchant for food and firearms, is carjacked, shot, mistaken for a spy - and that's just the beginning of the huge heap of trouble she suddenly finds herself in. What follows is a mighty entertaining, fun, actionpacked thriller that hurtles along at a fast pace as Aydan gets caught up in a series of events that involve a lot of asskicking, swearing, and possibly even an end to an entirely too long dry spell.
I enjoyed this a lot. There was a little more futuristic technology stuff in the plot than I expected, but the book had me hooked from the start and I just loved the characters - especially Aydan. She's just awesome. Tough, resourceful, fun, and well-rounded enough to feel like a real person. I very much wanted to punch Kane on several occasions, but hey, Aydan took care of that for me, because she's just that kinda girl.
I enjoyed this a lot. There was a little more futuristic technology stuff in the plot than I expected, but the book had me hooked from the start and I just loved the characters - especially Aydan. She's just awesome. Tough, resourceful, fun, and well-rounded enough to feel like a real person. I very much wanted to punch Kane on several occasions, but hey, Aydan took care of that for me, because she's just that kinda girl.
July 15, 2015
What a fun book. Clever, witty, well-researched. The protagonist, Aydan Kelly, is a fiery woman breaking all sorts of stereotypes, and it was a pleasure to "get to know her." Although, does the reader fully get to know her? That's what makes this novel such a fun read. It keeps you guessing right up to the end. The pacing is strong, the dialogue sharp, and the characters appealing.
April 26, 2020
This book was a little too silly for my tastes. I completely see what the author was going for in marketing it as a "Janet Evanovich meets Robert Ludlum" but, unfortunately, this suffers from the same fate as a lot of the "this meets that" ideas, which is that neither one of them is particularly well done. The Ludlum spy thriller aspects aren't very thrilling (or realistic) because of the way that the protagonist stumbles through what would otherwise be tense and serious situations with an unconcerned overconfidence. And the Janet Evanovich-style hapless comedy feels out of place in the circumstances the protagonist finds herself in. Overall I was really hoping to like this book (I do love both Robert Ludlum spy novels and the Stephanie Plum series), but it was a big miss for me.
July 9, 2022
Never Say Spy was one of those books I found to be extremely infuriating.
1) I couldn’t stand the constant inner dialogue. Yes I actually yelled stop talking more than a few times.
2. They constantly would say things over and over and over again. You explain the ‘situation’, you watch the past ‘situation’ and then another character thinks about the ‘situation’. Stop.
3. The first six chapters were a complete and total waste of time. I almost stopped reading.
4. The way time moved in the book was just jarring. It just kept making me say, what the hell.
5. These honestly one of the worst security guards or whatever in the world. I think I’m done reading any books were the main characters are security guards. I’m just over it. NO.
1) I couldn’t stand the constant inner dialogue. Yes I actually yelled stop talking more than a few times.
2. They constantly would say things over and over and over again. You explain the ‘situation’, you watch the past ‘situation’ and then another character thinks about the ‘situation’. Stop.
3. The first six chapters were a complete and total waste of time. I almost stopped reading.
4. The way time moved in the book was just jarring. It just kept making me say, what the hell.
5. These honestly one of the worst security guards or whatever in the world. I think I’m done reading any books were the main characters are security guards. I’m just over it. NO.
Read
July 21, 2024Life is too short to read books this annoying. The first sentence, " French-kissing the hot guy in my fantasy seemed like a good idea at the time" gave me a clue it might not be my kind of book, and the preoccupation with sex continued, but then she started having all kinds of fantasies of things going on, whenever she encountered a confusing situation. It was not intriguing, just annoying as heck. I TRIED; I read 93 pages.
On to something more promising.
On to something more promising.
May 21, 2019
Really fun and I enjoyed the heroine who was competent and smart. No crying or waiting for a knight in shining armour to rescue her, she got herself out of dodgy situations.
I liked the writing style, no over internalising that is so often overdone. The action and plot kept ticking along nicely.
I will definitely be reading more of Aydan and her adventures.
I liked the writing style, no over internalising that is so often overdone. The action and plot kept ticking along nicely.
I will definitely be reading more of Aydan and her adventures.
September 4, 2017
Loved it
Well written. Plenty of action. Enjoyable characters. Intriguing plot. I could go on and on. Looking forward to more. This author deserves your attention.
Well written. Plenty of action. Enjoyable characters. Intriguing plot. I could go on and on. Looking forward to more. This author deserves your attention.
July 13, 2018
I really, really enjoyed this book! It's about a forty-something year old woman, moving to small town Alberta and the over-the-top, absolutely fantastic and amazing circumstances she ends up in. Those circumstances involve virtual reality, bad guy spies, the good guys (CSIS, RCMP, other mysterious Canadian Government Agencies), and friends. My only criticism of this book is that Aydan does repeat mistakes. Regardless, I want to be just like Aydan when I grow up. I am buying the next book in this series right now. I highly recommend this book!
November 13, 2019
I liked the middle-aged main character. She was a fully realized person with sexual desires, drive and a sense of self. It was a fun read.
February 1, 2013
What a blast. A fun and awesome spy adventure for women or men! Escapism but quality escapism.
Ayden, a 40 something bookkeeper and widow, stumbles into a top secret government research project. Not a popular action in the eye of the oversight agency. A loyal women of integrity, Ayden agrees to help investigate why she was able to access the program without all the passwords and secret stuff that these projects always require. While keeping a close eye on her in case she is a spy for the evil entity, Fuzzy Bunny, yes, FB, the team assigned to her quickly come to trust her and respect her; in spite of her assertions that she is just a civilian bookkeeper, with her quick thinking and unusual skills they suspect that she is a really top secret agent for the Canadian Government. The top dogs on the other hand, do not so easily accept her innocence.
I look for humor in most books and the humor in Never Say Spy is in the way these really strong characters, especially Ayden, face the what life brings them. I was so hoping that this was the beginning of a series and it looks like it is. To whoever recommended Never Say Spy, thanks. I am now a Diane Henders fan!
Some sex and innuendo, some violence but not excessive.
Can't wait for more!
Ayden, a 40 something bookkeeper and widow, stumbles into a top secret government research project. Not a popular action in the eye of the oversight agency. A loyal women of integrity, Ayden agrees to help investigate why she was able to access the program without all the passwords and secret stuff that these projects always require. While keeping a close eye on her in case she is a spy for the evil entity, Fuzzy Bunny, yes, FB, the team assigned to her quickly come to trust her and respect her; in spite of her assertions that she is just a civilian bookkeeper, with her quick thinking and unusual skills they suspect that she is a really top secret agent for the Canadian Government. The top dogs on the other hand, do not so easily accept her innocence.
I look for humor in most books and the humor in Never Say Spy is in the way these really strong characters, especially Ayden, face the what life brings them. I was so hoping that this was the beginning of a series and it looks like it is. To whoever recommended Never Say Spy, thanks. I am now a Diane Henders fan!
Some sex and innuendo, some violence but not excessive.
Can't wait for more!
October 29, 2016
Not as good as I had hoped after reading the blurb and the reviews, but good enough that I'll definitly read the next volume. There is room for growth.
I really liked the characters and the mystery was well-constructed and suspenseful until the end. The heroine's stamina seemed overdone, especially for a middle-aged woman (yes, I know, she works out and does her own bathroom-renovation, but still, she bounced back too quickly from injuries and trauma) and the science-fiction element wasn't my thing ( ).
So this was kind of a mixed bag for me: I did enjoy the story but it had a few weak points. I'm looking forward to see what Diane Henders managed to do with these characters and premises in book two.
UPDATE: I did some research into the whole series (11 books so far) and found out that everything I disliked about the first book turns out to be a main characteristic of the series: the sci-fi element is there for good as is the unresolved love-triangle. But aparently Henders tuned down the action for book 2 which was what I enjoyed most in "Never say spy". Result: another abandoned series for me. I'm moving on.
I really liked the characters and the mystery was well-constructed and suspenseful until the end. The heroine's stamina seemed overdone, especially for a middle-aged woman (yes, I know, she works out and does her own bathroom-renovation, but still, she bounced back too quickly from injuries and trauma) and the science-fiction element wasn't my thing ( ).
So this was kind of a mixed bag for me: I did enjoy the story but it had a few weak points. I'm looking forward to see what Diane Henders managed to do with these characters and premises in book two.
UPDATE: I did some research into the whole series (11 books so far) and found out that everything I disliked about the first book turns out to be a main characteristic of the series: the sci-fi element is there for good as is the unresolved love-triangle. But aparently Henders tuned down the action for book 2 which was what I enjoyed most in "Never say spy". Result: another abandoned series for me. I'm moving on.
June 5, 2016
Kind of kooky Canadian first in a series, Kindle freebie. I liked it enough to consider reading the next book in this series.
One has to get past the language, but the premise of finding oneself able to do things the best of the best in national security cannot do leads to a crisis in confidence for the government guys and an identity complex for the heroine. The characters are one-of-a-kind people you want to know more about.
One has to get past the language, but the premise of finding oneself able to do things the best of the best in national security cannot do leads to a crisis in confidence for the government guys and an identity complex for the heroine. The characters are one-of-a-kind people you want to know more about.
October 27, 2021
It’s hard to set up the story as we stick to the perspective of Aydan Kelly and certainly at the start of the book she knows very little other than the fact that people seem to be interrupting her personal fantasies and others jumping out of her back seat to try and kill her. Her guardian angels come in the form of Kane and Spider who are apparently there to help. They’re joined by a few others like Hellhound as they, along with us and Aydan, have to figure out why this evil organization want her while keeping her out of their hands.
To avoid too much in the way of spoilers, which I’ll get into a little bit in a second, I’ll say now that the book is a decent summer read. The plot has some major twists and turns. Some good drama at the right times and the price is great. However don’t misunderstand me as this book is only ever okay. The plot is decent though it feels a bit too nanowirmo at times, especially toward the end where it seems we’re throwing difficulties at our main cast not for plot related reasons but for the old adage that when you can’t think what to type just have some ninja’s attack. The characters are all a little flat and one note. I’m not sure we learn a thing about Kane throughout the book, and I took him to be our co lead to Aydan. Or at least the king of the supporting cast. Spider is the token nerd for the team and Hellhound seems to just be there to give Aydan a choice in the men she wants. This fact isn’t really helped by the dialogue and text overall. There were some good jokes and smooth lines here and there but too often the character’s are talking in exposition for things that don’t need it. Heck Aydan mixes up her beer with a water between each pint and even this has to be spelt out for us and not even in narrative, internal monologue, or authorial voices on the wind but by her explaining this to those sat beside her. There were a few too many times where I wanted to join a scene to say “yeah we get it thanks.”
Aydan herself is probably the weak point of the book. Not in idea but simply in execution. She’s so okay with what is going on that those around her take her to be some kind of foreign agent and to be honest I was thinking this may be a reveal a few pages down the line but no she’s just a no nonsense practical woman with a unique set of skills. If you have ever read the Alex Ryder books you may have some idea. The teenage boy can drive a car, shoot, ski, manage elite obstacle courses all without breaking a sweat and thinking himself a typical teenage boy. Of course it’s revealed that his uncle Obi Wan Kenobi was training him up for the life of a spy explaining why he can do it all so well. Aydan doesn’t get any such excuse. She can lead her shots and take out armed soldiers through dry wall because she’s been hunting once or twice and can set up traps and be away over the roof of her home without breaking a sweat. Looking back I don’t think I would have even minded this aspect of her if we hadn’t been so keen to stop the book every so often and have the gathered heroes worship at her feet. A compliment, a pat on the back would be fine but the book raises their suspicions that she must be and elite, highly trained operative right up until the end.
Now she never comes across as unbeatable. In fact Kane has to do a fair amount of saving in this book but it feels like we’ve conflated two stories into one. The average person caught up in the world of espionage and a sleeper agent tale like Jason Bourne or Taken. This extends a few too many times to the world around her too. Now I don’t know much about how secret agents work but a few too many times they seemed to be fine to let her go when I would figure she’d have someone on her form day one. Yeah a strange man leapt out of your car to try and kill you and we, the special forces, can tie this to a criminal organization but you head home tonight by yourself. Yes this is a matter of national security but we understand you have a job to do so why don’t you go try and pick up a customer for your book keeping business. I’m sure everything will be fine. It felt like she should have been coming in and out of the story for the first half but she is the story and the agents don’t seem to be up to much when she isn’t around. Unless it’s trying to figure out how to rescue her.
I’ve got this far and I don’t think I have room left to complain about the virtual reality matrix that comes in at the end of the first act though maybe my only complaints with that are my own notions of how sci-fi a spy book should go. Plus it may be seen as giving too much away.
At a price point of zero I would recommend the book for a plane journey or beach vacation. Even if you don’t like digital it seemed to be going for under three quid for a print and that’s still dam good value considering what you get.
See more reviews at https://kibbinscodex.wordpress.com/
To avoid too much in the way of spoilers, which I’ll get into a little bit in a second, I’ll say now that the book is a decent summer read. The plot has some major twists and turns. Some good drama at the right times and the price is great. However don’t misunderstand me as this book is only ever okay. The plot is decent though it feels a bit too nanowirmo at times, especially toward the end where it seems we’re throwing difficulties at our main cast not for plot related reasons but for the old adage that when you can’t think what to type just have some ninja’s attack. The characters are all a little flat and one note. I’m not sure we learn a thing about Kane throughout the book, and I took him to be our co lead to Aydan. Or at least the king of the supporting cast. Spider is the token nerd for the team and Hellhound seems to just be there to give Aydan a choice in the men she wants. This fact isn’t really helped by the dialogue and text overall. There were some good jokes and smooth lines here and there but too often the character’s are talking in exposition for things that don’t need it. Heck Aydan mixes up her beer with a water between each pint and even this has to be spelt out for us and not even in narrative, internal monologue, or authorial voices on the wind but by her explaining this to those sat beside her. There were a few too many times where I wanted to join a scene to say “yeah we get it thanks.”
Aydan herself is probably the weak point of the book. Not in idea but simply in execution. She’s so okay with what is going on that those around her take her to be some kind of foreign agent and to be honest I was thinking this may be a reveal a few pages down the line but no she’s just a no nonsense practical woman with a unique set of skills. If you have ever read the Alex Ryder books you may have some idea. The teenage boy can drive a car, shoot, ski, manage elite obstacle courses all without breaking a sweat and thinking himself a typical teenage boy. Of course it’s revealed that his uncle Obi Wan Kenobi was training him up for the life of a spy explaining why he can do it all so well. Aydan doesn’t get any such excuse. She can lead her shots and take out armed soldiers through dry wall because she’s been hunting once or twice and can set up traps and be away over the roof of her home without breaking a sweat. Looking back I don’t think I would have even minded this aspect of her if we hadn’t been so keen to stop the book every so often and have the gathered heroes worship at her feet. A compliment, a pat on the back would be fine but the book raises their suspicions that she must be and elite, highly trained operative right up until the end.
Now she never comes across as unbeatable. In fact Kane has to do a fair amount of saving in this book but it feels like we’ve conflated two stories into one. The average person caught up in the world of espionage and a sleeper agent tale like Jason Bourne or Taken. This extends a few too many times to the world around her too. Now I don’t know much about how secret agents work but a few too many times they seemed to be fine to let her go when I would figure she’d have someone on her form day one. Yeah a strange man leapt out of your car to try and kill you and we, the special forces, can tie this to a criminal organization but you head home tonight by yourself. Yes this is a matter of national security but we understand you have a job to do so why don’t you go try and pick up a customer for your book keeping business. I’m sure everything will be fine. It felt like she should have been coming in and out of the story for the first half but she is the story and the agents don’t seem to be up to much when she isn’t around. Unless it’s trying to figure out how to rescue her.
I’ve got this far and I don’t think I have room left to complain about the virtual reality matrix that comes in at the end of the first act though maybe my only complaints with that are my own notions of how sci-fi a spy book should go. Plus it may be seen as giving too much away.
At a price point of zero I would recommend the book for a plane journey or beach vacation. Even if you don’t like digital it seemed to be going for under three quid for a print and that’s still dam good value considering what you get.
See more reviews at https://kibbinscodex.wordpress.com/
December 21, 2019
Book Review
Basic Details:
Book Title: Never Say Spy
Subtitle: (Never Say Spy #1)
Author: Diane Henders
Genre: Spy/Mystery
Part of a series? Yes
Order in series: 1
Best read after earlier books in series?
Available: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2...
Overall score:
I scored this book 5/5
⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
Short Summary of the book:
A forty-something-year-old widowed bookkeeper starts life in a new place. After buying a country home with a double garage where she hopes to spend time tinkering on her beloved cars, she unexpectedly finds herself embroiled in a world of spying as she wanders into a virtual network.
What I liked about the book:
I loved this book. Who would expect a boring bookkeeper to be a kick-ass spy?
What I didn’t like about the book:
The book ended too quickly, I couldn’t wait for the next book in the series.
My favourite bits in the book:
Too many to count, I loved the book.
My least favourite bits in the book:
There weren’t any, I loved the entire book. Read it in one sitting and lost a few hours sleep because I couldn’t put it down.
Any further books in the series? Any more planned by this author?
That is the good news, there are 14 more in the series already and I can’t wait for no. 15.
What books could this be compared to and why?
Recommendation:
In summary, I would recommend this book for the following readers:
Children No
Young Adult Yes
Adult Yes
If you like a tongue-in-cheek spy mystery this book may be the book for you.
I look forward to reading more books by this author.
Book Description by Author:
Book 1 of the NEVER SAY SPY series
…If a kickass middle-aged bookkeeper got sucked into a spy’s life…
Despite her penchant for weapons and ripe language, Aydan Kelly’s resumé reads ‘bookkeeper’, not ‘badass’. She’s leaving the city to fulfill her dream of rural tranquillity when she gets carjacked by a man who shouldn’t exist.
When RCMP officer John Kane kills her would-be abductor, Aydan thinks her troubles are over. But Kane’s investigation implicates her in an international espionage plot, and criminal charges become the least of her worries when she’s targeted by the very spies Kane suspects her of aiding.
Pity her enemies. Because nobody’s tougher than a middle-aged woman who wants her dream back.
If Janet Evanovich’s quirky humour met Robert Ludlum’s taut thrillers, the Never Say Spy series would be their love child: racy, fun, and action-packed!
Contains coarse language, moderate violence, and sexuality. The story can stand alone but will be more enjoyable if read in order.
Books in the series:
Book 1: Never Say Spy
Book 2: The Spy Is Cast
Book 3: Reach For The Spy
Book 4: Tell Me No Spies
Book 5: How Spy I Am
Book 6: A Spy For A Spy
Book 7: Spy, Spy Away
Book 8: Spy Now, Pay Later
Book 9: Spy High
Book 10: Spy Away Home
Book 11: The Spies That Bind
More books coming...
Themes: thriller, humorous, racy & risque, mystery, fun, women sleuths, espionage, spy thriller series, women sleuths series, mystery series, amateur sleuths, female protagonist, action-packed, government agents, small towns, technothrillers, series
About the Author:
By profession, I’m a technical writer, computer geek, and ex-interior designer. I’m good at two out of three of these things. I had the sense to quit the one I sucked at.
To deal with my mid-life crisis, I also write adventure novels featuring a middle-aged female protagonist, Aydan Kelly. And I kickbox.
This seemed more productive than indulging in more typical mid-life crisis activities like getting a divorce, buying a Harley Crossbones, and cruising across the country picking up men in sleazy bars. Especially since it’s winter most of the months of the year here.
It’s much more comfortable to sit at my computer. And hell, Harleys are expensive. Come to think of it, so are beer and gasoline.
Oh, and I still love my husband. There’s that. I’ll stick with the writing.
P.S. Are you a fan of the Never Say Spy series? Connect with other readers and discuss the series in the Never Say Spy Virtual Backyard Book Club at neversayspy.com!
Basic Details:
Book Title: Never Say Spy
Subtitle: (Never Say Spy #1)
Author: Diane Henders
Genre: Spy/Mystery
Part of a series? Yes
Order in series: 1
Best read after earlier books in series?
Available: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2...
Overall score:
I scored this book 5/5
⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
Short Summary of the book:
A forty-something-year-old widowed bookkeeper starts life in a new place. After buying a country home with a double garage where she hopes to spend time tinkering on her beloved cars, she unexpectedly finds herself embroiled in a world of spying as she wanders into a virtual network.
What I liked about the book:
I loved this book. Who would expect a boring bookkeeper to be a kick-ass spy?
What I didn’t like about the book:
The book ended too quickly, I couldn’t wait for the next book in the series.
My favourite bits in the book:
Too many to count, I loved the book.
My least favourite bits in the book:
There weren’t any, I loved the entire book. Read it in one sitting and lost a few hours sleep because I couldn’t put it down.
Any further books in the series? Any more planned by this author?
That is the good news, there are 14 more in the series already and I can’t wait for no. 15.
What books could this be compared to and why?
Recommendation:
In summary, I would recommend this book for the following readers:
Children No
Young Adult Yes
Adult Yes
If you like a tongue-in-cheek spy mystery this book may be the book for you.
I look forward to reading more books by this author.
Book Description by Author:
Book 1 of the NEVER SAY SPY series
…If a kickass middle-aged bookkeeper got sucked into a spy’s life…
Despite her penchant for weapons and ripe language, Aydan Kelly’s resumé reads ‘bookkeeper’, not ‘badass’. She’s leaving the city to fulfill her dream of rural tranquillity when she gets carjacked by a man who shouldn’t exist.
When RCMP officer John Kane kills her would-be abductor, Aydan thinks her troubles are over. But Kane’s investigation implicates her in an international espionage plot, and criminal charges become the least of her worries when she’s targeted by the very spies Kane suspects her of aiding.
Pity her enemies. Because nobody’s tougher than a middle-aged woman who wants her dream back.
If Janet Evanovich’s quirky humour met Robert Ludlum’s taut thrillers, the Never Say Spy series would be their love child: racy, fun, and action-packed!
Contains coarse language, moderate violence, and sexuality. The story can stand alone but will be more enjoyable if read in order.
Books in the series:
Book 1: Never Say Spy
Book 2: The Spy Is Cast
Book 3: Reach For The Spy
Book 4: Tell Me No Spies
Book 5: How Spy I Am
Book 6: A Spy For A Spy
Book 7: Spy, Spy Away
Book 8: Spy Now, Pay Later
Book 9: Spy High
Book 10: Spy Away Home
Book 11: The Spies That Bind
More books coming...
Themes: thriller, humorous, racy & risque, mystery, fun, women sleuths, espionage, spy thriller series, women sleuths series, mystery series, amateur sleuths, female protagonist, action-packed, government agents, small towns, technothrillers, series
About the Author:
By profession, I’m a technical writer, computer geek, and ex-interior designer. I’m good at two out of three of these things. I had the sense to quit the one I sucked at.
To deal with my mid-life crisis, I also write adventure novels featuring a middle-aged female protagonist, Aydan Kelly. And I kickbox.
This seemed more productive than indulging in more typical mid-life crisis activities like getting a divorce, buying a Harley Crossbones, and cruising across the country picking up men in sleazy bars. Especially since it’s winter most of the months of the year here.
It’s much more comfortable to sit at my computer. And hell, Harleys are expensive. Come to think of it, so are beer and gasoline.
Oh, and I still love my husband. There’s that. I’ll stick with the writing.
P.S. Are you a fan of the Never Say Spy series? Connect with other readers and discuss the series in the Never Say Spy Virtual Backyard Book Club at neversayspy.com!
April 2, 2020
I loved this book! It ended up being quite different from what I was expecting, but it was a great read and I am DEFINITELY going to continue with this series!!
First off, I love that Aydan is a 40-something protagonist who is smart and strong and capable of getting herself out of dangerous situations . . . mostly. The whole: who is she really? Is she or isn't she a spy? If she's NOT a spy, how is she capable of the things she's capable of? and all the other things about Aydan that don't quite seem to add up really kept me engaged in this book the whole way through.
I really liked all the characters - well except the bad guys, obviously! - who surrounded Aydan through this adventure. Each of them has their own unique personality and added something fun to the plot.
The action and suspense in this is non-stop, and I will warn especially sensitive potential readers that there is quite a bit of violence here. Aydan takes some knocking around multiple times, and while I don't think most of it is anything out of the "ordinary" for an action book like this one, there was one scene that was hard for me to read, and while it was brief and ended up being okay, this is not a soft and fuzzy kind of suspense novel so be aware if you don't like that.
That said, if you enjoy a fast-paced, exciting and dramatic plot with plenty of twists and turns and a strong, unusual female protagonist, then I highly recommend this book!
My one beef is that we're sort of left hanging, with the biggest plot line left unresolved. That's all I'll say to avoid spoilers, but I'm really hoping that we get the answer to the important question about Aydan in the next book. Otherwise, I loved every minute of this book and am looking forward to the next one!!!
First off, I love that Aydan is a 40-something protagonist who is smart and strong and capable of getting herself out of dangerous situations . . . mostly. The whole: who is she really? Is she or isn't she a spy? If she's NOT a spy, how is she capable of the things she's capable of? and all the other things about Aydan that don't quite seem to add up really kept me engaged in this book the whole way through.
I really liked all the characters - well except the bad guys, obviously! - who surrounded Aydan through this adventure. Each of them has their own unique personality and added something fun to the plot.
The action and suspense in this is non-stop, and I will warn especially sensitive potential readers that there is quite a bit of violence here. Aydan takes some knocking around multiple times, and while I don't think most of it is anything out of the "ordinary" for an action book like this one, there was one scene that was hard for me to read, and while it was brief and ended up being okay, this is not a soft and fuzzy kind of suspense novel so be aware if you don't like that.
That said, if you enjoy a fast-paced, exciting and dramatic plot with plenty of twists and turns and a strong, unusual female protagonist, then I highly recommend this book!
My one beef is that we're sort of left hanging, with the biggest plot line left unresolved. That's all I'll say to avoid spoilers, but I'm really hoping that we get the answer to the important question about Aydan in the next book. Otherwise, I loved every minute of this book and am looking forward to the next one!!!
September 22, 2020
This accidental spy novel has a lot going for it. The heroine is a feisty woman in her late forties with an unusual array of skills and habits that are very helpful for the amateur spy. She can shoot a gun, she’s unusually aware of the space about her checking automatically for threats, and she’s decisively aggressive when the situation demands it—no paralyzing hesitations that most of us might suffer from when being attacked unexpectedly.
The mystery—especially the piece of technology that it’s develops around—was quite intriguing and I really enjoyed trying to figure out what was going on. I also believe that the author was completely fair in laying out the critical pieces of this mystery. There are a lot of coincidences, but they never felt like a deus ex machina sort of situation.
I do have two complaints, however, one minor and one major. The minor complaint is that there were many times when I thought the story was rather slow moving. A lot of time is spent in developing—let’s call it the social or non-spy life of the heroine—that I thought could have been seriously cut down upon. The major complaint is that the novel should have stopped nine or ten chapters earlier than it did. In order to give us one more totally unnecessary twist, the author had to make her up-until-then smart heroine have a lobotomy that dropped her IQ a solid one hundred points so that she acts in an absolutely stupid fashion that just wasn’t believable at all. The sad part is, it was totally unnecessary. She’d already given us a great and totally satisfying ending. Too bad she didn’t realize it.
If you liked this review, you can find more at www.gilbertstack.com/reviews.
The mystery—especially the piece of technology that it’s develops around—was quite intriguing and I really enjoyed trying to figure out what was going on. I also believe that the author was completely fair in laying out the critical pieces of this mystery. There are a lot of coincidences, but they never felt like a deus ex machina sort of situation.
I do have two complaints, however, one minor and one major. The minor complaint is that there were many times when I thought the story was rather slow moving. A lot of time is spent in developing—let’s call it the social or non-spy life of the heroine—that I thought could have been seriously cut down upon. The major complaint is that the novel should have stopped nine or ten chapters earlier than it did. In order to give us one more totally unnecessary twist, the author had to make her up-until-then smart heroine have a lobotomy that dropped her IQ a solid one hundred points so that she acts in an absolutely stupid fashion that just wasn’t believable at all. The sad part is, it was totally unnecessary. She’d already given us a great and totally satisfying ending. Too bad she didn’t realize it.
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August 26, 2017
ahh, finally over. if i had to read again how much she likes eating and how much she concentrates on her food when she's eating and how she uses some ocean breathe in and out to relax and how much she hates being cooped up and how much she wants sex from either of 2 men, and how she always scans the room and sits with her back to a wall and the men with her scan the room and sit with their backs to the wall and how much they eat and are in shape yet she has muffin tops or something and how she gets beat up and bleeds a lot and does not want to get to hospitals and how much she beats some men up...uuurrgghhh! We get it! you're not like other 46 year old women.
eh. so she kicks ass sort of, has her ass kicked a lot, knows guns, very smart, unique, KNOWS ABSOLUTELY that she is not a spy.
yeah, I'm passing on the next book.
What initially must have drawn me to this book was the fact that she is an elderly woman. Turns out she's not so different from all the other folks trying hard to be different. Or she wasn't trying to be different...?
I don't know. Don't care.
seemed forced that the author made her have sex with rather than . Skipped the sex scene cos I was rooting for to hit that. Or for her to nail ...or something. Of course she kissed him at the end, a very passionate and hot kiss, cos she is the 22nd century 46 year old. Or that's how men behave and, y'now, she's one of the boys.
Eh.
eh. so she kicks ass sort of, has her ass kicked a lot, knows guns, very smart, unique, KNOWS ABSOLUTELY that she is not a spy.
yeah, I'm passing on the next book.
What initially must have drawn me to this book was the fact that she is an elderly woman. Turns out she's not so different from all the other folks trying hard to be different. Or she wasn't trying to be different...?
I don't know. Don't care.
seemed forced that the author made her have sex with rather than . Skipped the sex scene cos I was rooting for to hit that. Or for her to nail ...or something. Of course she kissed him at the end, a very passionate and hot kiss, cos she is the 22nd century 46 year old. Or that's how men behave and, y'now, she's one of the boys.
Eh.
February 21, 2025
Aydin Kelly is a middle-aged bookkeeper leading a normal life until something odd happens and she's either going to jail or die.
And that's when Aydin's somewhat OCD personality proves both invaluable and a lifesaver.
Placed under the protection of elite Canadian spies she proves to possess all their skills and more – from expert marksmanship, to not breaking under torture, packing a lethal punch, exceptional positional awareness, noteworthy proficiency when it comes to swearing, and a legendary appetite.
She denies it, of course, but those around her aren't convinced that she is who she says she is.
She says Aydin Kelly, they're thinking Jane Bond!
Aydin is able to enter a top secret Canadian Government VR environment (it is, while you're in it, as real as it gets – and you can die). It's highly protected and heavily encrypted but, unlike everyone else who can access it, she can waltz in at will.
The Government want to protect it but an international criminal cartel want it, and Aydin's secrets.
“Never Say Spy” is a fast-paced romp that doesn't take itself too seriously - just like Aydin herself.
3.5 Stars, brought back to 3 Stars.
And that's when Aydin's somewhat OCD personality proves both invaluable and a lifesaver.
Placed under the protection of elite Canadian spies she proves to possess all their skills and more – from expert marksmanship, to not breaking under torture, packing a lethal punch, exceptional positional awareness, noteworthy proficiency when it comes to swearing, and a legendary appetite.
She denies it, of course, but those around her aren't convinced that she is who she says she is.
She says Aydin Kelly, they're thinking Jane Bond!
Aydin is able to enter a top secret Canadian Government VR environment (it is, while you're in it, as real as it gets – and you can die). It's highly protected and heavily encrypted but, unlike everyone else who can access it, she can waltz in at will.
The Government want to protect it but an international criminal cartel want it, and Aydin's secrets.
“Never Say Spy” is a fast-paced romp that doesn't take itself too seriously - just like Aydin herself.
3.5 Stars, brought back to 3 Stars.
August 14, 2017
This was a interesting Read. It was like lighting a bonfire. You Start slow with kindling and a small fire, then add more wood till you have a huge bonfire. It starts out with our Heroine laying on the sidewalk from Falling on the Ground with a head injury. She thinks she is dreaming kissing and Hugging a man In her dream, some one tells the guy to stop. She is transported to Mysterious Ward B at the Hospital, and then the story Takes off. Some how Ayden has Fallen into some Top Secret Government Project. ( Oh did I tell you this Story takes place in Canada?) she is taken into Custody by RCMP officer named John Kane. She is thought to be a spy at first. People keep trying to Kill or capture Ayden through the book because of her "Abilities". But you know what, as usual this is all your going to get from me. I do not want to spoil your read! You have to find out the whole story yourself. This is a very good read and what is best is, it is a series. So if you enjoy adventure and mystery, "Never Say Spy" will intrigue you. A very Good Read. Santa Mike
February 11, 2020
Ebook review (2013) 5 stars
Loved it! I enjoyed the characters and the action, but especially the way the author tells the story by peeling back layers. At 33% I'd already marked 7 words that I hadn't seen used before. Loving that! The characters are unique and likable. The story kept me interested. I will definitely be reading the rest of this series!
Audiobook review (2020) 4 stars
I read this book in 2013 and absolutely loved it! (Diane Henders remains one of my favorite writers. I've even accused her of living my alternate life.) When the Book 2 was released on audio, I bought them both. Obviously the story is still fantastic, but I wasn't a fan of the narrator, Michelle Armeneau. She had the Canadian accent, but her voice sounded 10-15 years older than the character (who is late 40s; 48, I think). Her performance was good, too. Just an age issue that made it hard for me to balance the character that kicks ass like a 30 year old, but sounds like a 60 year old. My advice... read it. Read the ENTIRE series. It's fabulous!!
Loved it! I enjoyed the characters and the action, but especially the way the author tells the story by peeling back layers. At 33% I'd already marked 7 words that I hadn't seen used before. Loving that! The characters are unique and likable. The story kept me interested. I will definitely be reading the rest of this series!
Audiobook review (2020) 4 stars
I read this book in 2013 and absolutely loved it! (Diane Henders remains one of my favorite writers. I've even accused her of living my alternate life.) When the Book 2 was released on audio, I bought them both. Obviously the story is still fantastic, but I wasn't a fan of the narrator, Michelle Armeneau. She had the Canadian accent, but her voice sounded 10-15 years older than the character (who is late 40s; 48, I think). Her performance was good, too. Just an age issue that made it hard for me to balance the character that kicks ass like a 30 year old, but sounds like a 60 year old. My advice... read it. Read the ENTIRE series. It's fabulous!!
July 7, 2018
I was looking forward to Never Say Spy after reading the synopsis. But it wasn't anything like the synopsis at all. Aydan Kelly accidentally got into the "network". Since it was a top-secret government project, this was a no-no. Thinking she was a spy the government wanted to know how she accessed it. There were some bad guys trying to get to her, too, so they could get her to access it for them.
It was hard to tell what she was imagining (when she was in the network) and what was real in this story. I almost stopped reading but finally figured out what was going on and because it had so many good reviews I thought I'd keep going.
Instead of being a badass, Aydan was annoying. Her constant sexual fantasies and thoughts of the men were tiresome. Along with the fact that she was constantly starving and packing food away like it was her last meal, it was hard to like her.
While this book wasn't for me, it had lots of 4 and 5-star reviews. So, obviously, many readers enjoyed it.
It was hard to tell what she was imagining (when she was in the network) and what was real in this story. I almost stopped reading but finally figured out what was going on and because it had so many good reviews I thought I'd keep going.
Instead of being a badass, Aydan was annoying. Her constant sexual fantasies and thoughts of the men were tiresome. Along with the fact that she was constantly starving and packing food away like it was her last meal, it was hard to like her.
While this book wasn't for me, it had lots of 4 and 5-star reviews. So, obviously, many readers enjoyed it.
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