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The Martini Club #1
The Spy Coast: A Thriller
10 hours, 23 minutes
A retired CIA operative in small-town Maine tackles the ghosts of her past in this fresh take on the spy thriller from New York Times bestselling author Tess Gerritsen.
Former spy Maggie Bird came to the seaside village of Purity, Maine, eager to put the past behind her after a mission went tragically wrong. These days, she’s living quietly on her chicken farm, still wary of blowback from the events that forced her early retirement.
But when a body turns up in Maggie’s driveway, she knows it’s a message from former foes who haven’t forgotten her. Maggie turns to her local circle of old friends—all retirees from the CIA—to help uncover the truth about who is trying to kill her, and why. This “Martini Club” of former spies may be retired, but they still have a few useful skills that they’re eager to use again, if only to spice up their rather sedate new lives.
Complicating their efforts is Purity’s acting police chief, Jo Thibodeau. More accustomed to dealing with rowdy tourists than homicide, Jo is puzzled by Maggie’s reluctance to share information—and by her odd circle of friends, who seem to be a step ahead of her at every turn.
As Jo’s investigation collides with the Martini Club’s maneuvers, Maggie’s hunt for answers will force her to revisit a clandestine career that spanned the globe, from Bangkok to Istanbul, from London to Malta. The ghosts of her past have returned, but with the help of her friends—and the reluctant Jo Thibodeau—Maggie might just be able to save the life she’s built.
A retired CIA operative in small-town Maine tackles the ghosts of her past in this fresh take on the spy thriller from New York Times bestselling author Tess Gerritsen.
Former spy Maggie Bird came to the seaside village of Purity, Maine, eager to put the past behind her after a mission went tragically wrong. These days, she’s living quietly on her chicken farm, still wary of blowback from the events that forced her early retirement.
But when a body turns up in Maggie’s driveway, she knows it’s a message from former foes who haven’t forgotten her. Maggie turns to her local circle of old friends—all retirees from the CIA—to help uncover the truth about who is trying to kill her, and why. This “Martini Club” of former spies may be retired, but they still have a few useful skills that they’re eager to use again, if only to spice up their rather sedate new lives.
Complicating their efforts is Purity’s acting police chief, Jo Thibodeau. More accustomed to dealing with rowdy tourists than homicide, Jo is puzzled by Maggie’s reluctance to share information—and by her odd circle of friends, who seem to be a step ahead of her at every turn.
As Jo’s investigation collides with the Martini Club’s maneuvers, Maggie’s hunt for answers will force her to revisit a clandestine career that spanned the globe, from Bangkok to Istanbul, from London to Malta. The ghosts of her past have returned, but with the help of her friends—and the reluctant Jo Thibodeau—Maggie might just be able to save the life she’s built.
500 pages, Library Binding
First published November 1, 2023
25344 people are currently reading
53477 people want to read
About the author
Tess Gerritsen
202 books21.2k followersInternationally bestselling author Tess Gerritsen took an unusual route to a writing career. A graduate of Stanford University, Tess went on to medical school at the University of California, San Francisco, where she was awarded her M.D.
While on maternity leave from her work as a physician, she began to write fiction. In 1987, her first novel was published. Call After Midnight, a romantic thriller, was followed by eight more romantic suspense novels. She also wrote a screenplay, "Adrift", which aired as a 1993 CBS Movie of the Week starring Kate Jackson.
Tess's first medical thriller, Harvest, was released in hardcover in 1996, and it marked her debut on the New York Times bestseller list. Her suspense novels since then have been: Life Support (1997), Bloodstream (1998), Gravity (1999), The Surgeon (2001), The Apprentice (2002), The Sinner (2003), Body Double (2004), Vanish (2005), The Mephisto Club (2006), and The Bone Garden (2007). Her books have been translated into 31 languages, and more than 15 million copies have been sold around the world.
As well as being a New York Times bestselling author, she has also been a #1 bestseller in both Germany and the UK. She has won both the Nero Wolfe Award (for Vanish) and the Rita Award (for The Surgeon.) Critics around the world have praised her novels as "Pulse-pounding fun" (Philadelphia Inquirer), "Scary and brilliant" (Toronto Globe and Mail), and "Polished, riveting prose" (Chicago Tribune). Publisher Weekly has dubbed her the "medical suspense queen".
Now retired from medicine, she writes full time. She lives in Maine.
While on maternity leave from her work as a physician, she began to write fiction. In 1987, her first novel was published. Call After Midnight, a romantic thriller, was followed by eight more romantic suspense novels. She also wrote a screenplay, "Adrift", which aired as a 1993 CBS Movie of the Week starring Kate Jackson.
Tess's first medical thriller, Harvest, was released in hardcover in 1996, and it marked her debut on the New York Times bestseller list. Her suspense novels since then have been: Life Support (1997), Bloodstream (1998), Gravity (1999), The Surgeon (2001), The Apprentice (2002), The Sinner (2003), Body Double (2004), Vanish (2005), The Mephisto Club (2006), and The Bone Garden (2007). Her books have been translated into 31 languages, and more than 15 million copies have been sold around the world.
As well as being a New York Times bestselling author, she has also been a #1 bestseller in both Germany and the UK. She has won both the Nero Wolfe Award (for Vanish) and the Rita Award (for The Surgeon.) Critics around the world have praised her novels as "Pulse-pounding fun" (Philadelphia Inquirer), "Scary and brilliant" (Toronto Globe and Mail), and "Polished, riveting prose" (Chicago Tribune). Publisher Weekly has dubbed her the "medical suspense queen".
Now retired from medicine, she writes full time. She lives in Maine.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 6,541 reviews
August 18, 2024
Genuinely shocked this has such high ratings… It felt like any Jason Bourne spy movie, but turned into a book and less exciting. Bummed because I was really looking forward to it!
November 10, 2023
Tess Gerristen’s first attempt at a spy thriller is a home run. I adored the characters, the setting and the plot.
Maggie is a sixty year old retired spy who’s landed in Purity, Maine and now owns a small chicken farm. And it would seem she’s not the only retiree with an interesting past who has made Purity their home. Her entire “book club” are something other than what they appear. When a dead body is dumped in Maggie’s driveway, she knows she’s being sent a message. But she has no idea what that message is although she knows it concerns her last case from 16 years ago.
Maggie is just what you’d expect of a retired spy - unflappable and smart. But she’s also empathetic, especially when dealing with her neighbor’s 14 year old granddaughter. Jo Bird is the acting police chief. She’s young and used to being underestimated. She may be required to turn over the murder investigation to the state police, but that doesn’t mean she’s just going to walk away. She knows when something’s off. These two ladies, and the rest of the neighbors, make for a wonderful cast of characters. I felt Gerristen did a great job of fleshing out all the characters so that they came across as real people.
There’s an underlying sense of humor to the story which worked perfectly as Jo tries to figure out what this group is all about.
Gerristen was smart to set her story in Maine. It works perfectly - the rural isolation, the small town feel and the cold winter clime. Make sure to read her Author’s Note which explains why the Maine setting was a given.
The plot goes back and forth in time and switches POVs. It keeps everything moving at a brisk pace. Her writing is such that it was easy to envision every scene. I was engaged throughout and tore through the story. I’m so glad to see that this is the first in a new series. I’ll definitely be looking forward to book two.
I recommend this for fans of the Thursday Murder Club.
My thanks to Netgalley and Thomas & Mercer for an advance copy of this book.
Maggie is a sixty year old retired spy who’s landed in Purity, Maine and now owns a small chicken farm. And it would seem she’s not the only retiree with an interesting past who has made Purity their home. Her entire “book club” are something other than what they appear. When a dead body is dumped in Maggie’s driveway, she knows she’s being sent a message. But she has no idea what that message is although she knows it concerns her last case from 16 years ago.
Maggie is just what you’d expect of a retired spy - unflappable and smart. But she’s also empathetic, especially when dealing with her neighbor’s 14 year old granddaughter. Jo Bird is the acting police chief. She’s young and used to being underestimated. She may be required to turn over the murder investigation to the state police, but that doesn’t mean she’s just going to walk away. She knows when something’s off. These two ladies, and the rest of the neighbors, make for a wonderful cast of characters. I felt Gerristen did a great job of fleshing out all the characters so that they came across as real people.
There’s an underlying sense of humor to the story which worked perfectly as Jo tries to figure out what this group is all about.
Gerristen was smart to set her story in Maine. It works perfectly - the rural isolation, the small town feel and the cold winter clime. Make sure to read her Author’s Note which explains why the Maine setting was a given.
The plot goes back and forth in time and switches POVs. It keeps everything moving at a brisk pace. Her writing is such that it was easy to envision every scene. I was engaged throughout and tore through the story. I’m so glad to see that this is the first in a new series. I’ll definitely be looking forward to book two.
I recommend this for fans of the Thursday Murder Club.
My thanks to Netgalley and Thomas & Mercer for an advance copy of this book.
December 26, 2023
EXCERPT: . . . she stopped and looked back at the farmhouse. The bedroom windows were now dark and the curtains were closed, but Jo wouldn't be surprised if the woman was watching them at this moment because, judging by all her security cameras, Maggie Bord was a watchful woman. An odd woman, whom Jo could not get a handle on. She thought of how unruffled she'd seemed about the body in her driveway, and wondered if that was simply due to the shock of the moment, and her true reaction was simply delayed. Perhaps the trauma would hit her tomorrow, and that's when she'd feel the terror that most people would feel when there's a murder victim on their premises.
Or maybe the woman really was as unflappable as she seemed. She glanced at Alfond and Dr. Wass, who were still crouched over the body, conferring over the wounds. Let them focus on the dead woman, Jo thought. She was going to focus on the one who was still very much alive.
ABOUT 'THE SPY COAST': Former spy Maggie Bird came to the seaside village of Purity, Maine, eager to put the past behind her after a mission went tragically wrong. These days, she’s living quietly on her chicken farm, still wary of blowback from the events that forced her early retirement.
But when a body turns up in Maggie’s driveway, she knows it’s a message from former foes who haven’t forgotten her. Maggie turns to her local circle of old friends—all retirees from the CIA—to help uncover the truth about who is trying to kill her, and why. This “Martini Club” of former spies may be retired, but they still have a few useful skills that they’re eager to use again, if only to spice up their rather sedate new lives.
Complicating their efforts is Purity’s acting police chief, Jo Thibodeau. More accustomed to dealing with rowdy tourists than homicide, Jo is puzzled by Maggie’s reluctance to share information—and by her odd circle of friends, who seem to be a step ahead of her at every turn.
As Jo’s investigation collides with the Martini Club’s maneuvers, Maggie’s hunt for answers will force her to revisit a clandestine career that spanned the globe, from Bangkok to Istanbul, from London to Malta. The ghosts of her past have returned, but with the help of her friends—and the reluctant Jo Thibodeau—Maggie might just be able to save the life she’s built.
MY THOUGHTS: The Spy Coast is a great read. I loved the characters, especially Maggie. The plot is brilliantly paced, moving back and forth through time as Maggie's backstory is slowly revealed and what has happened in her past ties into the current events.
I have never been a great fan of spy stories - John Le Carre excepted - but The Spy Coast quickly reeled me in, probably because it's not your average spy story. It is extraordinary. I loved the retiree spy community, although it definitely isn't The Thursday Murder Club, which I loved. The Martini Club is on a whole nother level with no civilians involved.
This is a thriller that focuses heavily on friendship.
I am excited by the beginning of this series and loved Tess Gerritsen's explanation of how this novel came about, so make sure you read the author's note at the end. I will definitely be putting up my hand to read The Martini Club #2.
⭐⭐⭐⭐.5
#TheSpyCoast #NetGalley
THE AUTHOR: Internationally bestselling author Tess Gerritsen took an unusual route to a writing career. A graduate of Stanford University, Tess went on to medical school at the University of California, San Francisco, where she was awarded her M.D.
While on maternity leave from her work as a physician, she began to write fiction. In 1987, her first novel was published.
Now retired from medicine, she writes full time. She lives in Maine.
DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Thomas & Mercer via NetGalley for providing a digital ARC of The Spy Coast by Tess Gerritsen for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.
https://sandysbookaday.wordpress.com/...
Or maybe the woman really was as unflappable as she seemed. She glanced at Alfond and Dr. Wass, who were still crouched over the body, conferring over the wounds. Let them focus on the dead woman, Jo thought. She was going to focus on the one who was still very much alive.
ABOUT 'THE SPY COAST': Former spy Maggie Bird came to the seaside village of Purity, Maine, eager to put the past behind her after a mission went tragically wrong. These days, she’s living quietly on her chicken farm, still wary of blowback from the events that forced her early retirement.
But when a body turns up in Maggie’s driveway, she knows it’s a message from former foes who haven’t forgotten her. Maggie turns to her local circle of old friends—all retirees from the CIA—to help uncover the truth about who is trying to kill her, and why. This “Martini Club” of former spies may be retired, but they still have a few useful skills that they’re eager to use again, if only to spice up their rather sedate new lives.
Complicating their efforts is Purity’s acting police chief, Jo Thibodeau. More accustomed to dealing with rowdy tourists than homicide, Jo is puzzled by Maggie’s reluctance to share information—and by her odd circle of friends, who seem to be a step ahead of her at every turn.
As Jo’s investigation collides with the Martini Club’s maneuvers, Maggie’s hunt for answers will force her to revisit a clandestine career that spanned the globe, from Bangkok to Istanbul, from London to Malta. The ghosts of her past have returned, but with the help of her friends—and the reluctant Jo Thibodeau—Maggie might just be able to save the life she’s built.
MY THOUGHTS: The Spy Coast is a great read. I loved the characters, especially Maggie. The plot is brilliantly paced, moving back and forth through time as Maggie's backstory is slowly revealed and what has happened in her past ties into the current events.
I have never been a great fan of spy stories - John Le Carre excepted - but The Spy Coast quickly reeled me in, probably because it's not your average spy story. It is extraordinary. I loved the retiree spy community, although it definitely isn't The Thursday Murder Club, which I loved. The Martini Club is on a whole nother level with no civilians involved.
This is a thriller that focuses heavily on friendship.
I am excited by the beginning of this series and loved Tess Gerritsen's explanation of how this novel came about, so make sure you read the author's note at the end. I will definitely be putting up my hand to read The Martini Club #2.
⭐⭐⭐⭐.5
#TheSpyCoast #NetGalley
THE AUTHOR: Internationally bestselling author Tess Gerritsen took an unusual route to a writing career. A graduate of Stanford University, Tess went on to medical school at the University of California, San Francisco, where she was awarded her M.D.
While on maternity leave from her work as a physician, she began to write fiction. In 1987, her first novel was published.
Now retired from medicine, she writes full time. She lives in Maine.
DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Thomas & Mercer via NetGalley for providing a digital ARC of The Spy Coast by Tess Gerritsen for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.
https://sandysbookaday.wordpress.com/...
July 24, 2024
This is my first book by the author that wrote Rizzoli & Isles (I only saw the TV show) and it grabbed my attention immediately. The "Martini Club" is a group of retired CIA agents that have looked for a place to spend their retirement until an old case returns to drag Maggie back into it. The story is told by multiple characters in the present and also going back in time to the case that ended badly. The characters are all intelligent active people that were masters in spy Craft. I did think it slowed just a bit 3/4 of the way but the end ties all up and I was surprised and enjoyed it. 4.5* I recommend the book.
January 29, 2024
I am loving this new sub-genre of retired spies proving that they may be old but they are not past it. There seem to be lots of good authors writing excellent books in this theme and Tess Gerritson has done this one extremely well.
Maggie Bird is a retired CIA agent living in a town called Purity on the Maine coast. There are a number of retired agents living there and when death threats from the past come to call on Maggie the local police chief, Jo Thibodeau, finds herself outrun and outplayed. Fortunately, her good sense leads her to use the experience of the ex-spies, and all works out well in the end.
This book is very nicely written, and it cleverly pulls together stories from the past and events from the present time to tell an exciting and intriguing tale. It was a very hard book to put down even for a moment. I loved it and cannot wait for the next meeting of the Martini Club.
Maggie Bird is a retired CIA agent living in a town called Purity on the Maine coast. There are a number of retired agents living there and when death threats from the past come to call on Maggie the local police chief, Jo Thibodeau, finds herself outrun and outplayed. Fortunately, her good sense leads her to use the experience of the ex-spies, and all works out well in the end.
This book is very nicely written, and it cleverly pulls together stories from the past and events from the present time to tell an exciting and intriguing tale. It was a very hard book to put down even for a moment. I loved it and cannot wait for the next meeting of the Martini Club.
January 17, 2024
3.5 rounded up
Diana Ward has to leave Paris, disguised and in a hurry, saying goodbye to her comfortable life as she blends into the Parisian night. Who has she angered? Does it relate to events of 16 years ago? Why come for her now? Meanwhile, in Purity, Maine, sixty year old Maggie Bird lives quietly on her farm, keeping as low a profile as possible. However, it seems she too is being tracked down as she receives an unexpected visitor who is later killed and left on her driveway as a warning. Maggie turns to her old friends, all retired CIA agents, for help in uncovering who is after her and why. This is the Martini Club (Maggie, Ingrid, Ben and Declan) who also want a quiet life, which is clearly not happening now. Complicating their investigations is Purity’s acting police chief, Jo Thibodeau who may foil the Martini Club’s clandestine efforts to keep Maggie safe. The story is told principally by Maggie and Jo and goes backwards and forwards in time.
We have to wait a while for this novel to get up and running as the start seems to prevaricate, it’s needlessly complicated which makes the reading choppy as Tess Gerritsen establishes the various scenarios. However, I can see there’s a good story in there and once it settles it’s an entertaining thriller. It appears that all roads lead to Diana as the plot becomes really intriguing with danger levels rising when the Operation (code name Cyrano) which kicks off the present day events are revealed. These are some of the most exciting scenes in the book. The pace rises and falls appropriately, there’s plenty of tension and suspense alongside heartache and tragedy. The situation escalates, there are multiple twists, revengeful actions in which innocents get caught up and there are traitorous attempts to save skin. Part of the ending is surprising but it also fizzles our somewhat too.
The characterisation of Maggie is good, I think we see and understand her more clearly via past events and the portrayal of Jo Thibodeau is good too. She’s an excellent cop, intuitive, dogged and likeable and you feel her frustration with the Martini Club being one step ahead. The other members of the club are not yet fully developed though that may come on book two as it seems we have yet another retiree series on our hands!
I love the settings of the novel which the author uses very effectively, taking us from Maine to Bangkok, Istanbul, Malta and Italy. Thank you for the entertaining tour!
Overall, despite the minor issues, I can buy into the plot of this as it feels authentic and I’m definitely up for number two!
With thanks to NetGalley and especially to Random House U.K., Transworld, for the much appreciated arc in return for an honest review.
Diana Ward has to leave Paris, disguised and in a hurry, saying goodbye to her comfortable life as she blends into the Parisian night. Who has she angered? Does it relate to events of 16 years ago? Why come for her now? Meanwhile, in Purity, Maine, sixty year old Maggie Bird lives quietly on her farm, keeping as low a profile as possible. However, it seems she too is being tracked down as she receives an unexpected visitor who is later killed and left on her driveway as a warning. Maggie turns to her old friends, all retired CIA agents, for help in uncovering who is after her and why. This is the Martini Club (Maggie, Ingrid, Ben and Declan) who also want a quiet life, which is clearly not happening now. Complicating their investigations is Purity’s acting police chief, Jo Thibodeau who may foil the Martini Club’s clandestine efforts to keep Maggie safe. The story is told principally by Maggie and Jo and goes backwards and forwards in time.
We have to wait a while for this novel to get up and running as the start seems to prevaricate, it’s needlessly complicated which makes the reading choppy as Tess Gerritsen establishes the various scenarios. However, I can see there’s a good story in there and once it settles it’s an entertaining thriller. It appears that all roads lead to Diana as the plot becomes really intriguing with danger levels rising when the Operation (code name Cyrano) which kicks off the present day events are revealed. These are some of the most exciting scenes in the book. The pace rises and falls appropriately, there’s plenty of tension and suspense alongside heartache and tragedy. The situation escalates, there are multiple twists, revengeful actions in which innocents get caught up and there are traitorous attempts to save skin. Part of the ending is surprising but it also fizzles our somewhat too.
The characterisation of Maggie is good, I think we see and understand her more clearly via past events and the portrayal of Jo Thibodeau is good too. She’s an excellent cop, intuitive, dogged and likeable and you feel her frustration with the Martini Club being one step ahead. The other members of the club are not yet fully developed though that may come on book two as it seems we have yet another retiree series on our hands!
I love the settings of the novel which the author uses very effectively, taking us from Maine to Bangkok, Istanbul, Malta and Italy. Thank you for the entertaining tour!
Overall, despite the minor issues, I can buy into the plot of this as it feels authentic and I’m definitely up for number two!
With thanks to NetGalley and especially to Random House U.K., Transworld, for the much appreciated arc in return for an honest review.
January 16, 2025
I am probably going to date myself with this question. How many of you have watched the television series, Rizzoli & Isles with Angie Harmon and Sasha Alexander?
It aired on TNT with 105 episodes from July 12, 2010 to September 5, 2016. Jane Rizzoli was a detective and Maura Isles was the medical examiner who came together to solve crimes in Boston.
It was the television series that led me to this author’s books about them.
And…When this new book came out from this author, I was interested.
But…This isn’t Rizzoli & Isles. It is a new series referring itself as the Martini Club.
Now…At first, I thought, what are they doing here with a group of older citizens in Purity, Maine who come together as their own “book club?” Are they trying to mimic “The Thursday Murder Club?”
And…For those who haven’t followed the series, “The Thursday Murder Club”…
It is about some senior citizens who come together to solve cold cases, but typically end up in the middle of murder investigations.
Well…The Martini Club is not The Thursday Murder Club.
In fact…The title of this book, fits the premise, when we find Purity, Maine a perfect setting for a few retired spies, who want to live peacefully, quietly and anonymously on the Maine coast.
The problem is when a murdered woman ends up on the driveway of one of them, it opens doors to the past that need to be closed quickly…
In order to regain their quiet life.
Or…Will they ever get it back again?
This book takes us back in forth in time, as we learn more about the characters past, and what message is being sent with this body.
As well as…Gives readers the opportunity to follow the investigation with the acting police chief…
Who is a woman, eager and motivated to prove to her male colleagues she is capable, as she dives in to work this murder case.
The question becomes, is the acting police chief character effective at it when she is being placed against these spies – even though she doesn’t know who these people are/were?
Could the author have done a better job to flesh her character out?
Now…The idea for the story, came from the author’s note at the end when she revealed that her doctor husband started seeing patients in their small community, and discovered many of her neighbors were retired CIA agents.
So…Did the author make this “real” life experience into a plausible, believable story?
Well…An older cast of spies can make for an interesting, unique thriller.
And…The author did an excellent job of limiting the abilities of an older spy when faced with current circumstances.
Still…The beginning chapters were a bit uneven…
Yet…Readers should be patient. This is a thrilling, slow burn…
But…Page-turning read with interesting characters…
And…Enough suspense that will give us all the answers we need by the end.
It aired on TNT with 105 episodes from July 12, 2010 to September 5, 2016. Jane Rizzoli was a detective and Maura Isles was the medical examiner who came together to solve crimes in Boston.
It was the television series that led me to this author’s books about them.
And…When this new book came out from this author, I was interested.
But…This isn’t Rizzoli & Isles. It is a new series referring itself as the Martini Club.
Now…At first, I thought, what are they doing here with a group of older citizens in Purity, Maine who come together as their own “book club?” Are they trying to mimic “The Thursday Murder Club?”
And…For those who haven’t followed the series, “The Thursday Murder Club”…
It is about some senior citizens who come together to solve cold cases, but typically end up in the middle of murder investigations.
Well…The Martini Club is not The Thursday Murder Club.
In fact…The title of this book, fits the premise, when we find Purity, Maine a perfect setting for a few retired spies, who want to live peacefully, quietly and anonymously on the Maine coast.
The problem is when a murdered woman ends up on the driveway of one of them, it opens doors to the past that need to be closed quickly…
In order to regain their quiet life.
Or…Will they ever get it back again?
This book takes us back in forth in time, as we learn more about the characters past, and what message is being sent with this body.
As well as…Gives readers the opportunity to follow the investigation with the acting police chief…
Who is a woman, eager and motivated to prove to her male colleagues she is capable, as she dives in to work this murder case.
The question becomes, is the acting police chief character effective at it when she is being placed against these spies – even though she doesn’t know who these people are/were?
Could the author have done a better job to flesh her character out?
Now…The idea for the story, came from the author’s note at the end when she revealed that her doctor husband started seeing patients in their small community, and discovered many of her neighbors were retired CIA agents.
So…Did the author make this “real” life experience into a plausible, believable story?
Well…An older cast of spies can make for an interesting, unique thriller.
And…The author did an excellent job of limiting the abilities of an older spy when faced with current circumstances.
Still…The beginning chapters were a bit uneven…
Yet…Readers should be patient. This is a thrilling, slow burn…
But…Page-turning read with interesting characters…
And…Enough suspense that will give us all the answers we need by the end.
January 7, 2024
3.5~4★
“It’s exactly the sort of evening that we retired folks are believed to indulge in. I doubt the police will ask what we are all retired from, because when you are over the hill, what you did in your previous life is of little interest to most people.”
The sort of evening Maggie is referring to is a gathering of five friends around a potluck dinner, bottles of wine, and the apparent discussion of a book. Acting Chief of Police Jo Thibodeau suspects otherwise, but she can’t prove it or even put her finger on what’s wrong – yet.
I didn’t know until I read the author’s note at the end that this story was inspired by the author’s own neighbourhood in Maine. Had I known that beforehand, I think I’d have enjoyed the story more. Because I didn’t, I thought perhaps she was hoping to attract fans of The Thursday Murder Club, whose main character is a retired spook.
But back to the story. Maggie has been living on her small farm in Maine for a couple of years and has become friends with her neighbour and his teenaged granddaughter. Maggie and Callie bond over their mutual interest in chickens and sell their eggs together at the markets.
Out of the blue, a woman comes to Maggie’s house with a call to action that Maggie has trouble ignoring. She goes to her friends’ house for their ‘book club’ meeting, which is really just a gossip session of old spooks as they enjoy 6 o’clock martinis followed by a potluck dinner.
“When I pull up in front of Lloyd and Ingrid’s handsome white colonial, I see that Ben Diamond’s black Subaru is parked across the street and Declan’s blue Volvo is down near the corner, which tells me the gang’s all here.
. . .
Ben Diamond was the first to plant a flag here, nine years ago.
. . .
A few years later he recruited Ingrid and Lloyd, and then Declan, to retire here as well. I have no doubt there are others like us quietly living out their retirements throughout Maine, a state that’s long been used by the Agency as a convenient location for safe houses.”
The chapters move between now and at various points in the past, with the main focus on Maggie, who narrates her story in the first person, the only character to do so. But also featured is Jo Thibodeau and her local background, growing up and staying in the town where the Thibodeaus have lived for 250+ years.
Diana is a former spy with whom Maggie reluctantly worked years ago but who has dropped out of sight. Now, she must be found, and Maggie is the one tasked to do it.
This is not a cosy, and it’s not all fun and games with heart-warming people. Maggie gets the most comprehensive treatment, and is someone I would recognise if I met her. The same for Jo, I think. The others are a bit more peripheral, but they do flesh out the story – both the past and present.
It was easy to see how Maggie was drawn into the life and also why she was anxious some years earlier to leave it. But she (and we) were never entirely sure about some of her nearest and dearest, so when she’s left alone in Maine now, it’s not unexpected.
Getting dragged kicking and screaming out of retirement was certainly a surprise to her, though, although Declan put it well.
“ ‘First they tell us we’ve gotten too old for the business. Then they come to us, looking for help when they realize they don’t know what they’re doing. Let them learn on the job, the way we did.’ He taps his head. ‘It’s still all there. Every little detail, if they’d just bother to ask us.’”
But Maggie’s realistic. “ ‘Young people move in, and we are expendable. So we putter along in our quiet little village … ’”
And that’s been true – until now. The action ramps up in the present day and the book turns into a deadly thriller. There’s a murder at Maggie’s farm, and Jo, the Acting Chief of Police, finds Maggie with her friends at their book club dinner party.
Nobody seems shocked to hear of a murder, which raises Jo’s suspicions – that, and they claim this to be a meeting of The Martini Club, the name that springs to Maggie’s mind when Jo asks. The others nod.
And from there, for us, it’s a long way down the rabbit hole that is Maggie’s past and then back up to her future, in action again.
“I step over the body and keep moving. It’s the story of my life. Leave the bodies behind and move on.”
She had hoped to leave that life behind, but I wonder if we'll see more of Maggie and The Martini Club.
It’s an entertaining premise with believable characters, although I can’t say I developed any particular affection for anyone – except maybe Jo Thibodeau, who was up against some seriously experienced professionals, but seemed to understand there were a lot of secrets among them. There were times that I was a bit impatient for the story to get to the point, but overall, it’s a good read.
Thanks to #NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for the preview copy of #TheSpyCoast for review.
“It’s exactly the sort of evening that we retired folks are believed to indulge in. I doubt the police will ask what we are all retired from, because when you are over the hill, what you did in your previous life is of little interest to most people.”
The sort of evening Maggie is referring to is a gathering of five friends around a potluck dinner, bottles of wine, and the apparent discussion of a book. Acting Chief of Police Jo Thibodeau suspects otherwise, but she can’t prove it or even put her finger on what’s wrong – yet.
I didn’t know until I read the author’s note at the end that this story was inspired by the author’s own neighbourhood in Maine. Had I known that beforehand, I think I’d have enjoyed the story more. Because I didn’t, I thought perhaps she was hoping to attract fans of The Thursday Murder Club, whose main character is a retired spook.
But back to the story. Maggie has been living on her small farm in Maine for a couple of years and has become friends with her neighbour and his teenaged granddaughter. Maggie and Callie bond over their mutual interest in chickens and sell their eggs together at the markets.
Out of the blue, a woman comes to Maggie’s house with a call to action that Maggie has trouble ignoring. She goes to her friends’ house for their ‘book club’ meeting, which is really just a gossip session of old spooks as they enjoy 6 o’clock martinis followed by a potluck dinner.
“When I pull up in front of Lloyd and Ingrid’s handsome white colonial, I see that Ben Diamond’s black Subaru is parked across the street and Declan’s blue Volvo is down near the corner, which tells me the gang’s all here.
. . .
Ben Diamond was the first to plant a flag here, nine years ago.
. . .
A few years later he recruited Ingrid and Lloyd, and then Declan, to retire here as well. I have no doubt there are others like us quietly living out their retirements throughout Maine, a state that’s long been used by the Agency as a convenient location for safe houses.”
The chapters move between now and at various points in the past, with the main focus on Maggie, who narrates her story in the first person, the only character to do so. But also featured is Jo Thibodeau and her local background, growing up and staying in the town where the Thibodeaus have lived for 250+ years.
Diana is a former spy with whom Maggie reluctantly worked years ago but who has dropped out of sight. Now, she must be found, and Maggie is the one tasked to do it.
This is not a cosy, and it’s not all fun and games with heart-warming people. Maggie gets the most comprehensive treatment, and is someone I would recognise if I met her. The same for Jo, I think. The others are a bit more peripheral, but they do flesh out the story – both the past and present.
It was easy to see how Maggie was drawn into the life and also why she was anxious some years earlier to leave it. But she (and we) were never entirely sure about some of her nearest and dearest, so when she’s left alone in Maine now, it’s not unexpected.
Getting dragged kicking and screaming out of retirement was certainly a surprise to her, though, although Declan put it well.
“ ‘First they tell us we’ve gotten too old for the business. Then they come to us, looking for help when they realize they don’t know what they’re doing. Let them learn on the job, the way we did.’ He taps his head. ‘It’s still all there. Every little detail, if they’d just bother to ask us.’”
But Maggie’s realistic. “ ‘Young people move in, and we are expendable. So we putter along in our quiet little village … ’”
And that’s been true – until now. The action ramps up in the present day and the book turns into a deadly thriller. There’s a murder at Maggie’s farm, and Jo, the Acting Chief of Police, finds Maggie with her friends at their book club dinner party.
Nobody seems shocked to hear of a murder, which raises Jo’s suspicions – that, and they claim this to be a meeting of The Martini Club, the name that springs to Maggie’s mind when Jo asks. The others nod.
And from there, for us, it’s a long way down the rabbit hole that is Maggie’s past and then back up to her future, in action again.
“I step over the body and keep moving. It’s the story of my life. Leave the bodies behind and move on.”
She had hoped to leave that life behind, but I wonder if we'll see more of Maggie and The Martini Club.
It’s an entertaining premise with believable characters, although I can’t say I developed any particular affection for anyone – except maybe Jo Thibodeau, who was up against some seriously experienced professionals, but seemed to understand there were a lot of secrets among them. There were times that I was a bit impatient for the story to get to the point, but overall, it’s a good read.
Thanks to #NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for the preview copy of #TheSpyCoast for review.
August 18, 2023
Part-way through this book I thought, 'Gerritsen's done such a great job with these characters this will have to become a series.' And sure enough, after I'd finished reading I went to add it to Goodreads and noticed it's called The Martini Club #1. D'oh!
It's very reminiscent of Richard Osman's Thursday Murder Club series - though given our lead cast are all ex-CIA agents - they're like the residents of the Coopers Chase Luxury Retirement Village, but on speed.
I should mention, not only did I love the ex-spies here, but I also very much liked cop Jo Thibodeau who finds herself with unwanted (but extraordinarily talented!) interlopers.
This book is centred around the brilliantly named Maggie Bird and I wonder if Maggie will remain the lead character or if each book in the series will feature a different lead character. Here Maggie is forced to relive her last case – one we learn that was very personal and painful.
I very much enjoyed this book. The backstory is strong and offers a really good foundation for the events in the present and Gerritsen times the telling of the past beautifully with the perfect amount of foreboding (and foreshadowing).
I'm very excited already for more in this series. Our Martini Club members felt very real, I liked them all and can't wait to meet them again.
Read my review here: https://www.debbish.com/books-literat...
It's very reminiscent of Richard Osman's Thursday Murder Club series - though given our lead cast are all ex-CIA agents - they're like the residents of the Coopers Chase Luxury Retirement Village, but on speed.
I should mention, not only did I love the ex-spies here, but I also very much liked cop Jo Thibodeau who finds herself with unwanted (but extraordinarily talented!) interlopers.
This book is centred around the brilliantly named Maggie Bird and I wonder if Maggie will remain the lead character or if each book in the series will feature a different lead character. Here Maggie is forced to relive her last case – one we learn that was very personal and painful.
I very much enjoyed this book. The backstory is strong and offers a really good foundation for the events in the present and Gerritsen times the telling of the past beautifully with the perfect amount of foreboding (and foreshadowing).
I'm very excited already for more in this series. Our Martini Club members felt very real, I liked them all and can't wait to meet them again.
Read my review here: https://www.debbish.com/books-literat...
July 8, 2025
After reading Ava glass spy’s series I was looking for another series with the same theme, and had high hopes for this one. Maybe it’s not fair, but I couldn’t stop comparing it to Ava’s series that was thrilling and packed with action. This lacked both of these factors, there was not a feeling of holding my breath, not the same fast pace where seconds mattered. It was still decent and engaging enough, but I didn’t love it.
November 9, 2023
“No matter how old we are, there are always adventures ahead for us.” —Tess Gerritsen
I was initially drawn to the idyllic, peaceful, crisp, and clean recent snowfall depicted on the cover, hooked immediately by the engaging characters, and then stayed for the addictive tension and suspense that played out to the last page. I want to stand on a street corner on a box with a loudspeaker in my hand and tell everyone about this book!
Synopsis:
“Maggie Bird has lived many lives and many lies, right across the globe. Finally, she gets to hunker down in the bucolic town of Purity, with nothing but her chickens and her ‘Martini Club’ friends to keep her company. But her past is about to come back to haunt her when someone delivers a dead body to her door.
Maggie and her ‘book club’ swiftly revert to espionage mode, burning a trail from London to Bangkok to Milan to stay one step ahead of those who want former agent Bird dead. Maggie knows that some parts of the past refuse to stay buried. And that sometimes an old spy must give up her ghosts.”
Why I ABSOLUTELY LOVED this introduction to a new series:
The peaceful shore of Purity, Maine is the perfect 𝘀𝗲𝘁𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 as it provides a stark contrast for the upcoming chaos. The village is a “personal DMZ” for a certain group of retirees who just want to be left alone. They have an ordinary life, doing ordinary things and that’s why they chose to live here. This quietness and ordinary life also lulled me into a false sense of relaxation, making the ‘driveway event’ and the ‘RTV’ event at Blackberry Farm that much more powerful. The traveller and amateur foodie within was excited at all the globe-hopping and food references, too. We just never know who is living on our quiet, residential street!
I loved the 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝘂𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲; the story wasn’t told in a linear fashion. The flashbacks revealed a little more of the characters at just the right time. Doling out the information this way kept me interested. I always needed to know more and it kept me invested in the story.
The 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀 are phenomenal. Every. Single. One. Of. Them! Perfectly crafted. Margaret ‘Maggie’ Porter’s story is the only one told in first person POV and it’s easy to see why I immediately connected with her - I was able to get inside the mind of a CIA operative. The other silver-haired members of ‘The Martini Club’ are just as interesting; they’re all running away from something and they’re all unassuming retirees with secret past lives. I can’t wait to hear more of their background in future installments.
“That’s what we must learn to deal with: Our place in a world that sees us as used up and irrelevant.”
The 𝘁𝗵𝗿𝗶𝗹𝗹𝘀 provided by the foreign operatives, elusive Russian sleeper cells, intercepted messages, and the mysterious Operation Cyrano backstory were a perfect blend of paranoia-inducing drama and secrets. Gerritsen skillfully crafted layers of suspense, conspiracy, twists, betrayals, manipulations, moles, and snitches - it was PHENOMENAL. She kept me guessing, wanting to uncover the truth and get to the bottom of what happened during Operation Cyrano, but I couldn’t pull ahead of Maggie!
I loved the messages about trust and honesty and appreciated the breaks in the tension to laugh at references to tourist t-shirts or revel in a wonderfully crafted romance.
You may remember her from her books to TV series, Rizzoli and Isles - she’s upped her game and the suspense, intrigue and double-crossing in this book is exciting. Her investigation into the dark side of intelligence work is wonderful, making it a series you’ll want on your radar.
I was gifted this copy by Thomas & Mercer and NetGalley and was under no obligation to provide a review.
I was initially drawn to the idyllic, peaceful, crisp, and clean recent snowfall depicted on the cover, hooked immediately by the engaging characters, and then stayed for the addictive tension and suspense that played out to the last page. I want to stand on a street corner on a box with a loudspeaker in my hand and tell everyone about this book!
Synopsis:
“Maggie Bird has lived many lives and many lies, right across the globe. Finally, she gets to hunker down in the bucolic town of Purity, with nothing but her chickens and her ‘Martini Club’ friends to keep her company. But her past is about to come back to haunt her when someone delivers a dead body to her door.
Maggie and her ‘book club’ swiftly revert to espionage mode, burning a trail from London to Bangkok to Milan to stay one step ahead of those who want former agent Bird dead. Maggie knows that some parts of the past refuse to stay buried. And that sometimes an old spy must give up her ghosts.”
Why I ABSOLUTELY LOVED this introduction to a new series:
The peaceful shore of Purity, Maine is the perfect 𝘀𝗲𝘁𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 as it provides a stark contrast for the upcoming chaos. The village is a “personal DMZ” for a certain group of retirees who just want to be left alone. They have an ordinary life, doing ordinary things and that’s why they chose to live here. This quietness and ordinary life also lulled me into a false sense of relaxation, making the ‘driveway event’ and the ‘RTV’ event at Blackberry Farm that much more powerful. The traveller and amateur foodie within was excited at all the globe-hopping and food references, too. We just never know who is living on our quiet, residential street!
I loved the 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝘂𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲; the story wasn’t told in a linear fashion. The flashbacks revealed a little more of the characters at just the right time. Doling out the information this way kept me interested. I always needed to know more and it kept me invested in the story.
The 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀 are phenomenal. Every. Single. One. Of. Them! Perfectly crafted. Margaret ‘Maggie’ Porter’s story is the only one told in first person POV and it’s easy to see why I immediately connected with her - I was able to get inside the mind of a CIA operative. The other silver-haired members of ‘The Martini Club’ are just as interesting; they’re all running away from something and they’re all unassuming retirees with secret past lives. I can’t wait to hear more of their background in future installments.
“That’s what we must learn to deal with: Our place in a world that sees us as used up and irrelevant.”
The 𝘁𝗵𝗿𝗶𝗹𝗹𝘀 provided by the foreign operatives, elusive Russian sleeper cells, intercepted messages, and the mysterious Operation Cyrano backstory were a perfect blend of paranoia-inducing drama and secrets. Gerritsen skillfully crafted layers of suspense, conspiracy, twists, betrayals, manipulations, moles, and snitches - it was PHENOMENAL. She kept me guessing, wanting to uncover the truth and get to the bottom of what happened during Operation Cyrano, but I couldn’t pull ahead of Maggie!
I loved the messages about trust and honesty and appreciated the breaks in the tension to laugh at references to tourist t-shirts or revel in a wonderfully crafted romance.
You may remember her from her books to TV series, Rizzoli and Isles - she’s upped her game and the suspense, intrigue and double-crossing in this book is exciting. Her investigation into the dark side of intelligence work is wonderful, making it a series you’ll want on your radar.
I was gifted this copy by Thomas & Mercer and NetGalley and was under no obligation to provide a review.
December 2, 2024
Це зовсім інша Тесс, і мені сподобалось! Дуже затишне читання вийшло, і ще затишніше обговорення з учасниками книжкового клубу. Чекатиму на продовження циклу про шпигунів у відставці. А.С. Ще б менше помилок у перекладі було - взагалі б прекрасно було.
December 19, 2023
New England has surprises
A village full of retired spies baffles local police while they try to solve a murder. Meanwhile, the former spies are investigating both the murder and trouble from their pasts. Highly entertaining, well written novel which appears to be the first in a series to come.
A village full of retired spies baffles local police while they try to solve a murder. Meanwhile, the former spies are investigating both the murder and trouble from their pasts. Highly entertaining, well written novel which appears to be the first in a series to come.
October 9, 2023
Amazon First readers who enjoy spy novels, murder mysteries, police procedurals, thrillers, and Tess Gerritsen's other novels may well want to select “Spy Coast” as one of their picks for October. It's apparently the first novel in a planned series and has me hoping the series will continue.
60-year-old Maggie Bird and several other retired CIA officers have moved to Purity, Maine, a small but charming seaside town. Of course, they don’t tell anyone they're ex-Agency (and especially not newly appointed Acting Police Chief, Jo Thibodeau), because…well…once a secret agent, always a secret agent. They spend their days quietly engaged in various retirement pursuits: raising chickens, tending gardens, reading, maintaining their libraries, getting together for martini-fueled book club nights, etc. All quite peaceful, all quite prosaic, really, until someone dumps a dead body on Maggie's driveway.
The body belongs to Bianca Miskova, who visited Maggie just yesterday purporting to be active-CIA and inquiring as to the whereabouts of Diana Ward, also ex-CIA, whom Maggie used to work with but with whom Maggie hasn't been in contact for decades. Why? Because, as Maggie explains to her colleagues, Diana "turned me into a traitor."
Who is Bianca really? CIA? SVR? Why is she searching for Diana? Who killed her and why? What was Operation Cyrano, and why is the agency revisiting it? Why does Maggie think of herself as a traitor? And will Jo Thibodeau be able to crack the case and become permanent chief or will she allow herself to be pushed aside and shunted into irrelevance by the Maine State Police? These are just some of the questions that are keeping me turning the pages.
Veteran author Tess Gerritsen writes well. Straightforward, with only the occasional—yet enjoyable—literary flourish, her prose is a pleasure. Her plot is interesting. Her characters are engaging, and we care about what happens to them. Her settings are varied (e.g., London, Paris, Bangkok, Istanbul) and well-described. I especially enjoyed her treatment and descriptions of life in rural Maine in the dead of winter. And she seems to have a good understanding of espionage and the tradecraft involved.
At times, this story involving retired agents supporting each other reminded me somewhat of the films “Red” and “Red 2” starring Helen Mirren, Bruce Willis, and John Malkovich (just to name a few). Unlike those films, “Spy Coast” is not a comedy. Nevertheless, those who enjoyed those movies, as well as fans of espionage tales, murder mysteries, and Tess Gerritsen, should find much to entertain them here.
60-year-old Maggie Bird and several other retired CIA officers have moved to Purity, Maine, a small but charming seaside town. Of course, they don’t tell anyone they're ex-Agency (and especially not newly appointed Acting Police Chief, Jo Thibodeau), because…well…once a secret agent, always a secret agent. They spend their days quietly engaged in various retirement pursuits: raising chickens, tending gardens, reading, maintaining their libraries, getting together for martini-fueled book club nights, etc. All quite peaceful, all quite prosaic, really, until someone dumps a dead body on Maggie's driveway.
The body belongs to Bianca Miskova, who visited Maggie just yesterday purporting to be active-CIA and inquiring as to the whereabouts of Diana Ward, also ex-CIA, whom Maggie used to work with but with whom Maggie hasn't been in contact for decades. Why? Because, as Maggie explains to her colleagues, Diana "turned me into a traitor."
Who is Bianca really? CIA? SVR? Why is she searching for Diana? Who killed her and why? What was Operation Cyrano, and why is the agency revisiting it? Why does Maggie think of herself as a traitor? And will Jo Thibodeau be able to crack the case and become permanent chief or will she allow herself to be pushed aside and shunted into irrelevance by the Maine State Police? These are just some of the questions that are keeping me turning the pages.
Veteran author Tess Gerritsen writes well. Straightforward, with only the occasional—yet enjoyable—literary flourish, her prose is a pleasure. Her plot is interesting. Her characters are engaging, and we care about what happens to them. Her settings are varied (e.g., London, Paris, Bangkok, Istanbul) and well-described. I especially enjoyed her treatment and descriptions of life in rural Maine in the dead of winter. And she seems to have a good understanding of espionage and the tradecraft involved.
At times, this story involving retired agents supporting each other reminded me somewhat of the films “Red” and “Red 2” starring Helen Mirren, Bruce Willis, and John Malkovich (just to name a few). Unlike those films, “Spy Coast” is not a comedy. Nevertheless, those who enjoyed those movies, as well as fans of espionage tales, murder mysteries, and Tess Gerritsen, should find much to entertain them here.
November 6, 2023
4.5stars
Have you read @tess.gerritsen yet?? The Spy Coast was my first and I loved it!! ❤️Huge thank you to @mbc_books for putting this gorgeous gifted copy in my hands!! 🥰🥰🥰 Pub date was November 1st! 🥳🥳🥳 Listen to this…
When your retired neighbor knows too much about how to process a murder scene… you…
A. Think they are a murderer 😳
B. Assume they are a retired CIA agent 🤔
C. Question if they read ALOT of true crime/thrillers in their books club 😉
Well when a dead 💀 body shows up in Maggie Bird’s driveway… the detectives have questions… 😳… Maggie has answers… so do Maggie’s friends… aka The Martini 🍸 Club… OMGGG I love that name!!!
Maggie and her fellow Martini🍸 Club members were part of another club… one they retired from… and moved to rural Maine… away from all the dead bodies.. 😬… or so they thought.😉
This was SO good!! What I REALLY am excited about is that… this is going to be a series!! 🥳 I loved Maggie and the crew!!
Guys… listen to this… the author tells how her inspiration for the book was an area in Maine… that has a number of former intelligence officers… WHY?? They are not talking.. 🤫🤫🤫 Hence the Martini 🍸 Club was born! I LOVE it!! ♥️
Have you read @tess.gerritsen yet?? The Spy Coast was my first and I loved it!! ❤️Huge thank you to @mbc_books for putting this gorgeous gifted copy in my hands!! 🥰🥰🥰 Pub date was November 1st! 🥳🥳🥳 Listen to this…
When your retired neighbor knows too much about how to process a murder scene… you…
A. Think they are a murderer 😳
B. Assume they are a retired CIA agent 🤔
C. Question if they read ALOT of true crime/thrillers in their books club 😉
Well when a dead 💀 body shows up in Maggie Bird’s driveway… the detectives have questions… 😳… Maggie has answers… so do Maggie’s friends… aka The Martini 🍸 Club… OMGGG I love that name!!!
Maggie and her fellow Martini🍸 Club members were part of another club… one they retired from… and moved to rural Maine… away from all the dead bodies.. 😬… or so they thought.😉
This was SO good!! What I REALLY am excited about is that… this is going to be a series!! 🥳 I loved Maggie and the crew!!
Guys… listen to this… the author tells how her inspiration for the book was an area in Maine… that has a number of former intelligence officers… WHY?? They are not talking.. 🤫🤫🤫 Hence the Martini 🍸 Club was born! I LOVE it!! ♥️
February 5, 2024
This is a story that grabbed my attention from the beginning in the small town of Purity, Maine, to all parts of the world. We met five older adults who have moved to this small town in their retirement from a life of working with the CIA, four of whom worked as spies, one an analyst. But the past rears its ugly head to Maggie Bird when someone leaves a body in her drive and then tries to kill her. She, along with her friends, put their heads together to find answers. The story alternates between present day to twenty-four years ago in Bangkok. Suspenseful, action-packed, and nail biting with secrets and surprises, this will keep you engaged from beginning to end. Looking forward to the next in the series.
December 1, 2023
I recently read an interview with Tess Gerritsen about this new series. She said that there really are a lot of retired spies living in Maine, where she also lives, and when she met a few that was the inspiration for this new Series. I never really thought about where old spies go to rusticate. I guess Maine is as good a place as any other. Maggie and her fellow retired spies make for an intelligent, well-paced spy thriller. I was drawn in with the depiction of Maggie's bucolic Maine farm. But even the picture-perfect existence has its' predators and Maggie must dig into her past to find the answer to her present threat. But she is not alone. She has friends to help, if she would let them.
In Paris former CIA operative Diana knows she is being stalked and she runs. In Purity, Maine former CIA agent Maggie gets a visit about an operation from 16 years ago. A breach in the CIA database has unleashed secrets that are having deadly consequences.
Maggie Bird left the CIA after a mission that cost her more than she was willing to lose. The peace of the seaside village of Purity, Maine, her farm and her friends are a balm to her ravaged soul, at least until her past intrudes on her present. When a body is left in her driveway, Maggie knows whoever is behind the torture and murder means business. Maggie and her friends, all retired CIA, know the local law enforcement won't be able to solve the murder and that it was a message to Maggie. She and her friends and their still considerable resources will be needed to keep Maggie safe and find the person behind this.
Acting Police Chief, Jo Thibodeau, has a lot of questions and is getting no answers from Maggie or her friends, the "Martini Club". Jo knows there is more this group of retirees, but no one is giving her any answers to the many questions she has. But they all seem to have information Jo desperately needs.
After an attempt on her life Maggie receives a cryptic massage that sends her to Bangkok and eventually to the answers Maggie needs to save an innocent life. Along the way She also relives the most tragic period of her life and finally comes to term with what happened 16 years ago in Malta.
My thanks to the Publisher and Author for providing a complimentary digital Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) of this novel via NetGalley. This is my fair, honest and personal review. All opinions are mine alone and were not biased in any way.
In Paris former CIA operative Diana knows she is being stalked and she runs. In Purity, Maine former CIA agent Maggie gets a visit about an operation from 16 years ago. A breach in the CIA database has unleashed secrets that are having deadly consequences.
Maggie Bird left the CIA after a mission that cost her more than she was willing to lose. The peace of the seaside village of Purity, Maine, her farm and her friends are a balm to her ravaged soul, at least until her past intrudes on her present. When a body is left in her driveway, Maggie knows whoever is behind the torture and murder means business. Maggie and her friends, all retired CIA, know the local law enforcement won't be able to solve the murder and that it was a message to Maggie. She and her friends and their still considerable resources will be needed to keep Maggie safe and find the person behind this.
Acting Police Chief, Jo Thibodeau, has a lot of questions and is getting no answers from Maggie or her friends, the "Martini Club". Jo knows there is more this group of retirees, but no one is giving her any answers to the many questions she has. But they all seem to have information Jo desperately needs.
After an attempt on her life Maggie receives a cryptic massage that sends her to Bangkok and eventually to the answers Maggie needs to save an innocent life. Along the way She also relives the most tragic period of her life and finally comes to term with what happened 16 years ago in Malta.
My thanks to the Publisher and Author for providing a complimentary digital Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) of this novel via NetGalley. This is my fair, honest and personal review. All opinions are mine alone and were not biased in any way.
December 28, 2023
4.5 very strong stars! The Spy Coast was the first book that I had ever read by Tess Gerristen and boy was it a good one! It was the first book in a new series titled The Martini Club. Tess Gerritsen proved to me that she should be considered as a masterful and talented storyteller. She was able to incorporate just the right amount of suspense and mystery into her writing of The Spy Coast. It was fast paced and I enjoyed her character development throughout the book.
Maggie Bird was a sixty year old retired woman who had recently moved to Purity, Maine on the recommendation of a very old and dear friend. When Maggie first learned about Purity from her friend Declan Rose, Maggie had thought that she had finally found a place where she could live out the rest of her life. Maggie had been a CIA spy but everything changed for her after Operation Cyrano. Reluctantly, Maggie became involved in that operation but something went terribly wrong with it. Maggie did not hesitate to submit her resignation after that operation. That was the last operation Maggie ever worked on for the CIA. She was now the proud and content owner of Blackberry Farm. Maggie loved everything about her chicken farm and living in this quaint and quiet little town in Maine. She even participated in a book club whose members were also part of The Martini Club. All was good for Maggie until a dead woman was discovered on her driveway. Soon Maggie’s own life was threatened. Maggie had also became a target. Who wanted her dead and why? Operation Cyrano had been classified but the word was that it had been compromised and someone was seeking revenge. Will the members of The Martini Club be able to help Maggie figure out who was trying to kill her? Can they keep her safe?
The chapters in The Spy Coast alternated between Maggie’s past and present day life. It kept me at the edge of my seat. I am so glad that this is going to be a series and that there is going to be another book. Hopefully, most of the characters will return in the second book. In her author’s note, Tess Gerritsen explained where she got the inspiration to write this book. I found that very interesting. Overall, I really enjoyed reading The Spy Coast by Tess Gerritsen and highly recommend it.
Thank you to Thomas & Mercer for allowing me to read The Spy Coast by Tess Gerritsen through Netgalley in exchange for a honest review.
Maggie Bird was a sixty year old retired woman who had recently moved to Purity, Maine on the recommendation of a very old and dear friend. When Maggie first learned about Purity from her friend Declan Rose, Maggie had thought that she had finally found a place where she could live out the rest of her life. Maggie had been a CIA spy but everything changed for her after Operation Cyrano. Reluctantly, Maggie became involved in that operation but something went terribly wrong with it. Maggie did not hesitate to submit her resignation after that operation. That was the last operation Maggie ever worked on for the CIA. She was now the proud and content owner of Blackberry Farm. Maggie loved everything about her chicken farm and living in this quaint and quiet little town in Maine. She even participated in a book club whose members were also part of The Martini Club. All was good for Maggie until a dead woman was discovered on her driveway. Soon Maggie’s own life was threatened. Maggie had also became a target. Who wanted her dead and why? Operation Cyrano had been classified but the word was that it had been compromised and someone was seeking revenge. Will the members of The Martini Club be able to help Maggie figure out who was trying to kill her? Can they keep her safe?
The chapters in The Spy Coast alternated between Maggie’s past and present day life. It kept me at the edge of my seat. I am so glad that this is going to be a series and that there is going to be another book. Hopefully, most of the characters will return in the second book. In her author’s note, Tess Gerritsen explained where she got the inspiration to write this book. I found that very interesting. Overall, I really enjoyed reading The Spy Coast by Tess Gerritsen and highly recommend it.
Thank you to Thomas & Mercer for allowing me to read The Spy Coast by Tess Gerritsen through Netgalley in exchange for a honest review.
January 8, 2024
This is the beginning of a very good series. There is much foreshadowing, giving hints of what will be revealed in future reading. Maggie’s last statement sets this in stone. Gerritsen has established several solid characters in this writing, including a good, solid core group. There is a very vague similarity to David Baldacci’s Camel Club. It will be interesting where she goes with these in the future. Personally, I am looking forward to it. This read is full of “cloak and dagger”, action, strong attractions and alliances. This is definitely my kind of book and I am looking forward to enjoying this new series. I feel that other GR readers will be rewarded in reading this clever work of literature.
October 15, 2023
outstanding plot ... excellent character development ... strong emotional links
November 5, 2023
Check out all my reviews at: https://www.avonnalovesgenres.com
THE SPY COAST (The Martini Club Book #1) by Tess Gerritsen is a suspenseful and gripping first book in a new series featuring a group of ex-CIA agents all settled into retirement in the small coastal town of Purity, Maine. This story introduces all the retired agents who call themselves “The Martini Club” and the small town’s acting police chief but features ex-agent Maggie Byrd and the case from her past that comes back to threaten her life and her friends.
Ex-CIA agent Maggie Bird has an active operative suddenly appear in her home inquiring about her last case, Operation Cyrano in Malta and the location of woman who ran the op. She has nothing to tell. While she attends her book club with the other ex-agents, the operative is dumped dead on her driveway. Police Chief Jo Thibodeau knows there is much more happening than what she is told.
With the help of The Martini Club members, Maggie travels back to where it all began in Bangkok and works to find her old teammates. Interspersed with flashbacks to her past that changed her life forever, she discovers the reason someone is out for revenge and requires a life for a life.
I always love to find new books and series with mature characters, and I am so happy Ms. Gerritsen is writing this one. I love her other books and was excited to try this one. I was not disappointed. The Martini Club members are all unique ex-CIA agents, and she brings them and their surroundings to life in Purity. The story switches narrative between Maggie, Diana (an old teammate from Operation Cyrano), and Chief of Police Jo Thibodeau as well as chapters where Maggie goes back in time to her last years in the CIA. Even with all these switches, I was never confused and followed the story plot line easily.
This is a well plotted espionage suspense/thriller with plenty of edge-of-your-seat moments, action, tears, and humor. I highly recommend this first Martini Club book and I cannot wait to get the next book in the series!
THE SPY COAST (The Martini Club Book #1) by Tess Gerritsen is a suspenseful and gripping first book in a new series featuring a group of ex-CIA agents all settled into retirement in the small coastal town of Purity, Maine. This story introduces all the retired agents who call themselves “The Martini Club” and the small town’s acting police chief but features ex-agent Maggie Byrd and the case from her past that comes back to threaten her life and her friends.
Ex-CIA agent Maggie Bird has an active operative suddenly appear in her home inquiring about her last case, Operation Cyrano in Malta and the location of woman who ran the op. She has nothing to tell. While she attends her book club with the other ex-agents, the operative is dumped dead on her driveway. Police Chief Jo Thibodeau knows there is much more happening than what she is told.
With the help of The Martini Club members, Maggie travels back to where it all began in Bangkok and works to find her old teammates. Interspersed with flashbacks to her past that changed her life forever, she discovers the reason someone is out for revenge and requires a life for a life.
I always love to find new books and series with mature characters, and I am so happy Ms. Gerritsen is writing this one. I love her other books and was excited to try this one. I was not disappointed. The Martini Club members are all unique ex-CIA agents, and she brings them and their surroundings to life in Purity. The story switches narrative between Maggie, Diana (an old teammate from Operation Cyrano), and Chief of Police Jo Thibodeau as well as chapters where Maggie goes back in time to her last years in the CIA. Even with all these switches, I was never confused and followed the story plot line easily.
This is a well plotted espionage suspense/thriller with plenty of edge-of-your-seat moments, action, tears, and humor. I highly recommend this first Martini Club book and I cannot wait to get the next book in the series!
March 16, 2025
I’m so happy that Tess Gerritsen has started a new series. She is a master at crafting different storylines and then weaving them together. The Spy Coast focuses around a bunch of retired CIA operatives who can’t completely separate themselves from their former work. We learn about the past and how it fits into the present. There are plenty of thrills, danger, and mysteries as well as love, friendship and duty to one another. 4.5 stars!
February 2, 2024
I am almost finished rewatching the Rizzoli & Isles tv series and had forgotten her cameo in a season 7 episode, but there it was. I did miss her book presentation in my local bookshop and my wife who never read her books went to get me an autographed copy of a book for my birthday or christmas. So yes I did read her work before.
So I thought I would get a cozy tale of retired CIA personel in a small Maine coastal town that solve some crime and annoy the local policeforce to no end. Some of it was True most of the Police annoying bit. The rest was an international spy plot with some murderous intent. Which was well plotted and the characters turnen out to be well created and to be sympathized with. And at the end you know there is plenty of space for more stories with this Martini Club for retired spies. Hence the sequel expected in 2025.
Once again a great story by a gifted writer which never has failed to entertain me and did so once more.
I hope she does another book tour which visits the Netherlands because I would love to meet this writer. And to beg for another Rizzoli and Isles book of course while looking forward to the next Martini Club novel.
Well advised to read this book or anything by this writer, she is well deserved to spend dome of your time.
So I thought I would get a cozy tale of retired CIA personel in a small Maine coastal town that solve some crime and annoy the local policeforce to no end. Some of it was True most of the Police annoying bit. The rest was an international spy plot with some murderous intent. Which was well plotted and the characters turnen out to be well created and to be sympathized with. And at the end you know there is plenty of space for more stories with this Martini Club for retired spies. Hence the sequel expected in 2025.
Once again a great story by a gifted writer which never has failed to entertain me and did so once more.
I hope she does another book tour which visits the Netherlands because I would love to meet this writer. And to beg for another Rizzoli and Isles book of course while looking forward to the next Martini Club novel.
Well advised to read this book or anything by this writer, she is well deserved to spend dome of your time.
March 29, 2025
Більше дописів та інфи в моєму авторському блозі - "Ласкаво просимо в Касл-Рок, штат Мен"
"Шпигунське узбережжя" Тесс Ґеррітсен - щось новеньке і свіженьке у творчості авторки. І так - ця книга здатна зачепити намертво.
Я добре знайомий з творчістю Тесс, тому я був приємно вражений, що, поряд з уже примітними темповими прийомами, письменниця додала свіжості в побудові історії і використала кейс шпигунства.
За сюжетом ми знайомимось з головною героїнею - відставною оперативницею Центрального Розвідувального Управління - однієї з наймогутніших спецслужб у світі. Але зараз Меґґі живе мирним життям в штаті Мен (привіт Кінгу?), в містечку на березі океану, де вирощує птицю та продає яйця.
Але від минулого не втечеш. Рано чи пізно воно наздоганяє, змушуючи розплатитись по рахункам.
Що сподобалось найбільше - поступове розкриття історії. Так, можливо сама заворушка американців та кацапів - банальщина, але, як не крути, така тєма матиме комерційний успіх.
Виграшною опцією стало використання декількох часових ліній. Тут ця штука спрацювала на відмінно - не заплутувала, а, навпаки, допомагала скласти цілісну картинку.
Ну і куди без динамічних бойових сцен - мені подобається їх виконання у Ґеррітсен.
І, попри серйозність подій, читається надзвичайно швидко. Текст має ось цю, притаманну авторці, легкість та простоту мови.
Якщо хочеться поринути в історію і відволіктись від оточення, "Шпигунське узбережжя" Тесс Ґеррітсен - ідеальний варіант.
"Шпигунське узбережжя" Тесс Ґеррітсен - щось новеньке і свіженьке у творчості авторки. І так - ця книга здатна зачепити намертво.
Я добре знайомий з творчістю Тесс, тому я був приємно вражений, що, поряд з уже примітними темповими прийомами, письменниця додала свіжості в побудові історії і використала кейс шпигунства.
За сюжетом ми знайомимось з головною героїнею - відставною оперативницею Центрального Розвідувального Управління - однієї з наймогутніших спецслужб у світі. Але зараз Меґґі живе мирним життям в штаті Мен (привіт Кінгу?), в містечку на березі океану, де вирощує птицю та продає яйця.
Але від минулого не втечеш. Рано чи пізно воно наздоганяє, змушуючи розплатитись по рахункам.
Що сподобалось найбільше - поступове розкриття історії. Так, можливо сама заворушка американців та кацапів - банальщина, але, як не крути, така тєма матиме комерційний успіх.
Виграшною опцією стало використання декількох часових ліній. Тут ця штука спрацювала на відмінно - не заплутувала, а, навпаки, допомагала скласти цілісну картинку.
Ну і куди без динамічних бойових сцен - мені подобається їх виконання у Ґеррітсен.
І, попри серйозність подій, читається надзвичайно швидко. Текст має ось цю, притаманну авторці, легкість та простоту мови.
Якщо хочеться поринути в історію і відволіктись від оточення, "Шпигунське узбережжя" Тесс Ґеррітсен - ідеальний варіант.
January 28, 2024
Long a fan of Tess Gerritsen and her writing, I was eager to see a new and exciting series in which to delve. Gerritsen brings her experience in the world of thriller novels to this new collection, which straddles a world of espionage, mystery, and even a little romance. A former spy has tried to settle down in Maine, retired and happy to have all the drama in the rear view mirror. However, when she receives a surprise guest, Maggie Bird is pushed back into the world of CIA clandestine operations and Cold War-esque battles with a mission that went sideways. When a body appears on her property, Maggie is put on the radar with a small-town police force whose chief wants to peel back the narrative that is Maggie Bird’s life. Gerritsen does well to keep the reader hooked until the final pages.
The town of Purity, Maine is the perfect retirement choice for former CIA spy Maggie Bird. Happy to farm chickens and keep off the radar, Maggie is trying to forget the mission that forced her into early retirement and the drama that came with it. While she is officially off the radar, she keeps close ties with some of her former colleagues, hoping to relive old missions and the stories that bought them such excitement.
The calm is broken when a body turns up on Maggie’s property. While it looks like a simple murder—one for which Maggie has a strong alibi—Maggie knows that it is a message from her former enemies, many of whom wish Maggie to remember them. She cannot help but relive the past and the mission that saw things go awry. Confiding in her friends, the Martini Club, this group of former spies is eager to help Maggie get to the bottom of it and protect Maggie from further blowback.
With a body and no clear answers, Acting Purity police chief, Jo Thibodeau, seeks solutions. She is confused by Maggie’s refusal to help in the investigation and the deflective nature of those who call Maggie a friend. The Martini Club’s efforts are stymied by Thidobeau, who keeps poking around and presses for answers that are not forthcoming.
Trying to put the past mission to rest and tackling those who would drag her back int o the life, Maggie Bird relies on the Martini Club and Chief Thibodeau to keep danger at bay while not revealing her sordid past. With flashback moments and a great backstory, Maggie Bird’s past comes steamrolling into the present and could ruin her future.
I always enjoy a great thriller to keep my fingers turning pages and my heart beating. Tess Gerritsen has never failed to impress me with all her abilities. Narrative flow works well and kept me wondering how things might progress. Gerritsen uses this to build momentum and pairs a keen narrative with strong characters, some of whom have wonderful backstories woven into the varied-length chapters. There is something that leaves breadcrumbs for the cautious reader to follow.
Plot points keep the reader wondering and Gerritsen does well to weave them all together effectively. I enjoyed the lack of predictability, which is key to a series debut to keep the reader coming back. While I have always longed for more Rizzoli and Isles, I enjoyed Tess Gerritsen’s varied abilities and proof that she is an author at the top of her genre. Eager to get my hands on the next book when it comes out.
Kudos, Madam Gerritsen, for stirring up the excitement.
Love/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/
The town of Purity, Maine is the perfect retirement choice for former CIA spy Maggie Bird. Happy to farm chickens and keep off the radar, Maggie is trying to forget the mission that forced her into early retirement and the drama that came with it. While she is officially off the radar, she keeps close ties with some of her former colleagues, hoping to relive old missions and the stories that bought them such excitement.
The calm is broken when a body turns up on Maggie’s property. While it looks like a simple murder—one for which Maggie has a strong alibi—Maggie knows that it is a message from her former enemies, many of whom wish Maggie to remember them. She cannot help but relive the past and the mission that saw things go awry. Confiding in her friends, the Martini Club, this group of former spies is eager to help Maggie get to the bottom of it and protect Maggie from further blowback.
With a body and no clear answers, Acting Purity police chief, Jo Thibodeau, seeks solutions. She is confused by Maggie’s refusal to help in the investigation and the deflective nature of those who call Maggie a friend. The Martini Club’s efforts are stymied by Thidobeau, who keeps poking around and presses for answers that are not forthcoming.
Trying to put the past mission to rest and tackling those who would drag her back int o the life, Maggie Bird relies on the Martini Club and Chief Thibodeau to keep danger at bay while not revealing her sordid past. With flashback moments and a great backstory, Maggie Bird’s past comes steamrolling into the present and could ruin her future.
I always enjoy a great thriller to keep my fingers turning pages and my heart beating. Tess Gerritsen has never failed to impress me with all her abilities. Narrative flow works well and kept me wondering how things might progress. Gerritsen uses this to build momentum and pairs a keen narrative with strong characters, some of whom have wonderful backstories woven into the varied-length chapters. There is something that leaves breadcrumbs for the cautious reader to follow.
Plot points keep the reader wondering and Gerritsen does well to weave them all together effectively. I enjoyed the lack of predictability, which is key to a series debut to keep the reader coming back. While I have always longed for more Rizzoli and Isles, I enjoyed Tess Gerritsen’s varied abilities and proof that she is an author at the top of her genre. Eager to get my hands on the next book when it comes out.
Kudos, Madam Gerritsen, for stirring up the excitement.
Love/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/
June 21, 2024
Maggie Bird, former CIA spy, now in her sixties, had retired to the small town of Purity, Maine, at the recommendation of a friend, Declan, who was also a retired spy, living in Purity. Along with Declan was Ben, Ingrid and Lloyd - all old friends who Maggie trusted completely - they christened their group The Martini Club. When the body of a young woman was dumped in Maggie's driveway, then someone shot at Maggie on her chicken farm, Maggie knew her past had returned to haunt her. Someone was after revenge and retribution, and she was the target.
The days when undercover work was second nature to Maggie, she was in the sights of dangerous people. She and her fellow CIA members kept many secrets, and lies were often told. When the worst that could happen to her, did, she resigned from the job and spent her days, weeks and months running; staying one step ahead, trying to find a place she could call home. Was she going to lose the peace and security she'd found in Maine? Police chief Jo Thibodeau was puzzled by these elderly retirees who always seemed to be involved in what was going on. Were they innocent?
The Spy Coast is the 1st in The Martini Club series by prolific author Tess Gerritsen and it's a tense and gritty start to what, I'm sure, will be an exciting new series. Maggie is an excellent character, and her friends - the Martini Club - are well written, fun, enjoyable but serious (when needed) characters! I'm so glad this author is back, with her new series! Highly recommended.
The days when undercover work was second nature to Maggie, she was in the sights of dangerous people. She and her fellow CIA members kept many secrets, and lies were often told. When the worst that could happen to her, did, she resigned from the job and spent her days, weeks and months running; staying one step ahead, trying to find a place she could call home. Was she going to lose the peace and security she'd found in Maine? Police chief Jo Thibodeau was puzzled by these elderly retirees who always seemed to be involved in what was going on. Were they innocent?
The Spy Coast is the 1st in The Martini Club series by prolific author Tess Gerritsen and it's a tense and gritty start to what, I'm sure, will be an exciting new series. Maggie is an excellent character, and her friends - the Martini Club - are well written, fun, enjoyable but serious (when needed) characters! I'm so glad this author is back, with her new series! Highly recommended.
October 12, 2024
I’ve been wanting to read this ever since the first review I ever read of it. Don’t remember whose it was, but the review made the story kind of remind me of that Helen Mirren and Morgan Freeman (and a bunch of other great film stars) movie Red. Loved that movie! Well…..this story was kind of sort of like that in that it had a bunch of retired assassins CIA black ops agents in it and someone is targeting one of them for “termination” because of some past CIA assignment gone bad.
The book summary basically lays out the beginning of the story of Maggie finding a dead body in her driveway of her chicken farm. Purity is a podunk town in Maine that is a tourist town in the summer and pretty deserted in the winter. It’s also where Maggie and her retired buddies are all hiding out from “something” or “someone”. Under their perfect aliases and top-level cover stories, they spend their days taking care of their farms, shooting the $#*^ in the local coffee shop and running a book club where they can drink their top shelf martinis and 30yr whiskey and show off their international cuisine cooking skills. What the book summary doesn’t say is that a woman named, Diana, a former collegue of Maggie’s, who was hiding out in Paris, is now on the run after killing two assassins who came after her. None of this is a spoiler since it’s how the story started.
The story mostly flips back and forth between Maggie’s present and past (going back 24yrs to present). There are also some chapters from Jo, a Purity native as well as the Acting Sheriff (the Sheriff died in the line of duty not too long ago). Jo is a bit of a loner as well as a bad@$$ in training, which means she has a reputation for not taking crap from a lot of people. She also isn’t falling for the boatload of lies Maggie is giving her for the dead body that was discovered in her driveway, while she was hanging out with her Martini Club buddies. There is also a smattering of chapters from Diana, who has been on the run ever since a botched assignment she and Maggie had back in Malta 16yrs ago.
The character development for Maggie and Diana was pretty good, but the characterization for most of the other ensemble characters were pretty thin. However, I believe that later installments will probably provide further character development for Jo and the rest of the Martini Club. The pacing is steady and the story really interesting, which is kind of surprising because I’m not a huge fan of international espionage spy stories. The writing was also well done, which is not surprising coming from Gerritsen. I like Tess Gerritsen; she’s a good writer and storyteller. This is the sixth book of hers that I have read and it won’t be the last. I’m looking at an overall rating of 4.1 that I will be rounding down to a 4star review.
The book summary basically lays out the beginning of the story of Maggie finding a dead body in her driveway of her chicken farm. Purity is a podunk town in Maine that is a tourist town in the summer and pretty deserted in the winter. It’s also where Maggie and her retired buddies are all hiding out from “something” or “someone”. Under their perfect aliases and top-level cover stories, they spend their days taking care of their farms, shooting the $#*^ in the local coffee shop and running a book club where they can drink their top shelf martinis and 30yr whiskey and show off their international cuisine cooking skills. What the book summary doesn’t say is that a woman named, Diana, a former collegue of Maggie’s, who was hiding out in Paris, is now on the run after killing two assassins who came after her. None of this is a spoiler since it’s how the story started.
The story mostly flips back and forth between Maggie’s present and past (going back 24yrs to present). There are also some chapters from Jo, a Purity native as well as the Acting Sheriff (the Sheriff died in the line of duty not too long ago). Jo is a bit of a loner as well as a bad@$$ in training, which means she has a reputation for not taking crap from a lot of people. She also isn’t falling for the boatload of lies Maggie is giving her for the dead body that was discovered in her driveway, while she was hanging out with her Martini Club buddies. There is also a smattering of chapters from Diana, who has been on the run ever since a botched assignment she and Maggie had back in Malta 16yrs ago.
The character development for Maggie and Diana was pretty good, but the characterization for most of the other ensemble characters were pretty thin. However, I believe that later installments will probably provide further character development for Jo and the rest of the Martini Club. The pacing is steady and the story really interesting, which is kind of surprising because I’m not a huge fan of international espionage spy stories. The writing was also well done, which is not surprising coming from Gerritsen. I like Tess Gerritsen; she’s a good writer and storyteller. This is the sixth book of hers that I have read and it won’t be the last. I’m looking at an overall rating of 4.1 that I will be rounding down to a 4star review.
October 9, 2025
the setup…
Where do spies go when they decide to retire? Apparently to Purity, Maine. Maggie Bird is a former CIA operative now running a chicken farm there, joining a group of former colleagues who like the peace and solitude. They meet regularly for book club and martinis. But that life is disrupted when Maggie receives a visit from a stranger looking for Diana Ward, the woman who ruined her life and career. That visitor later ends up dead in her driveway, signaling to Maggie that her last mission was compromised. The “Martini Club” quickly goes into action, resurrecting old skills to figure out who’s after Maggie and Diana, and managing to keep the acting police chief, Jo Thibodeau at bay.
the heart of the story…
This isn’t your typical spy story or retirees. Maggie tells her story, beginning twenty four years ago in Bangkok to eight years later in London and then two years later in Malta when her career and life were ruined by a mission gone wrong. Someone is looking for retribution and she, with help from her retired friends, needs to find out who and why now. They are a fascinating group and clearly they’ve not lost anything in retirement.
the narration…
Hillary Huber and Brittany Pressley are two of my most favorite narrators and they both delivered excellent performances, Huber as Maggie and Pressley as Jo. I loved their storytelling and voice distinctions.
the bottom line…
I wasn’t sure what kind of spy thriller this would be with this makeshift Martini Club but it far exceed any of my expectations. The slow reveal of Maggie’s past was expertly crafted and the transitions were skillfully placed and time. I couldn’t put this down and the excitement went down to the wire. Thank goodness this is a series because I need more from these “retired” spooks.
(Thanks to Brilliance Audio for my complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.)
Where do spies go when they decide to retire? Apparently to Purity, Maine. Maggie Bird is a former CIA operative now running a chicken farm there, joining a group of former colleagues who like the peace and solitude. They meet regularly for book club and martinis. But that life is disrupted when Maggie receives a visit from a stranger looking for Diana Ward, the woman who ruined her life and career. That visitor later ends up dead in her driveway, signaling to Maggie that her last mission was compromised. The “Martini Club” quickly goes into action, resurrecting old skills to figure out who’s after Maggie and Diana, and managing to keep the acting police chief, Jo Thibodeau at bay.
the heart of the story…
This isn’t your typical spy story or retirees. Maggie tells her story, beginning twenty four years ago in Bangkok to eight years later in London and then two years later in Malta when her career and life were ruined by a mission gone wrong. Someone is looking for retribution and she, with help from her retired friends, needs to find out who and why now. They are a fascinating group and clearly they’ve not lost anything in retirement.
the narration…
Hillary Huber and Brittany Pressley are two of my most favorite narrators and they both delivered excellent performances, Huber as Maggie and Pressley as Jo. I loved their storytelling and voice distinctions.
the bottom line…
I wasn’t sure what kind of spy thriller this would be with this makeshift Martini Club but it far exceed any of my expectations. The slow reveal of Maggie’s past was expertly crafted and the transitions were skillfully placed and time. I couldn’t put this down and the excitement went down to the wire. Thank goodness this is a series because I need more from these “retired” spooks.
(Thanks to Brilliance Audio for my complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.)
December 19, 2023
4.5⭐This story is sure to surprise you. I have apparently been living under a rock because this is my first Tess Gerritsen book, and I am hooked. A gripping psychological thriller with compelling characters that captivated me from the very first page.
The story follows the life of Maggie Bird, a former spy who now resides in the seaside village of Purity, Maine. After a mission that went tragically wrong, she moved to Purity with the hope of leaving her past behind. Maggie now lives a quiet life on her chicken farm, but she still fears the repercussions of her past actions. But when a body turns up in Maggie’s driveway, she knows it’s a message from former foes who haven’t forgotten her. The acting police chief of Purity, Jo Thibodeau, is puzzled by Maggie's reluctance to share information with her. Jo is more accustomed to dealing with rowdy tourists than homicide and finds it difficult to understand Maggie's odd circle of friends, who always seem to be a step ahead of her.
The author skillfully portrays the relationships between characters in a realistic manner, which adds emotional depth to the reading experience. Additionally, the pacing of the novel is well-balanced. Gerritsen expertly blends action-packed scenes with quieter moments of character development, allowing readers to take a break while eagerly anticipating the next plot twist.
I adored Maggie and her retired spy crew, who were eager to utilize their useful skills once again. I wish I had a crew like that.
The book is a must-read for anyone who loves winter thrillers. The only criticism is that the repetitive dialogue about the characters' age, specifically their grey hair, is mentioned too frequently.
This was soooo good and I looking forward to reading the rest of the series.
Content: closed-door/language
"I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own."
The story follows the life of Maggie Bird, a former spy who now resides in the seaside village of Purity, Maine. After a mission that went tragically wrong, she moved to Purity with the hope of leaving her past behind. Maggie now lives a quiet life on her chicken farm, but she still fears the repercussions of her past actions. But when a body turns up in Maggie’s driveway, she knows it’s a message from former foes who haven’t forgotten her. The acting police chief of Purity, Jo Thibodeau, is puzzled by Maggie's reluctance to share information with her. Jo is more accustomed to dealing with rowdy tourists than homicide and finds it difficult to understand Maggie's odd circle of friends, who always seem to be a step ahead of her.
The author skillfully portrays the relationships between characters in a realistic manner, which adds emotional depth to the reading experience. Additionally, the pacing of the novel is well-balanced. Gerritsen expertly blends action-packed scenes with quieter moments of character development, allowing readers to take a break while eagerly anticipating the next plot twist.
I adored Maggie and her retired spy crew, who were eager to utilize their useful skills once again. I wish I had a crew like that.
The book is a must-read for anyone who loves winter thrillers. The only criticism is that the repetitive dialogue about the characters' age, specifically their grey hair, is mentioned too frequently.
This was soooo good and I looking forward to reading the rest of the series.
Content: closed-door/language
"I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own."
October 15, 2024
I really enjoyed this book! So nice to have older protagonists solving a mystery. The protagonist is a retired CIA agent and an old op comes back to haunt her. Lots of twists and I didn’t guess the ending!
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