What do you think?
Madison McGuire #1
Club Twelve
At last. The gripping espionage novel you've waited for. Brimming with authentic detail and far-flung locales and non-stop action...
The year is 1978. Madison McGuire, deep-cover agent for the National Operations Intelligence Service and a legend amid the intelligence community, has been called in from the field. Her lover is dead, gunned down on a London street, and Madison, paralyzed with grief, understands too well that she was the intended target.
Andrew McFaye, director of the NOIS, is Madison's mentor and friend. He and the CIA director convince the Secretary of State that Madison must return to the field to identify the multi-national group of terrorists known as Club Twelve. Amid that lethal group is a highly placed American, and the daughter of that American is lesbian Terry Woodall, Madison's next contact..
In pursuit of Club Twelve through the capitals of Europe, Madison is suddenly caught in a scheme designed to badly damage America. With the stakes raised to entirely new levels, pursued by agents of her own country, Madison calls on old allies - and new lover Terry - to extricate herself and her country from an insidious plot.
Edited by Katherine V. Forrest
The year is 1978. Madison McGuire, deep-cover agent for the National Operations Intelligence Service and a legend amid the intelligence community, has been called in from the field. Her lover is dead, gunned down on a London street, and Madison, paralyzed with grief, understands too well that she was the intended target.
Andrew McFaye, director of the NOIS, is Madison's mentor and friend. He and the CIA director convince the Secretary of State that Madison must return to the field to identify the multi-national group of terrorists known as Club Twelve. Amid that lethal group is a highly placed American, and the daughter of that American is lesbian Terry Woodall, Madison's next contact..
In pursuit of Club Twelve through the capitals of Europe, Madison is suddenly caught in a scheme designed to badly damage America. With the stakes raised to entirely new levels, pursued by agents of her own country, Madison calls on old allies - and new lover Terry - to extricate herself and her country from an insidious plot.
Edited by Katherine V. Forrest
267 pages, Paperback
First published July 1, 1990
About the author
Amanda Kyle Williams
15 books357 followersAmanda Kyle Williams was an American crime writer best known for her Keye Street series that are psychologically complex thrillers. In 2013 The Stranger You Seek was shortlisted for the Private Eye Writers of America's Shamus Award. She also wrote the Madison McGuire series.
Williams spent her childhood between Colorado and Georgia. She began her writing career as a freelance writer for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. When she decided to experiment with writing crime fiction, she studied criminology to establish background knowledge, and worked with a private investigator firm in Atlanta.
Williams was diagnosed with endometrial cancer in February 2014. She died on August 31, 2018, in Decatur, Georgia.
Williams spent her childhood between Colorado and Georgia. She began her writing career as a freelance writer for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. When she decided to experiment with writing crime fiction, she studied criminology to establish background knowledge, and worked with a private investigator firm in Atlanta.
Williams was diagnosed with endometrial cancer in February 2014. She died on August 31, 2018, in Decatur, Georgia.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
August 26, 2016
I do not recall exactly how I ended up on this series, but it looked interesting and, despite there being no digital version of the books, decided to order all of the series despite there being very little information about each individual book.
The Setting and Time Period
First off, this book was published in 1990, but set in the late 1970s (1978) during the presidential term of President Boone (no those with weak memories, the president during that time period was Carter, Boone is a fictional president).
The book moves around both the US and Europe. Spending some time in Colorado (Vail), Massachusetts (Boston, Cambridge), Virginia (Langley, Camp . . . I'm going to say 'Perry' - the training base for operatives), Washington DC, North Carolina; England (London), Liechtenstein, Germany, and Switzerland.
The Players
This is one of those books that jump around from various points of view. There is one main one though - that being Madison McGuire - a long time undercover agent for the NIOS - an offshoot of the CIA.
Madison McGuire
It is difficult, at times, to write something for a physical book. I cannot now quickly locate certain things. Like I am unsure if her actual age is in the 30s or 40s region. Though I do know she is a long time operative for the NOIS. Her father was a London CIA station chief who was murdered (though not in London; and a year before the book started, Madison's long time girlfriend was murdered (this time in London). Madison's girlfriend was killed because she was wearing Madison's raincoat and getting into Madison's car - they thought they were killing Madison (code-named Scorpion).
Terry Woodall
Woodall is a student at a college in Cambridge, and - important to the CIA/NOIS/US Intelligence - she is the daughter of a man who runs the Woodall corporation. They, the NOIS, desire to recruit Terry to go undercover against her own father - though specifically because they suspect that her step-brother is evil (I was going to put what they suspected, realized that would be spoiler-y, then went with 'evil'). As someone about to graduate college, I'd put her as being somewhere in her 20s (I believe it might be a graduate program, so that would raise her age a tiny bit - so that it would be less like someone nearish 40 dating someone nearish 18 - last book I read had someone who was a father of a young woman - the man was 16 when the kid was born, and the kid is now somewhere around 22 - so 22 & 38; she's early 20s).
Right, sorry, jumped the gun there. 1) Terry is a lesbian. 2) Madison is a lesbian (though only the director of the NOIS, Andrew McFaye (who is something like Madison's surrogate father) knows that Madison is a lesbian - otherwise she would be kicked out of the organization for being an 'evil disgusting homo'). Madison followed Terry to Vail to 'recruit' her. Specifically followed her into a gay bar. She wasn't specifically supposed to recruit her through sex; though things happen (no they did not have sex in Vail - just a start of a romance).
Do not be fooled by the book description (though I think the book description is now different from what I'd seen) - the book is not actually specifically about Terry working undercover. Though that is a tiny part of it.
The Spy Chiefs
Various agency heads have their own moments of telling things, specifically the head of NOIS, and the (deputy?) head of the CIA.
The Club of 12, or Club 12
Some of the 'stuff' that happens in the book is in the view of the Club 12 people.
The Helpers
Over the course of the book, Madison comes into contact with people who help her (either agency people, or old friends).
The Plot
The book opens with a man being killed - the prologue. He had a lengthy report on the Club 12 organization, though he did not know all of the top people. He was killed before he could turn over the report, but the US intelligence community already knew of Club 12 (though not the members).
The intelligence community seeks and tentatively gets authorization to investigate Club 12 – specifically because one of the few Club 12 members they think they know is located in the USA. And the CIA and the like are not supposed to operate in the USA.
They tap one ‘Madison McGuire’ to work on the case. She had been one of the best field operatives in the organization before the incident that had occurred in London a year ago. Since then she has worked on the desk. This will be her first case out in the field in a year. I keep saying the same thing over and over, eh?
Madison goes about recruiting someone to investigate the Woodall corporation. Becomes romantically entangled. Follows the suspected Club 12 member to Europe. Hops around Europe.
Things unfold badly.
Lesbian? Romance?
As mentioned – both Madison and Terry are lesbians. No kicking around the idea, they are in fact out and out lesbians. And there is a bit of romance between the two that occurs in the book – though, except for moments here and there (which includes bits of sex), the book is more of a long distance romance.
Overall
An enjoyable book - I liked it.
Note – it might be noticed that I have been somewhat ‘slow reading’ this book. It’s a physical book. Those take longer to read. Since I can’t pull it out at any moment to read (like with a digital book), but have to wait for special moments.
The Setting and Time Period
First off, this book was published in 1990, but set in the late 1970s (1978) during the presidential term of President Boone (no those with weak memories, the president during that time period was Carter, Boone is a fictional president).
The book moves around both the US and Europe. Spending some time in Colorado (Vail), Massachusetts (Boston, Cambridge), Virginia (Langley, Camp . . . I'm going to say 'Perry' - the training base for operatives), Washington DC, North Carolina; England (London), Liechtenstein, Germany, and Switzerland.
The Players
This is one of those books that jump around from various points of view. There is one main one though - that being Madison McGuire - a long time undercover agent for the NIOS - an offshoot of the CIA.
Madison McGuire
It is difficult, at times, to write something for a physical book. I cannot now quickly locate certain things. Like I am unsure if her actual age is in the 30s or 40s region. Though I do know she is a long time operative for the NOIS. Her father was a London CIA station chief who was murdered (though not in London; and a year before the book started, Madison's long time girlfriend was murdered (this time in London). Madison's girlfriend was killed because she was wearing Madison's raincoat and getting into Madison's car - they thought they were killing Madison (code-named Scorpion).
Terry Woodall
Woodall is a student at a college in Cambridge, and - important to the CIA/NOIS/US Intelligence - she is the daughter of a man who runs the Woodall corporation. They, the NOIS, desire to recruit Terry to go undercover against her own father - though specifically because they suspect that her step-brother is evil (I was going to put what they suspected, realized that would be spoiler-y, then went with 'evil'). As someone about to graduate college, I'd put her as being somewhere in her 20s (
Right, sorry, jumped the gun there. 1) Terry is a lesbian. 2) Madison is a lesbian (though only the director of the NOIS, Andrew McFaye (who is something like Madison's surrogate father) knows that Madison is a lesbian - otherwise she would be kicked out of the organization for being an 'evil disgusting homo'). Madison followed Terry to Vail to 'recruit' her. Specifically followed her into a gay bar. She wasn't specifically supposed to recruit her through sex; though things happen (no they did not have sex in Vail - just a start of a romance).
Do not be fooled by the book description (though I think the book description is now different from what I'd seen) - the book is not actually specifically about Terry working undercover. Though that is a tiny part of it.
The Spy Chiefs
Various agency heads have their own moments of telling things, specifically the head of NOIS, and the (deputy?) head of the CIA.
The Club of 12, or Club 12
Some of the 'stuff' that happens in the book is in the view of the Club 12 people.
The Helpers
Over the course of the book, Madison comes into contact with people who help her (either agency people, or old friends).
The Plot
The book opens with a man being killed - the prologue. He had a lengthy report on the Club 12 organization, though he did not know all of the top people. He was killed before he could turn over the report, but the US intelligence community already knew of Club 12 (though not the members).
The intelligence community seeks and tentatively gets authorization to investigate Club 12 – specifically because one of the few Club 12 members they think they know is located in the USA. And the CIA and the like are not supposed to operate in the USA.
They tap one ‘Madison McGuire’ to work on the case. She had been one of the best field operatives in the organization before the incident that had occurred in London a year ago. Since then she has worked on the desk. This will be her first case out in the field in a year. I keep saying the same thing over and over, eh?
Madison goes about recruiting someone to investigate the Woodall corporation. Becomes romantically entangled. Follows the suspected Club 12 member to Europe. Hops around Europe.
Things unfold badly.
Lesbian? Romance?
As mentioned – both Madison and Terry are lesbians. No kicking around the idea, they are in fact out and out lesbians. And there is a bit of romance between the two that occurs in the book – though, except for moments here and there (which includes bits of sex), the book is more of a long distance romance.
Overall
An enjoyable book - I liked it.
Note – it might be noticed that I have been somewhat ‘slow reading’ this book. It’s a physical book. Those take longer to read. Since I can’t pull it out at any moment to read (like with a digital book), but have to wait for special moments.
August 14, 2010
This is an Espionage Story-Club 12 was tracked through the Capitals of Europe
Madison McGuire, deep cover Agent for NOIS, was alive, BUT her Lover was gunned down in place of her.
This is the story of how Madison tracked this Group of Terrorists down.
Madison McGuire, deep cover Agent for NOIS, was alive, BUT her Lover was gunned down in place of her.
This is the story of how Madison tracked this Group of Terrorists down.
December 3, 2018
Oh, my... I can not confirm or deny... Amanda was obviously a good researcher. RIP Amanda Kyle Williams.
February 4, 2019
So glad I ordered these books and started them finally. Good characters. Looking forward to the next story.
March 13, 2017
I picked up a haul of old Naiad press books in Palm Springs, including 3/4 of this series. An easy, and engaging read, especially for its genre and age.
September 21, 2012
Pretty engrossing thriller and the protag is satisfactorily complex. The writing is just okay, for the most part; a little dry. A little over half way thru, I was figuring this was going to be a 3-star book, at best, but things become more and more suspenseful as we near the climax, and that's why I added the 4th star.
Couple of minor annoyances: First, the use of characters' full names throughout. I assume the reason for this is the constantly shifting POV, but it's really unnecessary and irritating. Give the reader enough credit that they'll know that, when you say "Madison," you mean Madison Maguire. Also, and, yeah, Brit, I get it, but, after a while, all the "my dears" and "old boys" got really, really old.
Couple of minor annoyances: First, the use of characters' full names throughout. I assume the reason for this is the constantly shifting POV, but it's really unnecessary and irritating. Give the reader enough credit that they'll know that, when you say "Madison," you mean Madison Maguire. Also, and, yeah, Brit, I get it, but, after a while, all the "my dears" and "old boys" got really, really old.
April 9, 2016
First in a series of four books featuring spy Madison McGuire. Madison is a spy with the NOIS division of the CIA and has been for the past eighteen years. She is assigned to recruit Terry, a young woman whose brother is suspected to be involved in an organization called Club Twelve that hold power internationally and manipulates politics throughout the world. Madison is assigned to investigate Club Twelve and has to resort to strong tactics when she is framed for murdering two key officials. Nicely suspenseful with a lesbian protagonist to boot
August 24, 2012
Pretty good.
October 20, 2012
This is a fun series - I'd read it years ago and forgot enough of it that it was fun to read all over again.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews