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Masquerade
When you gaze into the mirror--and find a stranger looking back? Liz Sansborough has no recollection of her past as a CIA agent; no idea what her future holds. For her, there is only the present...and the chilling knowledge that the world's most lethal assassin has set his sights on her.
When your only link to your identity is a stranger who claim to be lover? Gordon is so gentle, so loving--and so secretive. If Liz dares to put her life into his powerful hands, will he guard it with his own--or snuff it out?
When violence explodes around you, when nothing makes sense, when nobody--including you--is whom he or she appears to be? As Liz unravels a series of lies, she begins to suspect that the truth she encounters might be far more sinister--and deadly--than the original deception...
When your only link to your identity is a stranger who claim to be lover? Gordon is so gentle, so loving--and so secretive. If Liz dares to put her life into his powerful hands, will he guard it with his own--or snuff it out?
When violence explodes around you, when nothing makes sense, when nobody--including you--is whom he or she appears to be? As Liz unravels a series of lies, she begins to suspect that the truth she encounters might be far more sinister--and deadly--than the original deception...
480 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 1996
106 people are currently reading
821 people want to read
About the author
Gayle Lynds
74 books235 followersNew York Times bestseller Gayle Lynds is the award-winning author of ten international espionage novels. Library Journal calls her “the reigning queen of espionage fiction.” The London Observer says she’s a “kick-ass thriller writer.” Lee Child calls her “today’s best espionage writer.”
Born in Omaha, NE, and raised in Council Bluffs, IA, Gayle graduated from the University of Iowa with a degree in journalism. While there, she often sneaked into classes and readings at the renowned Iowa Writers’ Workshop. She was blessed by remarkable teachers — among them were John Irving in rhetoric and Kurt Vonnegut in a literature class. For her, the university was a lively petri dish of books, writing, and adventure.
Gayle officially began her writing career as a reporter for The Arizona Republic, where a series of her investigative pieces made such an impact that they led to changes in state legislation. Later she took a job as an editor with rare Top Secret security clearance at a private think tank that did government work. Assorted shadowy figures passed through, and not only ideas but engineers and artists seemed to bounce off the walls. She was inspired. She wanted to write about what she was seeing and experiencing.
Expressing her love of mainstream literature, she wrote short stories that were published in literary journals. Simultaneously, she wrote male pulp novels in the Nick Carter series. Soon the two forms began to jell in her mind. The first novel under her own name, Gayle Lynds, was Masquerade, a New York Times bestseller that Publishers Weekly later listed as one of the top ten spy novels of all time.
Others of her novels have been prize winners. The Last Spymaster won Best Novel from both the American Authors Association and the Military Writers Society of America. The Book of Spies was a finalist for both the Nero and Audie awards. The Coil won Best Contemporary Novel from Affaire de Coeur. Mosaic was RT Thriller of the Year. Mesmerized was a Daphne du Maurier Award finalist. With Robert Ludlum, she created the Covert-One series, one of which, The Hades Factor, was a CBS miniseries.
Gayle’s previous husband was Dennis Lynds, an award-winning detective novelist who died in 2005. They had lived several decades in Santa Barbara, CA, where they raised their children. In 2011, a new stage of her life began when she married John C. Sheldon, a long-time resident of Maine. A retired judge, John is a former prosecutor and defense attorney and Visiting Scholar to Harvard Law School. Today they live on fourteen acres of oaks, maples, hemlocks, and white pine outside Portland. A voracious reader, John had never written fiction when they met. Now they have collaborated on three short stories.
Gayle is a member of the Association for Intelligence Operatives and cofounder (with David Morrell) and former copresident of International Thriller Writers, Inc. ITW’s annual celebration is ThrillerFest, held every July in New York City.
Born in Omaha, NE, and raised in Council Bluffs, IA, Gayle graduated from the University of Iowa with a degree in journalism. While there, she often sneaked into classes and readings at the renowned Iowa Writers’ Workshop. She was blessed by remarkable teachers — among them were John Irving in rhetoric and Kurt Vonnegut in a literature class. For her, the university was a lively petri dish of books, writing, and adventure.
Gayle officially began her writing career as a reporter for The Arizona Republic, where a series of her investigative pieces made such an impact that they led to changes in state legislation. Later she took a job as an editor with rare Top Secret security clearance at a private think tank that did government work. Assorted shadowy figures passed through, and not only ideas but engineers and artists seemed to bounce off the walls. She was inspired. She wanted to write about what she was seeing and experiencing.
Expressing her love of mainstream literature, she wrote short stories that were published in literary journals. Simultaneously, she wrote male pulp novels in the Nick Carter series. Soon the two forms began to jell in her mind. The first novel under her own name, Gayle Lynds, was Masquerade, a New York Times bestseller that Publishers Weekly later listed as one of the top ten spy novels of all time.
Others of her novels have been prize winners. The Last Spymaster won Best Novel from both the American Authors Association and the Military Writers Society of America. The Book of Spies was a finalist for both the Nero and Audie awards. The Coil won Best Contemporary Novel from Affaire de Coeur. Mosaic was RT Thriller of the Year. Mesmerized was a Daphne du Maurier Award finalist. With Robert Ludlum, she created the Covert-One series, one of which, The Hades Factor, was a CBS miniseries.
Gayle’s previous husband was Dennis Lynds, an award-winning detective novelist who died in 2005. They had lived several decades in Santa Barbara, CA, where they raised their children. In 2011, a new stage of her life began when she married John C. Sheldon, a long-time resident of Maine. A retired judge, John is a former prosecutor and defense attorney and Visiting Scholar to Harvard Law School. Today they live on fourteen acres of oaks, maples, hemlocks, and white pine outside Portland. A voracious reader, John had never written fiction when they met. Now they have collaborated on three short stories.
Gayle is a member of the Association for Intelligence Operatives and cofounder (with David Morrell) and former copresident of International Thriller Writers, Inc. ITW’s annual celebration is ThrillerFest, held every July in New York City.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 63 reviews
January 11, 2015
Another Fast Action Book!
The author is known as the Queen of Spy Thrillers, and indeed she is. After reading ‘The Book of Spies’ my first book by Gayle Lynds I was eager to read another. Masquerade was difficult to find but locating a copy is well worth the effort. It is fast action with never a dull moment throughout the entire book. The characters are exceptionally strong along with a suspenseful story line. An engrossing book and highly recommended.
The author is known as the Queen of Spy Thrillers, and indeed she is. After reading ‘The Book of Spies’ my first book by Gayle Lynds I was eager to read another. Masquerade was difficult to find but locating a copy is well worth the effort. It is fast action with never a dull moment throughout the entire book. The characters are exceptionally strong along with a suspenseful story line. An engrossing book and highly recommended.
December 22, 2008
LJ user cafiorello had mentioned in a comment on my post about The Ambler Warning that she preferred Gayle Lynds' writing over Robert Ludlum's, so I decided to check out one of her novels. My selection was Masquerade, her first. Pico-summary: Agent Liz Sanborough can't remember her past (what is it with federal agents losing their memories in thriller novels, anyway? ;) ), and doesn't know who to trust--including the seemingly loving Gordon--as she tries to figure out what's happened to her. You have your multi-national jaunts, your agents playing multiple sides of the game, your double and triple crosses, your obligatory plot to ruin the world and make a truckload of money out of it--all the things you'll expect out of a thriller.
I give this book points for a suitably convoluted and suspenseful plot, but I have to admit that Lynds' style of writing didn't quite sit well with me. I found it too clunky at any number of points all throughout the book, particularly in describing the aforementioned Gordon, and in the love scenes later on in the book as well. The love scenes, especially, fell completely and utterly flat for me, which is not a good thing at all to have happen in a thriller. Oh well.
Anybody wants to recommend a specific later book of hers as being better than this one, I'll give Lynds another shot. Otherwise I shall have to pass on any other works of hers. Two and a half stars, since I did like the complicated plot.
I give this book points for a suitably convoluted and suspenseful plot, but I have to admit that Lynds' style of writing didn't quite sit well with me. I found it too clunky at any number of points all throughout the book, particularly in describing the aforementioned Gordon, and in the love scenes later on in the book as well. The love scenes, especially, fell completely and utterly flat for me, which is not a good thing at all to have happen in a thriller. Oh well.
Anybody wants to recommend a specific later book of hers as being better than this one, I'll give Lynds another shot. Otherwise I shall have to pass on any other works of hers. Two and a half stars, since I did like the complicated plot.
January 14, 2010
In a nut shell, I would say that if you are at one of those camp grounds that has a lending library and you are without a really good book, this book is finishable.
In it's honor the last 1/3 was pretty good and did keep me coming back to the end. If a book is all out horrible I quickly move on to something better. However the good part was working to wrap up and make sense out of the first 2/3 of the book.
For me a book revolves around the characters and the plot. While the book did start off as promising, the characters seemed too random as the story tried to include them all for the big reveal at the end. To me it seemed as though the book was written with the end in mind and then the characters were worked in through out the book so they could be used later. As the anxillary characters pop up in the book, it's not very clear as to why you would even care about these people and then they get dragged into the whole conspiracy at the end.
The plot has an interesting premise, but was not fully executed in a way that builds much suspense or great intrigue. Scenes seemed a bit pat and already done and lead me to understand much of it in the first half. However, it was an easy read and I was curious to see exactly how it would work out. Although I was hoping for a surprise ending (which I didn't get) it wasn't the worst book I have ever read.
In it's honor the last 1/3 was pretty good and did keep me coming back to the end. If a book is all out horrible I quickly move on to something better. However the good part was working to wrap up and make sense out of the first 2/3 of the book.
For me a book revolves around the characters and the plot. While the book did start off as promising, the characters seemed too random as the story tried to include them all for the big reveal at the end. To me it seemed as though the book was written with the end in mind and then the characters were worked in through out the book so they could be used later. As the anxillary characters pop up in the book, it's not very clear as to why you would even care about these people and then they get dragged into the whole conspiracy at the end.
The plot has an interesting premise, but was not fully executed in a way that builds much suspense or great intrigue. Scenes seemed a bit pat and already done and lead me to understand much of it in the first half. However, it was an easy read and I was curious to see exactly how it would work out. Although I was hoping for a surprise ending (which I didn't get) it wasn't the worst book I have ever read.
Read
July 5, 2016I'm not going to rate this one, because I couldn't make myself finish it. It seemed like every new chapter introduced a new sub plot. I was confused and had to make myself pick it up once a day. Then I'd read a chapter and immediately put it down. I'm sure everything all came together, but it just wasn't grabbing me.
did-not-finish
November 12, 2017I have chosen not to finish this book - the only reason I was reading it was because I own it and I am trying to get through all of my owned books that I haven't read yet. It's just not that good. I have read in some other reviews that it picks up at the end, but it's pretty long and there are too many other books to read to spend the time getting to the good part.
March 10, 2009
MASQUERADE (Susp-Liz Sansborough-Intl-cont) - DNF
Lynds, Gayle - Standalone
From Fantastic Fiction: Dazed and confused, Liz Sansborough awakens one morning to find herself in a house full of furniture she doesn't recognize, attended by a handsome young man she doesn't know, unaware even of her own name. At that moment, she is about to embark on a perilous and mind-bending journey, both actual and psychological, into a world of international terrorism, corrupt secret agents, and potent mind-altering drugs. Now that communism has fallen, the enemy may be much closer to home - and much more difficult to find. Masquerade moves at headlong speed through a terrifying underworld that encompasses the posh beach communities of California, a highly secret CIA training camp, the netherworld of Washington superspies, and the dangerous backstreets of Paris. Leading the chase - both hunter and hunted - is Liz Sansborough herself. She may be a trained government agent gone bad - or an innocent victim and dupe. In a world of distorting mirrors, it's almost impossible to see the truth.
I so could not get into this. I just kept thinking I mush have better books to read...so I went on to read one.
Lynds, Gayle - Standalone
From Fantastic Fiction: Dazed and confused, Liz Sansborough awakens one morning to find herself in a house full of furniture she doesn't recognize, attended by a handsome young man she doesn't know, unaware even of her own name. At that moment, she is about to embark on a perilous and mind-bending journey, both actual and psychological, into a world of international terrorism, corrupt secret agents, and potent mind-altering drugs. Now that communism has fallen, the enemy may be much closer to home - and much more difficult to find. Masquerade moves at headlong speed through a terrifying underworld that encompasses the posh beach communities of California, a highly secret CIA training camp, the netherworld of Washington superspies, and the dangerous backstreets of Paris. Leading the chase - both hunter and hunted - is Liz Sansborough herself. She may be a trained government agent gone bad - or an innocent victim and dupe. In a world of distorting mirrors, it's almost impossible to see the truth.
I so could not get into this. I just kept thinking I mush have better books to read...so I went on to read one.
October 7, 2018
This year I decided to read fiction from female authors. After finishing my previous book I hankered for an action espionage book, a genre that I liked. (I especially liked the Bourne trilogy). I searched but it was difficult to find a book by a female author. I started 3 different ones and gave up soon after. Finally I saw the "100 Must Reads" list by Thriller Writers. Besides Helen MacInnes, Gayle Lynds is the only other female author. So I persevered until the end of this book.
This book lives up to the genre. Lots of action and a twisted plot. But it was written in 1996. It reminds me of Ludlum. But sadly, I think I have outgrown this genre.
I read once that an attractive hanging pot should have a thriller, spillers, and fillers. This book has a thrill, spilled too many plot twists too early, and had more fillers than I care for (how many times is this woman going to be captured?)
This book lives up to the genre. Lots of action and a twisted plot. But it was written in 1996. It reminds me of Ludlum. But sadly, I think I have outgrown this genre.
I read once that an attractive hanging pot should have a thriller, spillers, and fillers. This book has a thrill, spilled too many plot twists too early, and had more fillers than I care for (how many times is this woman going to be captured?)
February 19, 2020
Love the building of suspense and the thrill of waiting, who gets killed who gets to escape murder. The twists get more intense towards the end. Who's Carnivore. Who's going to shot the psycho Gordon. How will Brenmer pay. Asher is to me an interesting character, yet quite not macho enough for Sarah Parker.
June 30, 2017
Not a book I would normally pick up. But I really liked the Jason Bourne feel. I could totally see this as a blockbuster with Scarlet Johansen running around Paris knocking people out and blowing things up. This was a nice quick read.
August 4, 2024
convuluted story...
Sarah Walker / ( Liz Sansborough) - reporter... enhanced face surgery (just a bit different - for a news story)... but she is in and out of it... and when she finally wakes up, she is has amnesia, and a man representing himself as her live in boyfriend of 3 years is there to help her out... ultimately, she is required to take a pill each day. She is told she is a CIA agent, there is a hit on her by her last case, where she saw the face of the Carnivore - and that they are going to train her for a mission to stop the Carnivore. the real Liz is CIA, but disappeared 3 years ago - when she found out her parents are The Carnivore... and she is helping him negotiate a deal for immunity and safety in trade for his secrets.
Asher - CIA - a bit of a rule breaker, and assigned to supervise the training center where Sarah was taken... he ends up helping her out ... and they fall in love... and they are an unstoppable team...
The Carnivore - assassin since WWII... no one has seen his face (his wife also an assassin). Liz Sansborough is their daughter. They are good parents, good people - except he does have an itch to kill and figures he might as well get paid for it...
But there is a high up CIA agent who has a dastardly plan with international repercussions and his getting a lot of money... and hence the Sarah to be brainwashed into Liz...
throw in a reporter, a CIA agent who is newly in love and tired of the grey lines crossed, and the desire to come clean... and ...
all comes right in the end : )
Sarah Walker / ( Liz Sansborough) - reporter... enhanced face surgery (just a bit different - for a news story)... but she is in and out of it... and when she finally wakes up, she is has amnesia, and a man representing himself as her live in boyfriend of 3 years is there to help her out... ultimately, she is required to take a pill each day. She is told she is a CIA agent, there is a hit on her by her last case, where she saw the face of the Carnivore - and that they are going to train her for a mission to stop the Carnivore. the real Liz is CIA, but disappeared 3 years ago - when she found out her parents are The Carnivore... and she is helping him negotiate a deal for immunity and safety in trade for his secrets.
Asher - CIA - a bit of a rule breaker, and assigned to supervise the training center where Sarah was taken... he ends up helping her out ... and they fall in love... and they are an unstoppable team...
The Carnivore - assassin since WWII... no one has seen his face (his wife also an assassin). Liz Sansborough is their daughter. They are good parents, good people - except he does have an itch to kill and figures he might as well get paid for it...
But there is a high up CIA agent who has a dastardly plan with international repercussions and his getting a lot of money... and hence the Sarah to be brainwashed into Liz...
throw in a reporter, a CIA agent who is newly in love and tired of the grey lines crossed, and the desire to come clean... and ...
all comes right in the end : )
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 14, 2024
This was exciting at first but it got to be too u believable by the end. (The last scene especially.)
July 12, 2024
Kept me wanting to read further.
Looking forward to another Gayle Lynds book.
Looking forward to another Gayle Lynds book.
September 29, 2024
Fast-paced spy thriller, but so many twists and turns — especially towards the end — began to get ridiculously complicated.
August 24, 2022
eponymous sentence:
p38: "Gentlemen," he said, "Masquerade will soon enter its final phase."
spelling:
p70: Maynard had a plain manilla envelope tucked under his arm.
p70: When Clare Edward arrived at State, the ordinary manilla envelope under his arm, he hurried into his private office without giving more than a glance to the man with a stiff face and roaming eyes who was talking to his redheaded secretary.
p72: He'd reported the undersecretary's hurried arrival at his office with the manilla envelope, and the transcript of the phone call had confirmed its significance.
p78: It all added up: Maynard's breakfast with the undersecretary, the demand for immunity, and the manilla envelope that had excited the undersecretary so much.
p79: He carried Lucas Maynard's manilla envelope safely locked in his briefcase.
p81: Bremner pulled out Lucas Maynard's manilla envelope and opened it.
p103: Surely Clare would have left the manilla envelope with the numbered accounts locked in his safe at State.
p104: Bremner had the manilla envelope that contained the Sterling-O'Keefe paper trail.
ocr:
p90: There'd been a rain this week, and here, where the earth was protected by the duff, the dirt was still mud.
grammar:
p129: That gave the Americans a few days to resolve whatever bureaucratic entanglements a speeded-up schedule created.
Not my usual espionage fare--I'm still on the fence. There's something I couldn't quite put my finger on.
p38: "Gentlemen," he said, "Masquerade will soon enter its final phase."
spelling:
p70: Maynard had a plain manilla envelope tucked under his arm.
p70: When Clare Edward arrived at State, the ordinary manilla envelope under his arm, he hurried into his private office without giving more than a glance to the man with a stiff face and roaming eyes who was talking to his redheaded secretary.
p72: He'd reported the undersecretary's hurried arrival at his office with the manilla envelope, and the transcript of the phone call had confirmed its significance.
p78: It all added up: Maynard's breakfast with the undersecretary, the demand for immunity, and the manilla envelope that had excited the undersecretary so much.
p79: He carried Lucas Maynard's manilla envelope safely locked in his briefcase.
p81: Bremner pulled out Lucas Maynard's manilla envelope and opened it.
p103: Surely Clare would have left the manilla envelope with the numbered accounts locked in his safe at State.
p104: Bremner had the manilla envelope that contained the Sterling-O'Keefe paper trail.
ocr:
p90: There'd been a rain this week, and here, where the earth was protected by the duff, the dirt was still mud.
grammar:
p129: That gave the Americans a few days to resolve whatever bureaucratic entanglements a speeded-up schedule created.
Not my usual espionage fare--I'm still on the fence. There's something I couldn't quite put my finger on.
March 28, 2018
Dit boek schreef Gayle Lynds 4 jaar voordat ze Het Tolstoi gevoel schreef, het boek dat ik in oktober 2002 besprak. Het gekke is dat ik het gevoel kreeg dat dit boek later was geschreven. Ik vind de stijl beter, de plot beter en de hoofdpersonen interessanter. Nou ben ik dus wel erg benieuwd naar het volgende boek van Gayle Lynds dat ik mag bespreken.
Maar goed: Maskerade gaat, net als Het Tolstoi gevoel over een jonge vrouw die zich iemand anders voelt. Alleen heeft dat deze keer geen lichamelijke, maar een geestelijke oorzaak: Liz Scansborough (of Sarah Walker?) moeten het allemaal maar zelf uitzoeken. Tegen de tijd dat ze hulp krijgt, is ze zelf al veel verder gekomen. Ze heeft al ontdekt dat ze blijkbaar een cruciale rol speelt in een plan om een internationaal gezochte huurmoordenaar 'binnen te halen', dat wil zeggen: hij heeft aangeboden zich over te geven. Maar wie is zij nu eigenlijk? En wie is die huurmoordenaar? En wie is er nog te vertrouwen in die wereld die alleen maar om geld en macht draait?
Spannend boek! Afgezaagde kreet, maar ik kan niet anders zeggen. Het speelt nu eens niet allemaal in Amerika, en de hoofdpersonen zijn zeer geloofwaardige mensen. Alle draadjes van het plot worden netjes afgehecht.
Een prima boek voor de liefhebber van Ludlum, van Lynds zelf en voor de liefhebber van een 'goed spannend boek'.
Maar goed: Maskerade gaat, net als Het Tolstoi gevoel over een jonge vrouw die zich iemand anders voelt. Alleen heeft dat deze keer geen lichamelijke, maar een geestelijke oorzaak: Liz Scansborough (of Sarah Walker?) moeten het allemaal maar zelf uitzoeken. Tegen de tijd dat ze hulp krijgt, is ze zelf al veel verder gekomen. Ze heeft al ontdekt dat ze blijkbaar een cruciale rol speelt in een plan om een internationaal gezochte huurmoordenaar 'binnen te halen', dat wil zeggen: hij heeft aangeboden zich over te geven. Maar wie is zij nu eigenlijk? En wie is die huurmoordenaar? En wie is er nog te vertrouwen in die wereld die alleen maar om geld en macht draait?
Spannend boek! Afgezaagde kreet, maar ik kan niet anders zeggen. Het speelt nu eens niet allemaal in Amerika, en de hoofdpersonen zijn zeer geloofwaardige mensen. Alle draadjes van het plot worden netjes afgehecht.
Een prima boek voor de liefhebber van Ludlum, van Lynds zelf en voor de liefhebber van een 'goed spannend boek'.
August 19, 2021
Trecutul ei dispărea pe nesimţite. Într-o dimineaţă se trezi şi văzu în încăpere o mobilă pe care nu o cunoştea. Bărbatul îi spuse:
― Toate astea sunt alte tale. Nu-ţi aminteşti?
Nu-şi amintea, dar efortul de-a spune asta era prea mare. Se simţea epuizată, rănită şi derutată. Avea impresia că o să-i explodeze capul. După o vreme, nu mai ştiu unde se afla. Pe urmă, nu-şi mai aminti cum o chema.
― Ştii cum te cheamă? o întrebă bărbatul.
― Nu.
Durerea pulsa fără încetare în spatele globilor oculari.
― O să-ţi aminteşti, zise omul. Curând, îţi promit. Odihneşte-te, frumoasa mea iubită.
Pe măsură ce durerea se diminua, o lăsau şi puterile. Mâinile îi tremurau. La fel şi buzele. Nu răspundea niciodată la uşă sau la telefon. Nu se aşeza lângă fereastră ori la birou. Ajunsese să-şi piardă încrederea în oameni. Cu excepţia vocii bărbatului, trăia înconjurată de linişte. Încerca să afle în tăcere cine era ea.
Bărbatul îi dădea medicamente. O hrănea ca pe un copil.
O dezbrăca şi-i făcea baie. Devenise neputincioasă. Tot ce avea erau acel om şi senzaţia de rătăcire atât de profundă, încât o tulbura foarte mult.
Somnul era salvarea ei. Stătea în pat. Timpul se oprise.
Bărbatul îi dădea diverse pastile. Ea se simţea mai bine. Mai puternică.
― Toate astea sunt alte tale. Nu-ţi aminteşti?
Nu-şi amintea, dar efortul de-a spune asta era prea mare. Se simţea epuizată, rănită şi derutată. Avea impresia că o să-i explodeze capul. După o vreme, nu mai ştiu unde se afla. Pe urmă, nu-şi mai aminti cum o chema.
― Ştii cum te cheamă? o întrebă bărbatul.
― Nu.
Durerea pulsa fără încetare în spatele globilor oculari.
― O să-ţi aminteşti, zise omul. Curând, îţi promit. Odihneşte-te, frumoasa mea iubită.
Pe măsură ce durerea se diminua, o lăsau şi puterile. Mâinile îi tremurau. La fel şi buzele. Nu răspundea niciodată la uşă sau la telefon. Nu se aşeza lângă fereastră ori la birou. Ajunsese să-şi piardă încrederea în oameni. Cu excepţia vocii bărbatului, trăia înconjurată de linişte. Încerca să afle în tăcere cine era ea.
Bărbatul îi dădea medicamente. O hrănea ca pe un copil.
O dezbrăca şi-i făcea baie. Devenise neputincioasă. Tot ce avea erau acel om şi senzaţia de rătăcire atât de profundă, încât o tulbura foarte mult.
Somnul era salvarea ei. Stătea în pat. Timpul se oprise.
Bărbatul îi dădea diverse pastile. Ea se simţea mai bine. Mai puternică.
April 24, 2013
The story is about "Liz Sansborough", daughter of the assassin nicknamed Carnivore. The Carnivore has decided to retire and he is turning himself into the CIA. His agreement with them is to tell all the details of his professional hits. There is one problem, Hughes Bremner of the CIA has been bilking the governeant of millions of dollars to fund his own company. The information known to the Carnivore will destroy all he has accomplished. His only option it to take out the Carnivore before he can talk.
Sarah Walker is drugged and made to look and think like Liz. Hughes plans on using her to kill the Carnivore. He trains her and prepares her for this mission, but unknown to Bremner and her handler, she stopped taking the meds that blocked her real memory. As she slowly discovers who she really is, she realizes she must act to stop this plot.
I found Masquerade to be a fast paced plot, filled with intrigue and surprises at every turn.
Sarah Walker is drugged and made to look and think like Liz. Hughes plans on using her to kill the Carnivore. He trains her and prepares her for this mission, but unknown to Bremner and her handler, she stopped taking the meds that blocked her real memory. As she slowly discovers who she really is, she realizes she must act to stop this plot.
I found Masquerade to be a fast paced plot, filled with intrigue and surprises at every turn.
September 19, 2017
Lots of twists and turns! I gotta point out about what Sarah actually had to do. When you think about she went through all that training and Hugh went through all this fuss for Sarah to simply get out of the limo and stand there and walk around for Liz to see. Then get back in the limo and sit by the Carnivore. Then when the limo starts to move shoot the carnivore. It's a pretty simple task. I'm pretty happy Asher and Sarah are together though! I was a little confused at the end about Hal, and it kills me not to know if Hal faked his death again or if he's actually dead!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 14, 2022
I DID like this book; I’m just not sure how much. I gave a 1-star rating to 4 of the last 8 books I’ve read. I really had to ask my self did I like this book on its own merits, or just in comparison to the crap I’ve read lately.
There are a couple of situations that probably wouldn’t/couldn’t have happened; and one scene in a bank that DEFINITELY wouldn’t/couldn’t have happened.
I was enjoying the book so much, I was able to put that aside; which I’m not always able to do. The fact that I’d, very much, like to read another Gayle Lynds book tilted the scale up to 4 stars.
There are a couple of situations that probably wouldn’t/couldn’t have happened; and one scene in a bank that DEFINITELY wouldn’t/couldn’t have happened.
I was enjoying the book so much, I was able to put that aside; which I’m not always able to do. The fact that I’d, very much, like to read another Gayle Lynds book tilted the scale up to 4 stars.
February 8, 2009
I found this novel entertaining and well written with plenty of mystery and several plot twists. It has a disturbing link to recent headlines such as psychological conditioning and mind control, also some financial and international currency manipulations involving people in power and corruption at all levels.
December 30, 2018
It wasn't until about a quarter of the way through that I really got into it, but after that, it was hard to put down. Between the international espionage and the questionable memories, it has a lot of similarities to The Bourne Identity, although it's a completely different book. There were some great characters in this one, and I really liked the way the story came together in the end.
May 27, 2020
About 3/4 of the way through I had the thought: 'I didn't know what I was getting in to when I began this book.' It felt like that--in a good way!--with all the whiplash I was getting from the twists and turns and reversals of fortune and narrow escapes. You won't be able to put it down, but that's okay because you won't want to.
October 31, 2020
I hadn't read a thriller is a while - this was a great start. The action is paced fast - not the type of book to read at night. It will keep you turning the pages instead of sleeping. For all the twists and turns, it is easy to follow. The main character is likable and trying to figure things out, just like you. I will have to read another of Ms Lynds.
July 8, 2021
This book should have been written by someone who knows how to wrte!!!
I could not believe how terrible this book got after sucking me into the plot!!!The only reason I read more was because the plot was going pretty good.And then all of a sudden like she had to rush out to get her hair done or something else stupid and she lost it and forgot what she was writing....
I could not believe how terrible this book got after sucking me into the plot!!!The only reason I read more was because the plot was going pretty good.And then all of a sudden like she had to rush out to get her hair done or something else stupid and she lost it and forgot what she was writing....
November 29, 2008
I read a review of her newest title, The Coil, was intrigued, and then discovered it was a sequel to this one, so I snatched it up. Very strong female protagonist, and action-packed. Espionage fun!
May 1, 2013
I need to read this again. Spy novel. Psychological thriller with various little "facts" that resemble current events. Are you who you think you are? Are you who you pretend to be? And why?! I must read this one again to fully absorb its' story. Good, very good book.
April 22, 2016
I found the book difficult to get into. There are many characters and plot lines. It is a " by the book" spy novel with some interesting ideas and story lines. I was glad to finish it as I got tired of the main character. I also thought the ending was over kill-why bother?
August 4, 2016
The story here becomes more complex than necessary and it's a bit convoluted in spots but there is plenty of action and intrigue to keep the reader engaged. Several of the characters are interesting although I was hoping the mysterious Carnivore would play more of a role.
March 3, 2019
If you like Robert Ludlum, you'll love this. For me a bit too James Bond like and far too many complicated set pieces for a higher rating. But, I'll try another from the author.........sometimes a first book is a poor indicator of future genius!
April 14, 2020
This is arguably one of the worst spy thrillers I have ever read. Simplistic despite trying so hard to have complex subplots, Talk about being predictable AF. Wanted to give it no stars, but hey, I was reading it in 2020 and maybe it just didn't stood the test of time from 1996.
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