Elliot Kane (aka Chris Bohren) is an undercover MI6 agent quickly called back to London from the Middle East when an operation is compromised unexpectedly. Checking in on his own life he received unusual information that could only come from Joanna Lake, his co-worker and romantic partner. She is missing, under suspicious and possibly treasonous circumstances. Without authorization Kane uses his governmental and illicit contacts to follow her trail to Kazakhstan. To find her Kane (aka Toby Bell) needs to untangle a web of British and Russian corporations, government actors and criminals as a potential political uprising is in progress.
This is a very slow and quiet investigation by a stealthy agent who is reeling internally but must maintain his cover. Kane is analytical and somewhat devoid of personality, reasonable in order to fully inhabit his cover identities, but since Kane himself is the narrator and primary driver of the story I was often bored over the 359 pages of the hardcover. The plot was complicated, with some justification, but didn't capture my interest. I can't be sure (due to picking up and putting down the book fairly frequently) but I think there were continuity mistakes in the cover identities and espionage plans. Nothing made me want to stop reading, but I was ultimately unsatisfied. Honestly, I'll probably forget I read this and may pick up something else by the author accidentally.
by Oliver Harris
2 stars
Elliot Kane (aka Chris Bohren) is an undercover MI6 agent quickly called back to London from the Middle East when an operation is compromised unexpectedly. Checking in on his own life he received unusual information that could only come from Joanna Lake, his co-worker and romantic partner. She is missing, under suspicious and possibly treasonous circumstances. Without authorization Kane uses his governmental and illicit contacts to follow her trail to Kazakhstan. To find her Kane (aka Toby Bell) needs to untangle a web of British and Russian corporations, government actors and criminals as a potential political uprising is in progress.
This is a very slow and quiet investigation by a stealthy agent who is reeling internally but must maintain his cover. Kane is analytical and somewhat devoid of personality, reasonable in order to fully inhabit his cover identities, but since Kane himself is the narrator and primary driver of the story I was often bored over the 359 pages of the hardcover. The plot was complicated, with some justification, but didn't capture my interest. I can't be sure (due to picking up and putting down the book fairly frequently) but I think there were continuity mistakes in the cover identities and espionage plans. Nothing made me want to stop reading, but I was ultimately unsatisfied. Honestly, I'll probably forget I read this and may pick up something else by the author accidentally.