Mark E. Henshaw

I read a lot of CIA thrillers, but "Red Cell" was vastly different than most. Here, we don't have a field agent like Mitch Rapp (Vince Flynn) who kicks ass all over the place to get the answers he needs by any means necessary. No, in "Red Cell," we follow a couple of analysts who work out the answers in a non-violent (sort of) way. So you can see, it's different than most books in the genre.

We follow Kyra Stryker, a rookie field agent who had a very bad introductory case, as she gets paired show more up with Jonathan Burke, a high-level analyst who runs Red Cell, the CIA's think-outside-the box analysis group. Their task is to determine why Chinese security agents have taken down some people in Taiwan. This attack also included the release of a deadly chemical.

Meanwhile, we are introduced to Chinese native, but American spy Pioneer, who's high up in the Communist regime. Pioneer feels like he's been identified by his peers as a spy, and is desperately hoping the Americans can help him escape. Stryker and Burke are sent in to do just that.

Finally, we see China invade a small Taiwanese island and military vessel in a curious manner, leading Burke and Stryker to believe China has some technology that the Americans are not aware of.

"Red Cell" is very well written with pretty well-rounded characters. I do think it was a little odd that a rookie field agent would almost immediately catch the eye of CIA Director Kathy Cooke, who assigns her to help Burke in the Red Cell. The spycraft was done well, but I think some of the scenes were a little too coincidental and not realistic.

My assumption is that author Mark Henshaw is looking to create a series out of Stryker and Burke and I think he can succeed once Stryker, especially, gets a little more experience under her belt. show less

The 4th novel in the Red Cell grouping by Mark Henshaw, 'The Last Man in Tehran', is a decent thriller but uneven in its plot. Realistic action, good tradecraft, and taut dialogue is too often followed by sequences that just don't pass the smell test, at least to me.

Last Man.... starts off with a 'bang', as terrorists explode a 'dirty bomb' in an Israeli port city. It has all the hallmarks of an Iranian attack, so Israel's Mossad begins to run its playbook of assassinations and broader acts show more of retribution. Concurrently, a mole within the CIA begins to pass information to the Israelis about previously unknown players in Iran's nuclear program. Iran predictably denies responsibility for the dirty bomb and uncharacteristically tries to pass back-channel messages to the Israelis and its allies about its non-involvement. The Red Cell team begins to investigate the mole issue alongside a hard charging FBI agent and is also engaged in an attempt to stop a major war caused by escalating Mossad actions. The end result at a high level is fine, but getting there involved a few acts that I don't think are very realistic. I'll leave it at that.

Henshaw's writing is fine and his real strength in describing tradecraft and the inner workings of government intelligence and law enforcement agencies shines through. As with his previous novel in this series, though, he too often strays into activities and story lines that seem to be implausible. Last Man... is still a very readable and enjoyable novel, but some of the action is just a bit too far out there for me. show less

This third book in author Mark Henshaw's The Red Cell series, is a heart-pounding, suspense-filled story of Russian & American covert ops at their finest. When greed tantalizes, corruption often results. This yarn is well spun given Henshaw's imaginative premise and his well honed craft of fine writing. The book's heroine, agent Kyra Stryker, is bold, audacious and brilliant in her role. However, running a solo operation in a foreign country, the language of which you do not know, might not show more be the brightest career move. Yet, so much hung in the balance. This is fast-paced all the way to the very end leaving the reader with lingering thoughts on the nature of the balance of power and effecting equilibrium in the world.

I am grateful to publisher Touchstone and Goodreads First Reads for having provided a free copy of this book. Their generosity, however, did not influence this review - the words of which are mine alone. show less

Publisher's synopsis:

From the Tom Clancy for a new generation, a debut thriller following two CIA outcasts who must race to stop a secret Chinese weapon that threatens to provoke a world war After her first assignment in Venezuela goes disastrously awry, rookie case officer Kyra Stryker is brought back to Langley to work in the Red Cell, the CIA’s out-of-the-box think tank. There she’s paired with Jonathan Burke, a straitlaced analyst who has alienated his colleagues with his unorthodox show more methods and a knack for always being right, political consequences be damned. When a raid on Chinese spies in Taiwan ends in a shoot-out and the release of a deadly chemical, CIA director Kathy Cooke turns to the Red Cell to figure out why China is ready to invade the island nation without any fear of reprisal from the US Navy. Stryker and Burke’s only lead is the top CIA asset in China, code named Pioneer. But when Pioneer reports that Chinese security has him under surveillance, Stryker is offered a chance for redemption with a highly dangerous mission: extract Pioneer from China before he’s arrested and executed. The answers he holds could mean the difference between peace in the Pacific or another world war. From CIA headquarters to the White House to a Navy carrier in the South China Sea and the dark alleyways of Beijing, Red Cell takes readers on a whirlwind race against time as Stryker and Burke work to save Pioneer and discover the hidden threat to America’s power: China’s top-secret weapon. CIA analyst Mark Henshaw infuses expert knowledge of the intelligence world into a pulse-pounding plot to create a fascinating, authentic, and unforgettable read.

My thoughts:

Let me ask a question...Mark Henshaw, did you write RED CELL just for me? Because you must have already known exactly what I love in a thriller and what types of characters I want to read about and that I love attention to plot details, and authors that allow their characters to think a bit outside of the usual "character box of tricks." So, I guess you don't have to answer my question, because I just did! THANK YOU MARK!!

No kidding people, RED CELL opens with newbie officer Kyra Stryker along side the Guaire River in Venezuela, on a foot bridge, attempting to meet an asset. Then the worst thing that can happen to any agent happens. It's a trap and there's no one to help her. WHAT MORE COULD YOU WANT?

Within the first five pages, to use a scary term, I became Mark Henshaw's biggest fan!

RED CELL opens with action that keeps building as Kyra, severely wounded, makes her way to a "safe" house. Or is it?

Page after page after page Henshaw builds the tension and then gives the reader a bit of a rest. But, don't be fooled. Within the pages where normal actions and interactions of agency people, on all sides, take place, don't be fooled, don't skim a paragraph or skip a page. You never know where Henshaw has buried a detail that you'll need to know later.

Henshaw's written RED CELL rather like a ride on a great old roller coaster, he knows when to turn you on your side to bank a curve and when to let the action be calm for a bit, because you know you're about to dive head first on a free fall into a whole different arena.

I loved this book! So much so that I don't want to tell you much more. Really, I don't need to tell you much more other than, go buy it. Download it. Whatever you like to do when you read. But a word of warning, don't start RED CELL thinking that you'll just read a few pages to get started...not gonna happen. Too late. You're already hooked.

Boy howdy, I sure hope we see Stryker and her team again soon! Can you say "series"? I hope so!

Johnny Depp's Infinitum Nihil has optioned this one, and I hope they've locked in Henshaw to work on the screenplay, he sure has the chops to produce a white-knuckle fantastic thriller of a screenplay. Ill be first in line at the box office to buy a ticket.

* This book was provided to me by the publisher in exchange for a fair and honest review. show less