The Last Spymaster

The story opens with a young skier in Switzerland being shot, then two days later the spymaster, Jay Tice, breaks out of a U.S. prison where he was held for treason. How are the two incidents related is quite the story.

From the book:
"Charles Jay Tice was a spy's spy--a legendary figure in the CIA, and the intelligence world in general, towards the end of the Cold War. But he was also a traitor, having sold secrets that seriously compromised the U.S. for years to come. Since his conviction, he's been kept in the tightest maximum security prison under the tightest security. Until one morning, his cell is discovered empty--Tice has disappeared without even the hint of trace.

Agent Elaine Cunningham is a 'hunter', assigned to find Tice show more quickly, before the rest of the world knows he's gone. But she soon finds out that something is very wrong. This is more than just an impossible escape by a master spy--lurking in the shadows is a much bigger, deeper, and more dangerous conspiracy than an old spy's last run for freedom."

The viewpoint shifts between Jay on the run or Elaine chasing him. Sometimes that can be annoying or confusing, but in this case I think it works well for creating more suspense.

Jay remains a bit of a mystery, although the reader knows there is more to him and his story than what is initially revealed. Elaine was an unlikely choice for hunting Jay, she is considered emotionally damaged and had been left on desk duty, seemingly forgotten, until Jay escapes. Elaine is a solid character, not perfect in the spy world, but she has great instincts and is able to quickly assess a situation and understand the implications. I really liked Elaine. As the story develops a few key supporting characters are introduced who all bring something to the story. It is hard to discuss without giving too much away. There are a few villains, some that are visible, and one that remains a mystery until the end, which is particularly well done.

The setting is mostly in D.C. or the surrounding Virginia countryside, with a few European scenes. The setting is used effectively, one minute serene and the next ominous.

The overall plot is believable and builds as the story unfolds. It utilizes many of our fears regarding terrorism and cutting edge technology to push the stakes higher and higher. It felt realistic, not a lot of flash. I kept thinking, it could really be like this.

The climax is a nail bitter and gets the adrenaline pumping. The wrap up was perfect and sold me on this author. If you like a good spy novel or a plot that takes you by surprise a time or two, give this book a try. I am getting another of hers from the library!

Stand alone novel

Main Character: CIA Agent Elaine Cunningham

Setting: Modern Day,Washington DC

Obtained Through: Library show less

I'm actually surprised I finished this. I suppose it's like watching a movie in a theater, you keep hoping it will get better and besides the popcorn is good (assuming lots of extra butter.) The prose is a very deep shade of purple and the euphemisms(the word "wipe" is consistently used in place of "kill") and the relationships really superficial.

In this novel, Jay Tice is a legendary CIA spy. He had a distinguished career in the CIA, until it ended in disgrace and he wound up in jail. During his prison stint he was a model prisoner until one day he escaped. CIA agent Elaine Cunningham has now been given the task of tracking down Tice and find out what caused him to escape after all of these years. This leads to many plot turns as she goes deep into the spy world.

The premise of this novel is good. The writing is professional, and there are a good number of twists and turns along the way. All in all this is a solid novel, but there was nothing about it that wowed me. There was nothing earth shattering about the plot or style that makes it stand above other similar spy and show more espionage novels. Although this novel is worth reading, it’s hardly what I would call great.

Carl Alves – author of Blood Street show less

Awesome! Page turner!!

This spy mystery twisted & turned the whole book through. Leaving just enough clues to start to put things together, so that I knew the bad guy before he was revealed. (always a satisfying bonus.)

Even though there was tons of constant action through the whole book, it was thankfully light on any gruesome details.

Also, the gut wrenching plot was very topical for today's world. Concerning terrorists arranging a huge high-tech weapons purchase so they can take their terror to the next level. Hopefully fiction is larger than truth for these topics! Neat gadgets and weapons are mentioned here and there, making the gadget geek in me drool at the thought of such cool toys.

The heroine was a strong character, brainy, and show more fearless. The hero/anti-hero was a shifting picture, making you constantly analyze his actions & take his pep talks with a grain of salt.

The bad guy personalities are all over the map. Egos, Arrogance, Relentless. All kinds. Great diversity.

The different interactions between countries & cultures are also given some time here and there. This book also has some storyline from the coldwar, as well as the current struggles with the middle east, so very interesting topics are discussed.

The entire plot was wrapped up very nicely. With no sense of lingering, or where did this turn come from? A page turner to the end.

Sooooo Goood!! show less

Like the best suspense novelists, Gayle Lynds doesn't make clear who are the real good guys and who are the real bad guys in this riveting account of an arms deal that could put international terrorists on an equal footing with the best anti-terrorist forces in the world. It's that double serving of uncertainly that keeps the reader turning page after page to find out how the intricate plot plays out.

CIA treason contemporary Charl and I enjoyed.

De Meesterspion