The Right Hand

by Derek Haas

On This Page

Description

There has always been a need in the spy game for cover missions so black no one in the American government, and almost no one in intelligence itself, knows of their existence. The left hand can't know what the right hand is doing. Austin Clay is that right hand, executing missions that would be disavowed by his own government if he's ever compromised. Clay is sent to track down a missing American operative, a man who was captured outside of Moscow, in the Russian countryside. Clay soon show more discovers the missing officer is only the beginning of the mission, and soon Clay finds himself protecting a desperate woman who believes a mole has penetrated the top levels of the US government, throwing the international balance of power into jeopardy.

.
show less

Tags

Recommendations

Member Recommendations

4leschats Much like Austin, David Trevellyan is an off-the-books government fixer (for the Royal Navy Intelligence instead of the CIA). Both books have similar spy on his own themes. (See also Die Twice and More Harm than Good as the Trevellyan series continues)
4leschats Another solo-crusader action type novel series, this one a former cop carrying the guilt of his former partner's death with plenty of action.
4leschats Ben Hope, a former British Special Air Service officer, is much like Austin Clay--on his own, protecting others, and trying to stay alive long enough to complete his mission.
4leschats The first book in the Vanessa Michael Munroe series--while the protagonist is female, she is every bit as tough and on her own as Austin Clay.

Member Reviews

4 reviews
The title alludes to the fact that the left hand can't know what the right hand is doing. For Austin Clay, CIA, this means coloring outside the lines. When a spy goes missing, Clay is called in to recover him but finds himself on a more complicated mission to save a young woman and expose a double agent within the organization. As you wends his way across Eastern Europe, the action grows increasingly intense and the trail of bodies mounts to a final show down conclusion that exposes multiple levels of intrigue. Good set up for a possible series.
½
Austin Clay is a CIA operative sent to Russia to either rescue or eliminate another CIA agent who has been captured by the Russians.

A young Hungarian girl working as a nanny, learned certain secrets from a Russian official, via pillow talk. The official has been eliminated and now the Russians are after the girl.

Clay read up on the missing spy and felt he might have been on his way to see the girl when he was abducted.

The story is told at a breakneck pace. The question is will the Russians get to the girl before Clay does. He does what he does best but with the Russians always only a step behind him, he wonders if he has a mole in his own department.

The action scenes are realistic and Clay is a very believable character, one who the show more reader can imagine they would like to emulate.

This is an exceptional novel.
show less
Sometimes things went terribly wrong. For Austin Clay that's just another obstacle to completing his mission. This fast paced spy thriller will grab you from the start and never let go.
Wow! I went into reading this book with no expectations. It grabbed me from the first page and didn't let go until the last page.

Members

Recently Added By

Published Reviews

ThingScore 100
. . . a thriller that makes the familiar seem fresh. . . a lean and mean tale laced with wit, mordant insight and, at perfectly judged moments, flashes of sharp prose. . .
Oct 1, 2012
added by 4leschats
". . . the kind of sharp dialogue one would expect from someone who writes for movies. Readers will want to see more of Austin Clay.
Michele Leber, Booklist (pay site)
Oct 1, 2012
added by 4leschats
Forceful, cinematic scenes show off the lean grace of Hass's prose. Cleverly placed plot twists and spycraft details help make this a standout. Readers will hope to see a lot more of Clay
Sep 3, 2012
added by 4leschats

Author Information

Picture of author.
16+ Works 1,158 Members

Awards and Honors

Common Knowledge

Canonical title
The Right Hand
People/Characters
Austin Clay
Important places
Russia; Prague
Dedication
For my older brother, who shaped me, And for my younger brother who straightened me out
First words
He smelled wood burning, and also flesh, like a pig roasting on a spit, and only then did he realize he was on fire
Quotations
Sometimes things go terribly wrong.
Blurbers
Abbott, Jeff; Benioff, David

Classifications

Genres
Fiction and Literature, Suspense & Thriller
DDC/MDS
813.6Literature & rhetoricAmerican literature in EnglishAmerican fiction in English2000-
LCC
PS3608 .A235 .R54Language and LiteratureAmerican literature
BISAC

Statistics

Members
51
Popularity
593,961
Reviews
4
Rating
(4.05)
Languages
English
Media
Paper, Audiobook, Ebook
ISBNs
10
ASINs
2