Wasn't sure would enjoy this, found after a wander round the library - but I did. Bit of a slow burner, Tom is an interesting character - retired industrial spy and art thief. The big bad was a bit too evil villain but if you carry on with the series as I have, he does even out into a much better written character. Nice mix of spy, thriller, adventure and puzzle solving. ( )

When a coin shows up on the body of a dead priest, the FBI take interest. Why? It's a 1933 Double Eagle - it is worth millions of dollars, there are only a few known to exist, and all of those are accounted for...so where did this one come from? Upon further investigation not all the coins are accounted for, the 5 housed in Fort Knox are missing, and now agent Jennifer Browne is tasked with tracking down whoever managed a heist on one of the most well-protected buildings in the United States.

This was a little slow for me at first. I had a hard time getting into it for the first 150 pages or so, but like many thrillers it does pick up once the plot develops. I'm not a huge fan of thrillers, but once things get underway it does what it's meant to do - provide the reader with an addicting story as a series of exciting and over-the-top events unfold.

Ironically, the month this book was published it just so happened in real life 10 more 1933 Double Eagle's were discovered in Philadelphia. It was written a couple years before they were found so that may have pushed the publication, but it's still pretty interesting that the author wrote the story a couple years before such an incredible discovery. ( )

A blockbuster-style international thriller, very much in the mode of James Bond films. You know the sort, lots of action in lots of exotic places with people jetting round the world at the drop of a hat, and very often in defiance of the laws of physics. Beautiful women, dastardly villains, solid heroes and lots of luxury item name-dropping. Characterisation always gives way to plot, which isn't to say the characters here are not fully rounded, just that they are stereotypes (as you would expect in a Bond or Bourne movie).

Twining delivers on the plot twists and turns and provides some exciting, if by-the-book, action scenes. The after-the-credits finale sets us up for subsequent stories.

I enjoyed it as a piece of fast-paced narrative that kept me entertained on a beach in the sun. And that is good enough for me. ( )

Easy reading but writing by numbers really in my opinion. Full of stereotyped characters and situations as Tom Kirk tries to track down a missing American Double-Eagle gold coin from 1933. I found it totally unbelievable that the lead female character would be allowed by her employers the FBI, to take an $8m value, rare gold coin to London. ( )

Story revolves around the Fort Knox robbery in which precious and very rare $20 golden coins have been stolen. Main character is Tom Kirk, professional thief and once-time secret agent specialized in getting-in-getting-out-silently operations. He is working with FBI agent whose career is in great jeopardy and is given last chance to “redeem” herself.
Interesting story and characters but storytelling is somewhat …. I do not know. It may be due to the fact that I read the translated edition and something was … well, lost in translation. Author obviously knows a lot about art and did his research on art-world underground but descriptions are … e.g. one of the characters, Corbet, is described as a person whose face has same lines as art-décor locomotive from the advertising posters – I guess author wanted to say that Corbet is energetic person, but for me this looks somewhat clumsy.
Story pace is very, very fast – you got the feeling you are watching some action movie – and that is good.

If you like action-packed adventure novels, give it a try – I think you are going to like it.

Recommended. ( )