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Pretense - Imbroglio Trilogy (Volume 1) by…
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Pretense - Imbroglio Trilogy (Volume 1) (edition 2018)

by John Di Frances (Author)

Series: Imbroglio Trilogy (1)

MembersReviewsPopularityAverage ratingMentions
5339485,772 (3.38)5
PRETENSE captures the rising wave of sentiment currently surging across Europe against increasing EU dominance and control.Europe is plunged into a spiral of events threatening the future of the free world. A political thriller, PRETENSE weaves a compelling tale of conspiracy and suspense, personality and wit, which will keep you coming back for the Imbroglio Trilogy books THE BAIT and REVELATIONS.A dark cloud hangs over Europe after the brutal murders of two heads of state, just days apart. Growing civil unrest erupts across Europe threatening the stability of national governments.Tasked with finding the criminals, Interpol's Marek Frakas, also known as "The Wolf," joins forces with top police investigators of several nations. This cadre includes the lovely Adrianna Bartoszek, a young forensic weapons expert who has no problem holding her own on the male-dominated team.A tense game of 'cat and mouse' is soon underway as authorities move quickly to apprehend the three suspects. They track them from the Slovak Republic to Poland and on to Germany where another tragic event leads to more deaths. From there the story moves to the beautiful Greek island, Mykonos. Meanwhile, pressure mounts for the investigative team.When dubious information repeatedly thwarts their efforts, one fact becomes obvious. Behind these assassinations lies a sinister plot which appears to stretch westward to the United States, implicating the CIA. But do the facts reflect reality or is there an unseen mastermind working behind the scenes to destabilize Europe and NATO?As time begins to run out, Marek decides to trust his instincts and contact an old friend. As a result, help is offered from a most unlikely source. But frustration caused by past mistakes has planted seeds of distrust within the investigative team. They are at an impasse and differences must be resolved before moving forward.More action follows and as though lost in a maze of mirrors, the investigative team is blindsided once again. Can they uncover the truth before it's too late? There are still more twists to come and an explosive cliffhanger ending.Reviewers praise for PRETENSE "Exotic locales, posh accommodations, handsome men and gorgeous women engaged in dangerous, often lethal behavior--these are things that often lure readers to international thrillers. Add plots that twist, agendas that may not be what they seem, plus revelations that shock--and voila, the genre's literary cake is baked Fortunately, PRETENSE is loaded with all of the above... Authenticity and credibility shine. The author's technical mastery of weaponry, organizations, and processes has the feel of a Tom Clancy deep dive. His depictions of haute hotels, photogenic scenery, and foreigners and foreign places put one in mind of Robert Ludlum's world."Joe Kilgore, The US Review of Books"PRETENSE is a riveting ... finely written political thriller ... crafted with red herrings that enhance the suspense and make for a delightful reading experience. The plot is cunningly done, with twists that no one will see coming and suspense permeating every moment of the story. The crispiness and clarity in prose combine with natural-sounding dialogues to create the drama that makes for a cinematic experience. I felt as though I was riding alongside the characters because they are just so real."Christian Sia, Readers' Favorite Book Review… (more)
Member:etheredge
Title:Pretense - Imbroglio Trilogy (Volume 1)
Authors:John Di Frances (Author)
Info:Reliance Books (2018), Edition: Trade Softcover ed., 306 pages
Collections:Favorites
Rating:****
Tags:None

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Pretense by John Di Frances

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» See also 5 mentions

Showing 1-5 of 42 (next | show all)
This review was written for LibraryThing Early Reviewers.
There's a decent story beginning here, but the truth is that the book just need more work. The story and the characters needed more depth, and the writing itself needed more time/work. As is, I'm afraid the book reads like an un-edited first draft, and I suspect the writer trusted more in his own career experiences and background than he should have, depending on those alone to allow him to tell him a strong, worthwhile story without more work. As a result, the story itself doesn't quite have enough meat to satisfy readers who've read hundreds of books like this and will read hundreds more, and what there is here depends a lot on stereotypes that will be well familiar to the readers this book should most appeal to.

Probably, more revision and more extensive reading in the genre (on the part of the author) could have set this book up for better success, but as is, I'm afraid I can't find much within it to recommend, and there's just no chance I'll be going on to the next in the series. ( )
  whitewavedarling | Jan 26, 2020 |
This review was written for LibraryThing Early Reviewers.
Thanks to LibraryThing Early Reviewers Giveaway. Since the book was in PDF format, it kept being pushed to the "to be read " pile - hence the delay, even though I had received the book in March.
It was a fast paced thriller. As mentioned in the synopsis, you start liking the good guys as well as the bad guys as you come to understand more about them.
Even though the investigative team failed to, I had guessed the deception under way as they were trailing the assassins.
The Locales and food were very interesting and it gave a feeling of actually watching a movie rather than reading a book.
Overall, it had a Bourne feel and I enjoyed it thoroughly.
Even though it is a trilogy and the author's intent is to keep readers engaged to continue with the next book in the series, I don't appreciate the cliff hanger ending - it should ideally be a plot coming to an end and readers waiting for the next. ( )
  RinkuGeeyo | Oct 18, 2019 |
This review was written for LibraryThing Early Reviewers.
This began as an engaging, fast-paced thriller. But after a couple of hours of listening, I began to lose interest in the characters. My mind would wander. I could not stay engaged. Yes, there was action, but I really had to push myself to continue reading. And then in the end, there was no ending. I really dislike books that are part of a series that can't stand alone. ( )
  UnderMyAppleTree | Sep 6, 2019 |
This review was written for LibraryThing Early Reviewers.
I received this audio book free from the publisher to review. Pretense by John Di Francis is the first book in the Imbroglio Trilogy. The book begins with the assassination of two European heads of state. There are indications that the US military may be involved. Interpol and local investigators chase the three suspects across Europe but are always a step behind. As the book progresses, it is clear that the couple and another man are the assassins and are on the run. However, as the book ends, it is not as clear whether these three are actually the perpetrators of the crimes.

The plot moves quickly. The characters are well developed and the descriptions paint a clear picture of each scene. I enjoyed the book and will be waiting for the rest of the trilogy to see what happens.
  mak1971 | Jun 10, 2019 |
This review was written for LibraryThing Early Reviewers.
When I started this book, I was not sure I would like it. The plot was slow to materialize and the characters were hard to grasp (possibly from my inexperience with understanding Interpol). But as I continued to read, the plot took off quickly and I started to enjoy what I was reading. Just when you think its solved, boom new road to follow. I am looking forward to reading the next two books in this trilogy. ( )
  drlord | Jun 1, 2019 |
Showing 1-5 of 42 (next | show all)
added by mehrang | editNew York Times, First (Jan 11, 2020)
 
 
added by jamalii | editسربکوبی (pay site)
 

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PRETENSE captures the rising wave of sentiment currently surging across Europe against increasing EU dominance and control.Europe is plunged into a spiral of events threatening the future of the free world. A political thriller, PRETENSE weaves a compelling tale of conspiracy and suspense, personality and wit, which will keep you coming back for the Imbroglio Trilogy books THE BAIT and REVELATIONS.A dark cloud hangs over Europe after the brutal murders of two heads of state, just days apart. Growing civil unrest erupts across Europe threatening the stability of national governments.Tasked with finding the criminals, Interpol's Marek Frakas, also known as "The Wolf," joins forces with top police investigators of several nations. This cadre includes the lovely Adrianna Bartoszek, a young forensic weapons expert who has no problem holding her own on the male-dominated team.A tense game of 'cat and mouse' is soon underway as authorities move quickly to apprehend the three suspects. They track them from the Slovak Republic to Poland and on to Germany where another tragic event leads to more deaths. From there the story moves to the beautiful Greek island, Mykonos. Meanwhile, pressure mounts for the investigative team.When dubious information repeatedly thwarts their efforts, one fact becomes obvious. Behind these assassinations lies a sinister plot which appears to stretch westward to the United States, implicating the CIA. But do the facts reflect reality or is there an unseen mastermind working behind the scenes to destabilize Europe and NATO?As time begins to run out, Marek decides to trust his instincts and contact an old friend. As a result, help is offered from a most unlikely source. But frustration caused by past mistakes has planted seeds of distrust within the investigative team. They are at an impasse and differences must be resolved before moving forward.More action follows and as though lost in a maze of mirrors, the investigative team is blindsided once again. Can they uncover the truth before it's too late? There are still more twists to come and an explosive cliffhanger ending.Reviewers praise for PRETENSE "Exotic locales, posh accommodations, handsome men and gorgeous women engaged in dangerous, often lethal behavior--these are things that often lure readers to international thrillers. Add plots that twist, agendas that may not be what they seem, plus revelations that shock--and voila, the genre's literary cake is baked Fortunately, PRETENSE is loaded with all of the above... Authenticity and credibility shine. The author's technical mastery of weaponry, organizations, and processes has the feel of a Tom Clancy deep dive. His depictions of haute hotels, photogenic scenery, and foreigners and foreign places put one in mind of Robert Ludlum's world."Joe Kilgore, The US Review of Books"PRETENSE is a riveting ... finely written political thriller ... crafted with red herrings that enhance the suspense and make for a delightful reading experience. The plot is cunningly done, with twists that no one will see coming and suspense permeating every moment of the story. The crispiness and clarity in prose combine with natural-sounding dialogues to create the drama that makes for a cinematic experience. I felt as though I was riding alongside the characters because they are just so real."Christian Sia, Readers' Favorite Book Review

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