Need to Know - Karen Cleveland

I initially passed over Karen Cleveland's debut novel, Need to Know. I saw the phrase "CIA counterintelligence analyst." I'm not a fan of espionage/spy novels. But, I kept reading great reviews and realized the premise wasn't quite what I had imagined.

Vivian Miller is an analyst working on finding Russian sleeper agents in the US. She's hacked her way into a Russian handler's computer. And what she finds stuns her - a photo of her husband Matt. What will she do? Turn him in? Protect him? After all they have four children together.

Cleveland has penned a fast paced thriller, one that moves forward very quickly with each development. Along the way, the reader's assumptions and deductions will change with each new twist Cleveland adds.

The focus of Need to Know is not so much about the espionage - in fact I questioned whether Viv could have actually gotten away with some of the things she does.  But, then I discovered that Cleveland was herself a CIA analyst, so I will defer to her inside knowledge. Need to Know instead focuses more on the choices Vivian has to make and what she will do to protect her family - especially her children.

I chose to listen to Need to Know. The reader was Mia Barron. She was a good choice. Her voice is clear and concise. Her voice 'moves', conveying the emotion and action of the story easily.  Listen to an excerpt.

"Charlize Theron will produce and star in the spy thriller “Need to Know” for Universal Pictures."

The Book of Spies - Gayle Lynds

Gayle Lynds is an author I'd definitely heard of, but I'd never read any of her nine novels until I picked up The Book of Spies.

I'm glad I finally did! And how could I not - there was a library at the centre of things - the legendary Library of Gold - Ivan the Terrible's collection of lost works. And the opening line of the book? " A library could be a dangerous place." Hooked! One of those books - The Book of Spies has been stolen and has come to light. The secret cabal that controls the library desperately wants it back and is willing to do anything. The CIA is brought in when a connection between the owners of the fabled library and terrorism is uncovered. Book curator Eva Blake and CIA operative Judd Ryder scramble to find the book and stay ahead of those that want them dead.

Generally the world of espionage/spy thrillers seems to be dominated by men. Lynds is referred to as the Queen of Espioage and rightly so. The Book of Spies is action packed, the plotting is tight, the historical detail is fascinating, the characters are engaging.... shall I go on? There are a few coincidences near the end that seemed a bit too neat, but did not detract from my overall enjoyement of the book. The name of the game here is action.

And I loved this library quote near the end of the book....

"Don't give me the cold tomb of a museum, but the fire-breathing world of words and ideas. Give me a library."

Lynds has included author's notes at the end regarding the history used in her book - quite fascinating.

If you enjoy Dan Brown and Robert Ludlum, then you would really enjoy Gayle Lynds. I would definitely read her again. Read an excerpt of The Book of Spies.