Chanticleer Book Reviews

Tag: Foreign Affairs/Espionage

  • Celebrating the Master of Cold War Spy Novels; John le Carré

    Happy birthday tot he master of spy craft, John le Carré

    As the clock ticks past October 19th, we find ourselves in the shadows of a world cloaked in espionage and intrigue. It’s a world readers first came to recognize through the masterful writing of John le Carré. As the architect of the spy novel, his words have pierced through the veils of secrecy and deception to illuminate the complex tapestry of the human motives that lie beneath the surface of geopolitics.

    Black, white, sweater, glasses, window, writing, John Le carre

    Raised in the Underworld, Educated with the Elites

    John le Carré, born David John Moore Cornwell on October 19, 1931, lived a dangerous, and secretive life. It provided him with a wealth of inspiration for his writing, and was a reflection of his own interesting and unique life.

    He grew up in Poole, Dorset, England, where his con-artist father became the primary parent when le Carré’s mother left the family when he was still a boy. But his natural talents and intellect led him to study at the University of Bern in Switzerland and later at the University of Oxford, where he excelled in modern languages.

    John Le Carre, doorway, outside, reflection, black, white, blazer, tie, man

    A Double-Life

    After finishing his education, le Carré worked as a spy for Britain’s foreign and domestic intelligence services, MI6 and MI5, throughout the 1950s and 60s. His experiences in Cold War espionage later heavily influenced his writing, providing him with a behind-the-scenes look into spycraft that thrilled readers from the start. His ability to take the scenarios that were whispered between spies in the shadowy corners of Europe were provocative and mysterious, earning him a reputation as the “Literary Spy Master.”

    John Le Carre, couch, papers, sweater, books, bookshelf, lying down

    The Literary Spy Master

    Le Carré breakthrough novel, The Spy Who Came in from the Cold, was published in 1963 to critical acclaim and quickly becoming a bestseller. Today, it is often considered one of the best spy novels of all time. With plots that cleverly incorporate the thrills of cloak-and-dagger espionage tropes, his readers are kept on the edge of their seats until the very last page.

    John Lecarre, The Spy Who Came In From the Cold, Tinker, Tailor, Soldier Spy, The Constant Gardner, Black, White, Red, Man, umbrella, bees, flowers, bridge

    A New Kind of Spy

    Le Carré is famous for his complex characters, particularly the spy George Smiley, who appears in several of his novels, including Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy. With the intention of creating a character to rival the popular James Bond character of his contemporary Ian Fleming, he created a bookish looking, polite, and self-effacing spy whose inner cunning, excellent memory, mastery of spycraft, and occasional ruthlessness provides ample room for the unexpected when other characters underestimate him. Smily is held in high-esteem around the world, and, as Britain’s top newspaper, The Guardian, once called him, is “the sort of spy [Britain] believes it ought to have: a bit shabby, academic, basically loyal, and skeptical of the enthusiasms of his political masters.”

    John LeCarre, The Looking Glass WAr, The Drummer Girl, Call for the Dead, Black, White, Landscape, Trees, Bridge

    Le Carré’s World of Espionage 

    Le Carré continued to write well into his later years, publishing notable works like The Constant Gardener and A Looking Glass War. He received numerous literary awards throughout his career, including the British Book Award and the Somerset Maugham Award, and many of his novels have been adapted into successful films and television series, further cementing his influence in popular culture.

    desk, papers, sweater, john le carre, thinking

    A New High-Stakes Genre

    John le Carré passed away on December 12, 2020, at the age of 89, leaving behind a legacy as one of the greatest spy fiction writers of his time.

    Le Carré’s works continue to resonate with readers even today. His novels reflect the complexities of international politics and human relationships through cerebral and intellectual characters and his themes of morality, betrayal, and the complexities of the Cold War and post-Cold War espionage applicable to today’s genre. His body of work presents a more nuanced view of intelligence work compared to traditional spy novels, and they continue inspired more authors of geopolitical thrillers to come out of the shadows and into the light.

    Happy 93rd birthday, John Le Carré! 

    Interested in the world of espionage? Check out these high-stakes thrillers by Chanticleer’s authors who shines a light on the global underworld with riveting plots and unstoppable characters.

    Roman Conspiracy cover

    Jake Fortina and the Roman Conspiracy

    Talk about a ripped-from-the headlines thriller in Jake Fortina and the Roman Conspiracy!

    In this multinational geopolitical thriller by Ralph R. “Rick” Steinke, a power-crazed Russian oligarch wants to usurp the current Russian dictator to take his place as the head of the government. He forms his own paramilitary force to steal priceless paintings from a Vatican church with plans to resell them for billions to fund his campaign. But why stop there? He also explodes illicit small-scale atomic weapons to further destabilize the Russian leader and cast himself as the country’s new czar.

    Meanwhile, a crazed U.S. right wing military adjutant buys loads of AK-47s from the Italian mafia to arm U.S. paramilitary groups intent on enforcing their own far-right views in America.

    Continue reading here…

    Kevin Chapman, Double Takedown, Mike Stoneman, thriller, police procedural, series

    Double Takedown

    In Double Takedown, book six in the Mike Stoneman series by Kevin G. Chapman, we follow two NY homicide detectives as they unravel a murder at a theater in an intricate dance of high-stakes suspense.

    Two years after the pandemic shut down the world, NY homicide detectives Mike Stoneman and his partner Jason Dickson are at a charity ballet for an evening out with their wives. When an audience member suddenly dies during the performance, they soon realize they are spectators to a murder.

    At first nothing looks suspicious about the death of Alex Bishop, lead actor in a moribund Broadway show, Godfather: The Musical. But with the cause of death uncertain, questions begin to swirl. Mike and Jason pick up the case to find out exactly what caused this mysterious death. The show’s director/producer had a motive and opportunity, and when the detectives find incriminating evidence on his personal laptop, the case is quickly closed. Or is it?

    Continue reading here…

    Revelations Cover

    Revelations

    Ro Delahanty bears heavy weights on her shoulders—a decades old conspiracy, the complexities of polyamorous love, and troubling family secrets—all of which she will begin to face inRevelations,book 6 of Dave Lager’sRo Delahantyseries.

    The wealthy, powerful Pribyl family is up to something sinister in their new scrap shipment business, Ro is sure of it. But she has to prove it to herself before she can even start to convince anyone else. And as much as she’d like to dive head-first into that mystery, she has many more problems to solve as a Fort Armstrong County Sergeant Deputy.An unsanctioned party threatens to become a dangerous mob, setting fire to a half-constructed house. Ro’s bold, decisive nature comes under fire from a rival at the Sheriff’s office. Worse, a major change in that office could upend the foundation of Ro’s life and even rob her of the comradery she and her colleagues rely on.

    Continue reading here…

    Identified Cover

    Identified

    West, a young man, spent 15 years in prison for hacking government systems. His mother, a highly visible activist against his imprisonment, is also trying unsuccessfully to get her health insurance to pay for her fight against a deadly medical condition. In Identified West believes the government is responsible for illegally blocking her insurance and vows to find out who’s behind the effort and put his mom back on the insurance rolls.

    This is no easy task. Cybersecurity is now a fully linked global enterprise called the G20S, an expansion of today’s G20 nations. Virtually every form of human activity across the world can be logged by the system. It will take a small crew of talented hackers who call themselves the Survivors to develop unique hacker tools for West to break into the system, find the guilty, and get his mother insured. At every point, success could slip out of their grasp.

    Continue reading here…

    The Veteran's Key, tropical, palm tree, sunset, sun

    Veterans Key

    Veterans Key opens in 1935 as hundreds of derelict vets of the Great War are working in ramshackle government relief camps bridging a gap in the Overseas Highway connecting Key West with the mainland.

    One hot August morning, two striking co-eds, Cindy and Ella, step off a train in Islamorada to be greeted with the crude cat-calls of beery veterans. What happens next is unexpected. Cindy singles out Fred, a soft-spoken, muscular vet drinking a Coke. He offers her a sip. She accepts, flirts, and invites him to her hotel in Key West for an amorous rendezvous.

    Dealing love and betrayal in equal measure, the protagonists of Veterans Key embark on a course of events that will keep readers guessing.

    Continue reading here…

    street, black, white, man, tie, coat

    Thank you for joining us in celebrating the master of literary espionage, John le Carré!

    Do you have a book that deserves to be discovered? You can always submit your book for an Editorial Review with Chanticleer!Chanticleer Editorial Review Packages are optimized to maximize your digital footprint. Reviews are one of the most powerful tools available to authors to help sell and market their books. Find out what all the buzz is about here.

    Is your book an Award Winner?

    The tiers of achievement for the CIBAs

    Submitting to Book Awards is a great way to get your book discovered! Anytime you advance in the Chanticleer Int’l Book Awards, your name and book are promoted right here on our website, through our newsletter, and across social media. One of the best ways to engage in long tail marketing!

    Thank you again to the authors who wrote these wonderful books, and to John le Carré, who inspired so many to explore the darker side of thrilling literature! 

  • An Editorial Review of “The Politician’s Daughter” by Marion Leigh

    An Editorial Review of “The Politician’s Daughter” by Marion Leigh

    Petra Minx may look young, but she is a Sergeant in the Royal Canadian Mounted Police with over ten years in the Marine Unit and Special Investigations. Her qualifications and good looks make her the ideal person to go undercover to find the missing daughter of an influential Canadian politician. Emily Mortlake is young woman known for partying and getting into trouble. Her father can’t bear the thought of her creating more public scandal that he will have to handle.

    Marion Leigh’s book, The Politician’s Daughter, takes us from Canada, to Southern England, and then down to the Mediterranean where she applies for a “hostess” position on the mega yacht Titania, the last known place Emily was seen. Once Minx goes undercover as a hostess, she discovers her old friend Carlo, who now works with Interpol, is posing as a bartender on the mega yacht.

    We follow Minx’s investigation into a criminal underworld that centers on the mega yacht Titania and her owner, Don León. Minx is initiated into the sordid excesses of Titania’s clientele who are used to getting what they want–no matter what the cost in this action thriller.

    During her mission, Minx focuses on Carlo’s drug investigation, the potential to get close to the ruthless Don León, and dealing with the wealthy sexual perverts she encounters only to find out that everyone has a different theory as to when, why, and where Emily left the yacht. Meanwhile, we, the readers, are taken to Monte Carlo, Italy, Spain, Morocco, and other Med destinations of the rich and famous. Leigh’s images and descriptions of the seascape, Spanish cities, and boats, are well-realized and easy to visualize as Minx seeks answers to what has happened to Emily in this action thriller. Is she dead? Has she been kidnapped? Is she still alive somewhere?

    The mega yacht Titania and its clients asserts a certain allure to the innocent and the glamour seekers. Leigh’s scenes jump between subtle power struggles, drug wars, and the ever-returning sexual perverts. There is a juxtaposition of glamour and depravity. Be prepared for violence, sex scenes that are not “lovemaking,” and perversions.

    What keeps the mystery going throughout the novel is the question of why Emily Mortlake disappeared. The novel is kept interesting because each character sees himself or herself as the good guy. All characters act to protect their own interests, and put those they love or want to possess above their own needs. This reviewer would have liked to have read more about Leigh’s characters and have their personalities showcased.

    The Politician’s Daughter’s mix of mystery, puzzles, unexpected twists, and potential villains makes it an entertaining adult read. Even Minx is seduced by Don León’s worldly charms even as her life becomes more endangered and she realizes that time may running out for Emily. Marion Leigh’s use of imagery sets up scenes well making The Politician’s Daughter a vacation read accompanied by a cosmo or a gin and tonic.

  • An Editorial Review of “Raven’s Run” by John D. Trudel

    An Editorial Review of “Raven’s Run” by John D. Trudel

    A covert CIA mission gone sideways, a harrowing post-WWI transatlantic flight, and a research facility with “remote viewing” capabilities: three seemingly separate stories woven across time and locations bring us to the brink of an attack that would annihilate North America in this entertaining and suspenseful novel titled Raven’s Run.

    John D. Trudel researched actual historical archives to tell the escapades of his uncle, George O. Noville, a Navy officer who made historical flights, explored Antarctica, became an oil executive, and eventually settled in Mexico to retire. It is through his voice that the reader ‘hears’ the story of forgotten U.S. history.

    Josie is a gentle soul with an incredible psychic ability (as well as a penchant for marijuana and going braless). All she has to do is have physical contact with an item to see its history, location, and actions occurring around it. The government, needless to say, sees her as a valuable asset and has her working in secrecy. Her viewings have sometimes left her comatose – she is especially sensitive to violence, and sees her own future in a mental institution if she doesn’t change the path she’s on.

    Wayne, who has been given the boot from the CIA, is given a second chance along with a new identity as Raven. He is tasked to protect Josie. While on his failed yet explosive mission in Iran, Raven had uncovered a diary belonging to Noville, with the title “Operation High Jump,” a major Antarctic expedition that occurred right after World War II.

    All evidence from the mission was destroyed, but the significance of the notebook is unclear. Josie is tasked with viewing the events surrounding the notebook, but the vastness of the great white ice continent makes finding any worthwhile data a huge challenge. While her talents are great, they are not unlimited.

    Meanwhile, Islamic extremists are racing toward a mission of their own in Antarctica, allowing nothing to stop their quest to rid the world of the “Great Satan” and infidels. With ties to oil executives, high level U.S. government officials, and a nuclear-powered icebreaking vessel, not much can stop them, not even one of their own. The suspense builds at a breakneck pace.

    Josie and Raven form an unlikely bond, breaking down the walls that he has had to build around himself out of necessity. Raven gains Josie’s trust, and she his. They start envisioning their own future together, but first they must complete this last, dangerous mission: solving the mysteries surrounding Noville, his death, and his diary. Will their love give them the strength to survive the ordeal, or add to their vulnerability?

    Mechanical techies will enjoy Raven’s Run’s detailing of weaponry and engine mechanics on airplanes and ships, in both military and private use. Trudel challenges some widely held positions on climate change, Islam, the JFK assassination, Vietnam, international incidents occurring between WWII and today.

    While this reviewer didn’t do any fact checking, Trudel offers a “Factoids and Fantasies” section to help the reader sort through historical fact and what is inspired in this work.  A post on Trudel’s blog sums it up nicely: “There is a lot of truth in fiction these days, and we live in interesting times.”

    Reviewer’s Note:  All in all, I give Raven’s Run five stars. The ending is awesome! I tried not to give too much away in the review because the unfolding and braiding of events adds to the reader’s pleasure of discovery. This reviewer is looking forward to reading Trudel’s sequel, Raven’s Redemption which will be out in 2015.