By M. P. Woodward
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Great Characters Propel the Narrative
SUMMARY
Meredith Morris-Dale is a CIA case officer who has been summoned back to Langley, where she expects to be fired. Instead, she is met by the Deputy Director with startling news. A CIA mole in Iran’s uranium enrichment program has kept that country from building a bomb by sabotaging their centrifuge equipment. Now the situation is getting dangerous, and the mole wants out. The only person he trusts to pull him out is John Dale—Meredith’s disgraced and fired CIA operative and ex-husband. Meredith and John must work together through their strained relationship, a dysfunctional CIA political hierarchy, and Russian interference to recover the mole.
REVIEW
THE HANDLER is a suspenseful and intriguing debut spy thriller. The story is complicated, dangerous and fast-moving. The writing is good and demonstrates the author’s knowledge of the intelligence community. While it’s a bit long and repetitive in places it is worth the read.
Meredith and John’s characters were well-developed and they propel the narrative. Both characters are full of angst, fear, and bravery. Meredith‘s fortitude and determination was particularly memorable. Love it when a woman saves the day
Author M.P. Woodward is a veteran of both US intelligence ops and the entertainment industry. As a naval intelligence officer with the US Pacific Command, he scripted US war game exercises in the Middle East. In multiple deployments to the Persian Gulf and Far East, he worked alongside US Special Forces, CIA, and NSA. His knowledge come crashing thru in this story.
Thanks to Netgalley and Berkley for an advance reading copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Publisher Berkley
Published May 31, 2022
Review www.bluestockingreviews.com