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Jonathan Quinn #3
The Unwanted
Book Description
The meeting place was carefully chosen: an abandoned church in rural Ireland just after dark. For Jonathan Quinn--a freelance operative and professional “cleaner”--the job was only to observe. If his cleanup skills were needed, it would mean things had gone horribly wrong. But an assassin hidden in a tree assured just that. And suddenly Quinn had four dead bodies to dispose of and one astounding clue--to a mystery that is about to spin wildly out of control.
The meeting place was carefully chosen: an abandoned church in rural Ireland just after dark. For Jonathan Quinn--a freelance operative and professional “cleaner”--the job was only to observe. If his cleanup skills were needed, it would mean things had gone horribly wrong. But an assassin hidden in a tree assured just that. And suddenly Quinn had four dead bodies to dispose of and one astounding clue--to a mystery that is about to spin wildly out of control.
Three jobs, no questions. That was the deal Quinn had struck with his client at the Office. Unfortunately for him, Ireland was just the first. Now Quinn, along with his colleague and girlfriend--the lethal Orlando--has a new assignment touched off by the killings in Ireland. Their quarry is a U.N. aide worker named Marion Dupuis who has suddenly disappeared from her assignment in war-torn Africa. When Quinn finally catches a glimpse of her, she quickly flees, frantic and scared. And not alone.
For Quinn the assignment has now changed. Find Marion Dupuis, and the child she is protecting, and keep them from harm. If it were only that easy.
Soon Quinn and Orlando find themselves in a bunker in the California hills, where Quinn will unearth a horrifying plot that is about to reach stage critical for a gathering of world leaders--and an act of terror more cunning, and more insidious, than anyone can guess.
Fast, smart, sleek, and stunning, Shadow of Betrayal is vintage Brett Battles: a gritty, gripping masterpiece of suspense, a thriller that makes the pulse pound--and stirs the heart as well.
393 pages, Paperback
First published June 17, 2009
225 people are currently reading
872 people want to read
About the author
Brett Battles
90 books1,058 followersBrett Battles is a NEW YORK TIMES bestselling and Barry Award-winning author of forty novels, including the Jonathan Quinn series and its Excoms spinoff, the Project Eden series, and the time bending Rewinder series. He’s also the coauthor, with Robert Gregory Browne, of the Alexandra Poe series. He is one of the founding members of Killer Year, and is a member of Mystery Writers of America and International Thriller Writers. He lives and writes in Ventura County, California.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 168 reviews
March 18, 2018
This is not Battle's best work. Writing is made harder with children as victims or dependents. This story is barely satisfying. 4 of 10 stars
October 12, 2016
Cleaner Jonathan Quinn, his trainee Nate and Quinn's girlfriend Orlando do one more job for the secret government organization known as "The Office". And by Cleaner we don't mean with a mop and bucket. Quinn and his crew clean up secret special ops situations. Removes bodies and any trace of government involvement and sometimes he has to kill people. He works globally. This time he is helping a Canadian woman Marion Dupuis and an African child Iris escape from some bad guys who have them held captive. But this book is marred by the repetitious guilt ridden Quinn thinking that Nate is not up to the job due to a leg amputation in a previous book. Quinn had to make the decision to have Nate's leg removed. All through the book we constantly hear Quinn give Nate a "wait here" or "stay in the car" as Quinn is not sure Nate is physically up to the job. Nate is not happy about this. He has a prosthesis and can move like he did in the past. The bickering over Nate's abilities got old fast and you just want Quinn to move on. Still an OK adventure.
October 28, 2017
To begin with, people always ask if this could be read first without reading any other of the series. I would strongly recommend you start at the beginning so that the full impact of what happens throughout the series is fully felt as it moves along. This last book that I read (#3) is fun and a little different than what a Cleaner should be doing and delves into the LP a little more. I enjoyed the book and was not able to put it down as I always wanted to get to the next sentence, the next paragraph, the next chapter...I had to know.
Having said that, why only 3/5 stars? Well, there are a few questions that I had which dealt with Iris. With Dupuis? With the process of the UN...anyways, I leave the rest to you, the subscribers of Goodreads. Worth your while or not....I enjoyed it and know that I will read #4
Having said that, why only 3/5 stars? Well, there are a few questions that I had which dealt with Iris. With Dupuis? With the process of the UN...anyways, I leave the rest to you, the subscribers of Goodreads. Worth your while or not....I enjoyed it and know that I will read #4
June 15, 2009
I won this from First Reads. I didn't realize until I got this that it was part of a larger series. It works as a stand-alone, and the author gives you all the basic information you need from the previous book, but I would rather have read the other books first. It's like being at a party with a bunch of people you don't really know - you catch the broad outlines of personality and history, but when the inside jokes come up, you're lost.
In a way, I wish the author had left more to the imagination from the previous books. Sometimes the phrasing in the backstory got repetitious, and we are told about one character's problem with another character at least 4 different times, when it would have been more powerful (and more trusting of the reader on the author's part) to mention it once and assume we got it.
Characterization felt a bit shallow, but I assume that was developed more in the previous books. Dialogue was mostly good, although a few lines were clunky/out of character. Interactions with the protagonist and his love interest were cute and interesting, though I could have done without the continual reinforcement of how one always seems to know what the other is thinking. Again, it's like the author doesn't trust us to figure it out on our own. There were some grammar issues, which I devoutly hope will be fixed before the final print.
The plot would appeal to people who like spy/conspiracy thrillers. The requisite elements were all there - shadowy corporations, the CIA, plots within plots, innocents in peril, the parts of our society where those outside of it travel, etc. - but it didn't really gel for me. It was an enjoyable summer read, and by no means a bad story, but...
To come back to the analogy: good party, nice people, but not really my crowd.
In a way, I wish the author had left more to the imagination from the previous books. Sometimes the phrasing in the backstory got repetitious, and we are told about one character's problem with another character at least 4 different times, when it would have been more powerful (and more trusting of the reader on the author's part) to mention it once and assume we got it.
Characterization felt a bit shallow, but I assume that was developed more in the previous books. Dialogue was mostly good, although a few lines were clunky/out of character. Interactions with the protagonist and his love interest were cute and interesting, though I could have done without the continual reinforcement of how one always seems to know what the other is thinking. Again, it's like the author doesn't trust us to figure it out on our own. There were some grammar issues, which I devoutly hope will be fixed before the final print.
The plot would appeal to people who like spy/conspiracy thrillers. The requisite elements were all there - shadowy corporations, the CIA, plots within plots, innocents in peril, the parts of our society where those outside of it travel, etc. - but it didn't really gel for me. It was an enjoyable summer read, and by no means a bad story, but...
To come back to the analogy: good party, nice people, but not really my crowd.
March 25, 2019
Even though the author chose to use vulnerable children in a dastardly plot, I enjoyed how the story played out. Up until the very end, it was not clear what role these children would play. At first, it seemed there were multiple stories in place, but they ultimately converged into what turned out to be a suspenseful story that kept you guessing what was really going on. 8 out of 10
***I listened to this on audio book, which included an interview with the author. One of the questions posed to him was why he chose to use the children in this fashion. He had a very personal connection to children with autism and downs syndrome, so he did not just randomly choose to exploit this. It was a very conscious decision to do so.
***I listened to this on audio book, which included an interview with the author. One of the questions posed to him was why he chose to use the children in this fashion. He had a very personal connection to children with autism and downs syndrome, so he did not just randomly choose to exploit this. It was a very conscious decision to do so.
October 17, 2018
Jonathan Quinn is a cleaner He sets up meetings in neutral territory and cleans up the scene if bad things happens. He has been hired by The Office to find out what an informant named Primus knows about a secretive organization known as LP. But four bodies later, no one knows anything more. A U.N. aid worker has fled Africa with a little girl who was being sought by a group of thugs. No one knows why, but several other children with special needs have also disappeared from other refugee camps. Now, Quinn, Nate and Orlando are tasked with finding the little girl and preventing a disaster masterminded by the LP, with the ultimate goal of taking down all government. A very nice twisty plot with some interesting characters.
October 10, 2019
3 Stars - I LIKE QUINN, NATE AND ORLANDO CHARACTERS, BUT THE STORY JUST WASN'T THAT GREAT. LOOK FORWARD TO NEXT AND BETTER QUINN STORY!
January 17, 2020
The first one was ok, the second one was ok, this is... kinda ok, but for in the lower half of ok :)
August 12, 2013
PROTAGONIST: Jonathan Quinn, cleaner
SETTING: Ireland, Canada, US
SERIES: 3 of 3
RATING: 3.25
Jonathan Quinn is a professional "cleaner" who has the responsibility for cleaning a crime scene after the fact so that there are no traces of evidence. For some time, his assignments have come from a group known as "the Office". Although he is anxious to break their association, he is on the wrong side of an IOU. In exchange for some serious help from the Office, he has agreed to perform three jobs for them, no questions asked, after which Quinn is free to go out on his own.
The first job involves observing a switch in an abandoned church in Ireland. Nothing goes according to plan; a hidden assassin ends up killing four people; and Quinn and his apprentice, Nate, have to dispose of the bodies. After that chilling experience, Quinn is ordered to find a missing UN worker named Marion Dupuis who has absconded from an orphanage in Africa with a 5-year-old with Down syndrome. Aided by Nate and his lover, Orlando, who is extremely skilled at chasing information, the team follows the trail to a mind-boggling conspiracy involving developmentally disabled children. One of the difficulties for Jonathan in handling these situations is the fact that he has serious doubts about Nate's ability to do what is needed. In an earlier incident, one of Nate's legs was amputated; Jonathan is very reluctant to give Nate the chance to do the job without focusing on his disability.
Although the book is quite well plotted, there were a few things that were just too convenient. For example, in the quest to find Marion, the team almost immediately zeroes in on her location in Canada, aided by the stupid actions of the target in traveling without using an alias. Marion also acted irresponsibly at other points in the narrative, much to my annoyance. Jonathan's ability to remain hidden in the headquarters of the conspiracy group didn't seem plausible to me; in fact, the whole means used by the conspiracy was wildly over the top.
Despite those reservations, SHADOW OF BETRAYAL is the kind of book that is really satisfying for thriller readers. The action is almost non-stop, and the suspense builds until the concluding moments. However, I found that I enjoyed this book less than the first two in the series, perhaps because it was missing the personal touch of the earlier works.
SETTING: Ireland, Canada, US
SERIES: 3 of 3
RATING: 3.25
Jonathan Quinn is a professional "cleaner" who has the responsibility for cleaning a crime scene after the fact so that there are no traces of evidence. For some time, his assignments have come from a group known as "the Office". Although he is anxious to break their association, he is on the wrong side of an IOU. In exchange for some serious help from the Office, he has agreed to perform three jobs for them, no questions asked, after which Quinn is free to go out on his own.
The first job involves observing a switch in an abandoned church in Ireland. Nothing goes according to plan; a hidden assassin ends up killing four people; and Quinn and his apprentice, Nate, have to dispose of the bodies. After that chilling experience, Quinn is ordered to find a missing UN worker named Marion Dupuis who has absconded from an orphanage in Africa with a 5-year-old with Down syndrome. Aided by Nate and his lover, Orlando, who is extremely skilled at chasing information, the team follows the trail to a mind-boggling conspiracy involving developmentally disabled children. One of the difficulties for Jonathan in handling these situations is the fact that he has serious doubts about Nate's ability to do what is needed. In an earlier incident, one of Nate's legs was amputated; Jonathan is very reluctant to give Nate the chance to do the job without focusing on his disability.
Although the book is quite well plotted, there were a few things that were just too convenient. For example, in the quest to find Marion, the team almost immediately zeroes in on her location in Canada, aided by the stupid actions of the target in traveling without using an alias. Marion also acted irresponsibly at other points in the narrative, much to my annoyance. Jonathan's ability to remain hidden in the headquarters of the conspiracy group didn't seem plausible to me; in fact, the whole means used by the conspiracy was wildly over the top.
Despite those reservations, SHADOW OF BETRAYAL is the kind of book that is really satisfying for thriller readers. The action is almost non-stop, and the suspense builds until the concluding moments. However, I found that I enjoyed this book less than the first two in the series, perhaps because it was missing the personal touch of the earlier works.
June 23, 2009
Brett Battles newest installment in the Jonathon Quinn series, "Shadow of Betrayal" is inspired. The plotline generally follows the last installment in the series "The Deceived." Quinn (not his real name, of course), a "cleaner" by trade made a deal with the devil and agreed to do three jobs, no questions asked, for his sometimes employer. "Shadow of Betrayal" shows the cashing in on those jobs - and they're jobs that Quinn would rather not take.
In "Shadow of Betrayal," Battles also follows up on some of the storylines left hanging from the previous novel - and, as an aside, this is something I really like about Battles, if something has come up in a previous novel, he follows up on it - might take a while but we're not left guessing.
The main plotline of the book is a minor sideline of what Quinn is asked to do. It's accident of fate that he comes back together with the storyline but it's all written in such a believable way and the main plot - involving the kidnapping of children for purposes unknown until the end - well, it's chillingly brilliant.
One thing I especially like about the series is the personal progression of Quinn. He becomes more human, more accessible in a way to the reader - and in "Shadow of Betrayal" we see this progression in the kind of leap not yet taken.
And for those of you faithful fans who are wondering, we do find out what happens with Nate after the amputation and with Quinn and Orlando - I know a lot of us were more interested to see where Battles would go with Nate and whether you're happy or not is up to you but I loved it so when you pick it up and read, let me know what you think. It helps the memory to pre-order, go ahead - do it today.
Was this novel flawless? Few are. There are minor tics that bothered me - things I might have wished to know less about and things I might have wanted to know more. I can tell you that if Battles follows suit, the next book should give us more insight into Quinn and I'm excited to see what comes next.
"Shadow of Betrayal is out July 7, 2009 - but pre-order today because copies will be flying off of the shelves. Also pick up "The Cleaner and " The Deceived" - plenty of time to read before "Shadow of Betrayal" hits your mailbox.
In "Shadow of Betrayal," Battles also follows up on some of the storylines left hanging from the previous novel - and, as an aside, this is something I really like about Battles, if something has come up in a previous novel, he follows up on it - might take a while but we're not left guessing.
The main plotline of the book is a minor sideline of what Quinn is asked to do. It's accident of fate that he comes back together with the storyline but it's all written in such a believable way and the main plot - involving the kidnapping of children for purposes unknown until the end - well, it's chillingly brilliant.
One thing I especially like about the series is the personal progression of Quinn. He becomes more human, more accessible in a way to the reader - and in "Shadow of Betrayal" we see this progression in the kind of leap not yet taken.
And for those of you faithful fans who are wondering, we do find out what happens with Nate after the amputation and with Quinn and Orlando - I know a lot of us were more interested to see where Battles would go with Nate and whether you're happy or not is up to you but I loved it so when you pick it up and read, let me know what you think. It helps the memory to pre-order, go ahead - do it today.
Was this novel flawless? Few are. There are minor tics that bothered me - things I might have wished to know less about and things I might have wanted to know more. I can tell you that if Battles follows suit, the next book should give us more insight into Quinn and I'm excited to see what comes next.
"Shadow of Betrayal is out July 7, 2009 - but pre-order today because copies will be flying off of the shelves. Also pick up "The Cleaner and " The Deceived" - plenty of time to read before "Shadow of Betrayal" hits your mailbox.
June 14, 2009
Every body's favorite cleaner, Jonathan Quinn is back in Shadow of Betrayal. Quinn wants to hang up his gun holster and retire with his girlfriend, the deadly but beautiful Orlando but before he can do that, his boss has another mission for Quinn. He wants Quinn to locate a United Nations aide worker named Marion Dupuis. She has gone mission from her post in Africa. This is a task that will require the help of Quin''s protege, Nate and girlfriend Orlando.
Marion has enjoyed helping out at Roslyn's Place. A local orphanage. All of a sudden the soldiers there have become interested in a girl named Iris. Iris was born with down syndrome. This is the second time the soldiers have come paying a visit to Roslyn's Place looking for the girl. Marion doesn't know why the soldiers want Iris. All she knows is that she must protect her at all costs.
Shadow of Betrayal is the third book in this Jonathan Quinn series. Quinn is not afraid to get dirty and let the bodies fall where they may. If you are looking for the ultimate action leading man then look no farther than Quinn. He always gets the job done. Quinn embodies the spirit of Bond, endurance of Jason Statham, and the attitude of Bourne. From the first moment I read The Deceived, I instantly became hooked on Jonathan Quinn and Brett Battles. Battles is a force to be reckoned with in the suspense/thriller world. Don't take my word for it. Pick up a copy of this book or the other two prior novels...The Cleaner or The Deceived today.
Marion has enjoyed helping out at Roslyn's Place. A local orphanage. All of a sudden the soldiers there have become interested in a girl named Iris. Iris was born with down syndrome. This is the second time the soldiers have come paying a visit to Roslyn's Place looking for the girl. Marion doesn't know why the soldiers want Iris. All she knows is that she must protect her at all costs.
Shadow of Betrayal is the third book in this Jonathan Quinn series. Quinn is not afraid to get dirty and let the bodies fall where they may. If you are looking for the ultimate action leading man then look no farther than Quinn. He always gets the job done. Quinn embodies the spirit of Bond, endurance of Jason Statham, and the attitude of Bourne. From the first moment I read The Deceived, I instantly became hooked on Jonathan Quinn and Brett Battles. Battles is a force to be reckoned with in the suspense/thriller world. Don't take my word for it. Pick up a copy of this book or the other two prior novels...The Cleaner or The Deceived today.
August 10, 2017
THE UNWANTED continues to push Quinn further from his occupation as a ‘cleaner’ and more towards spy/counter-terrorism territory. Not that the transition is a bad thing, however the feel of THE CLEANER (book 1) and BECOMING QUINN (prequel) are much more in-tune with the character I’d come to enjoy.
THE UNWANTED is pure action laced with conspiracy theories and a separatist group known as LP which is determined to change the face of American politics and big business. The Office, headed by Peter, Quinn’s boss, looses some of its allure as the LP rise to prominence.
THE UNWANTED almost signifies the end of an exciting chapter in the Quinn saga with the emphasis on alphabet agencies and more extreme missions rather than clean-up jobs of past books.
Nate and Orlando are just as important as Quinn himself with Quinn assuming the role of a father-type figure to Nate and husband to Orlando to create a family dynamic built upon events of THE DECEIVED (book 2) and THE CLEANER.
There are some really interesting plot twists, though not as earth shattering as THE DECEIVED, the reasoning behind the disappearance of a kidnapped 5yr old will shock the reader – it certainly did me.
Overall, THE UNWANTED, is a solid spy thriller and one that doesn’t read well as a stand-alone (I had to refer to past books to determine the significance of returning bad guys). I’m jumping straight into THE SILENCED (book 4) to ensure the events of THE UNWANTED aren’t diluted by ability to recall important actions/characters. 3.5 stars.
THE UNWANTED is pure action laced with conspiracy theories and a separatist group known as LP which is determined to change the face of American politics and big business. The Office, headed by Peter, Quinn’s boss, looses some of its allure as the LP rise to prominence.
THE UNWANTED almost signifies the end of an exciting chapter in the Quinn saga with the emphasis on alphabet agencies and more extreme missions rather than clean-up jobs of past books.
Nate and Orlando are just as important as Quinn himself with Quinn assuming the role of a father-type figure to Nate and husband to Orlando to create a family dynamic built upon events of THE DECEIVED (book 2) and THE CLEANER.
There are some really interesting plot twists, though not as earth shattering as THE DECEIVED, the reasoning behind the disappearance of a kidnapped 5yr old will shock the reader – it certainly did me.
Overall, THE UNWANTED, is a solid spy thriller and one that doesn’t read well as a stand-alone (I had to refer to past books to determine the significance of returning bad guys). I’m jumping straight into THE SILENCED (book 4) to ensure the events of THE UNWANTED aren’t diluted by ability to recall important actions/characters. 3.5 stars.
June 28, 2009
Fast-paced book as evidenced by more location changes than a Bond movie and an average of one murder per chapter. Both Quinn's and Marion's plots kept my interest as they evaded both police and the shadowy secret society. Not hard at all to jump into the series at book #3.
I liked how Quinn was always on the verge of firing Nate b/c he was missing a foot, Orlando and Quinn's banter and the way the author tried so hard to pepper the book w/topical references (new Yankee stadium! housing crisis! latest technology!). Also the La Brea tarpits scenes were outstanding - I haven't seen the pits mentioned since Looney Toons.
I had to take a star away after reading the big reveal of the secret society's sinister plot. No wonder the LP refused to help this group - they probably laughed Mr. Rose right out of their clubhouse. All that money spent, months of prep, orphan snatching from around the world and that's the best he could do? Really?
Couldn't figure out where the title fits in - where is the betrayal? I think I missed something significant, will have to wait for book 4.
Oh and what was with all the wanton murdering? The UN workers? The doctor at the end for no reason at all? I know it's unrealistic but I'd rather the one-punch-knockout-and-tie-up of foes.
I liked how Quinn was always on the verge of firing Nate b/c he was missing a foot, Orlando and Quinn's banter and the way the author tried so hard to pepper the book w/topical references (new Yankee stadium! housing crisis! latest technology!). Also the La Brea tarpits scenes were outstanding - I haven't seen the pits mentioned since Looney Toons.
I had to take a star away after reading the big reveal of the secret society's sinister plot. No wonder the LP refused to help this group - they probably laughed Mr. Rose right out of their clubhouse. All that money spent, months of prep, orphan snatching from around the world and that's the best he could do? Really?
Couldn't figure out where the title fits in - where is the betrayal? I think I missed something significant, will have to wait for book 4.
Oh and what was with all the wanton murdering? The UN workers? The doctor at the end for no reason at all? I know it's unrealistic but I'd rather the one-punch-knockout-and-tie-up of foes.
February 12, 2010
Brett Battles’ third book in the Jonathan Quinn series continues to impress. Our little clique of Quinn, Nate and Orlando find themselves challenged yet again as they find themselves in the middle of a mystery surrounding the death of a prominent American.
We gain more insight into the ongoing saga of a secret group plotting and implementing their plan. Plan for what? Well you’ll just have to read the book to find out. If you haven’t embraced this series yet, I highly recommend you start reading as it appears to be hitting its stride.
We gain more insight into the ongoing saga of a secret group plotting and implementing their plan. Plan for what? Well you’ll just have to read the book to find out. If you haven’t embraced this series yet, I highly recommend you start reading as it appears to be hitting its stride.
June 9, 2016
Shadow of Betrayal by Brett Battles (Jonathan Quinn #3)
Quinn, the cleaner, with Nate, his apprentice, and girlfriend, Orlando are tasked again by the Office to another job; this one spanning the globe from Europe to the California coast. At stake, the lives of a woman named Marion and a little five year old girl named Iris. There's action everywhere, danger at every turn, and all their lives at risk at all times. Thanks for another great read.
Quinn, the cleaner, with Nate, his apprentice, and girlfriend, Orlando are tasked again by the Office to another job; this one spanning the globe from Europe to the California coast. At stake, the lives of a woman named Marion and a little five year old girl named Iris. There's action everywhere, danger at every turn, and all their lives at risk at all times. Thanks for another great read.
September 30, 2009
May have rushed into publication a bit too quickly. That or a new proof reader is required!
"...except for the exception."
Ouch
And plot bits from past book (won't spoil anything)are brought up and reiterated and angst-ed over ad nauseum... OK, OK, we get it!!
I'm done w/this series.
"...except for the exception."
Ouch
And plot bits from past book (won't spoil anything)are brought up and reiterated and angst-ed over ad nauseum... OK, OK, we get it!!
I'm done w/this series.
July 6, 2016
Quinn and Nate and Orlando I love as a team together, they're more then colleagues, they're like they're one little family.
March 5, 2022
The LP!
This story is centered around the mysterious organization known as the LP. This group has been successful in infiltrating the governments of several different countries, including the USA. A senior member of LP is able to fool Quinn into playing a part in a plot to assassinate VIPs at an important event in California: the G8 Summit. This time, it involves "special needs" children, including a young African girl with Down Syndrome who has been taken by a young UN staff member who is acting as her surrogate mother. The bad guys want the girl, and they won't stop at anything in their way. We are never told why this particular girl is more essential to the plot than any of the other children. She just is, I guess.
Quinn, along with his colleague Orlando, and his apprentice, Nate, are (of course) able to foil the plot, but the LP lives on to plot another day. Coincidentally, the man who engineered the kidnapping of Orlando's son in an earlier novel reappears here and takes center stage in this story. The plot is a bit far-fetched, but the action is fast-paced and entertaining. I award four stars and a recommendation.
This story is centered around the mysterious organization known as the LP. This group has been successful in infiltrating the governments of several different countries, including the USA. A senior member of LP is able to fool Quinn into playing a part in a plot to assassinate VIPs at an important event in California: the G8 Summit. This time, it involves "special needs" children, including a young African girl with Down Syndrome who has been taken by a young UN staff member who is acting as her surrogate mother. The bad guys want the girl, and they won't stop at anything in their way. We are never told why this particular girl is more essential to the plot than any of the other children. She just is, I guess.
Quinn, along with his colleague Orlando, and his apprentice, Nate, are (of course) able to foil the plot, but the LP lives on to plot another day. Coincidentally, the man who engineered the kidnapping of Orlando's son in an earlier novel reappears here and takes center stage in this story. The plot is a bit far-fetched, but the action is fast-paced and entertaining. I award four stars and a recommendation.
February 23, 2022
Going on a job for the Office in Ireland just for routine surveillance work is one thing but when all four attendees ended up dead, Quinn and Nate have a job on their hand. However just as they thought it would just be another cleaner job well done, Peter issues them with another job in New York to clean up another botched Office job. However in taking up the latest job, they unexpectedly found a body of a well known man in the tunnel under the building they are to sanitize. This lead to a third job of finding a woman by the name Dupuis. What happens afterwards brings Quinn in direct confrontation with a mysterious group by the name LP which they encountered in Singapore. Following the lead of the latest discovery they were plunged into a labyrinth of deceit and subterfuge by a deathly enemy that stay a step ahead of them till them found the explosive truth that end in a plot to assassinate world leader during a G8 summit in California.
January 31, 2020
Quinn, Nate, and Orlando are back. In Shadow of Betrayal, Quinn is working off the three "no questions asked" jobs he promised Peter. But, of course, nothing goes as planned. An informant known as Primus has valuable intel that he's giving piecemeal. But an assassin kills everyone at the meet. Meanwhile, an unknown group is kidnapping special needs children across the world. Marion Dupuis, a UN worker, has been helping at an orphanage in Cote d'Ivoire and is given Iris, a local girl with Down Syndrome, to hide from the men looking for her.
The action is taut, and the storyline is disturbing. Quinn's human side shows a lot here. This is a solid entry in the series.
This is not family friendly due to profanity and a not-quite-graphic sex scene.
The action is taut, and the storyline is disturbing. Quinn's human side shows a lot here. This is a solid entry in the series.
This is not family friendly due to profanity and a not-quite-graphic sex scene.
February 28, 2021
Jonathan Quinn, along with his trainee, Nate and girlfriend, Orlando, take on a job for The Office. The powerful group of men known as the LP want to take over the US democracy and their first attempt is to lure the G8 presidents’ wives to a school for disabled children in Morro Bay and kill them. The LP has been kidnapping Down Syndrome orphaned kids from around the world for this and are keeping them in an old Naval weapons station at China Lake, CA. One of the girls, from Africa, is the “trigger” for the explosion with a detonator implanted in her leg. Quinn, Nate and Orlando must get to the school before the LP does to stop the bombing. The book was well-written and characters developed and likeable, but the plot seemed a bit far-fetched. Not sure I’ll read another of this series.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 5, 2023
This is a hard one to review. Jonathan Quinn is known as a cleaner. I ties up lose ends others leave. If you fictionally kill someone, it’s Quinn whom you hire to eradicate the body and make it look like you were never there.
In this installment, a murky character hires him to do three jobs, no questions asked. At one point, it looks like someone wants to frame Quinn for the murder of an intelligence-agency deputy director. And things get more intricate and interesting from there. You’ll be horrified to read about the terrorist plot in here, and you’ll hope none of this ever comes to pass.
At three books into the series, I can say I’ve enjoyed all of them, and I’m eager to start another series this author writes about a mysterious illness.
In this installment, a murky character hires him to do three jobs, no questions asked. At one point, it looks like someone wants to frame Quinn for the murder of an intelligence-agency deputy director. And things get more intricate and interesting from there. You’ll be horrified to read about the terrorist plot in here, and you’ll hope none of this ever comes to pass.
At three books into the series, I can say I’ve enjoyed all of them, and I’m eager to start another series this author writes about a mysterious illness.
August 2, 2022
I like the trio of Quinn, Nate, and Orlando. The characters are getting more developed as the series progresses. There were times where Marion, a UN aid worker, was irksome but the author reeled her back before she became completely insufferable. Some of her dialogue and thoughts weren't logical but not enough to distract from the story. The plot is a stretch (the bad guys are relentless in tracking Marion and Iris when there are thousands of kids out there who could have been kidnapped instead of Iris) but there was enough action to keep me engaged, especially in the last half of the book. I'll definitely continue with the series.
June 25, 2020
Good book and excellent narration by Scott Brick (audible review)
This was a good book. Entertaining and keeps your attention. Sometimes a bit to descriptive but not enough to take away from the overall rating.
I really like all the characters and they way they are developing. Lots of action, intrigue and some mystery.
As for the narration, it is amazing! Scott Brick is soooo good. He does such a great job on all the voices and accents as well as the female voices. He also has a very sexy voice. Bonus!
This was a good book. Entertaining and keeps your attention. Sometimes a bit to descriptive but not enough to take away from the overall rating.
I really like all the characters and they way they are developing. Lots of action, intrigue and some mystery.
As for the narration, it is amazing! Scott Brick is soooo good. He does such a great job on all the voices and accents as well as the female voices. He also has a very sexy voice. Bonus!
September 21, 2021
This is the third in the series, and I found it to be consistently tense and realistic. From the beginning to the middle of the story, I was a bit unsure of where it was going and wondered how it was going to turn out, but towards the end, a surprising revelation (the true purpose of the criminal group) came to light. I was surprised.
Not only Quinn, but also his lover Orlando and his apprentice Nate are becoming more and more likeable characters. There are many more books by the same author that I haven't read yet, so I'm looking forward to reading them.
Not only Quinn, but also his lover Orlando and his apprentice Nate are becoming more and more likeable characters. There are many more books by the same author that I haven't read yet, so I'm looking forward to reading them.
October 7, 2021
It seems this series is situating itself rather firmly in the "implausible and cliché-laden, but sort of entertaining" niche... which is fine for when I just want something to pass the time which doesn't require me to switch on my brain. If only the characters were a little more appealing. On the upside, Quinn appears to be slowly developing something resembling a personality - on the downside, it's neither interesting nor likable. Same goes for Orlando and Nate, really. Noone in these books passes the "if they died, would I give a shit?" test.
May 24, 2017
Another hit by Brett Battles, listening to it via "books on tape." Narrator Scott Brick portrays most of the characters, especially Quinn, as overly sharp and short. Like other books by Battles, once I get half way through the book the pace quickens and its very difficult to put the book down. I look for opportunities to drive around or go on walks so I can listen to my book!
November 20, 2019
Book 3 picks up soon after the end of book 2 and transitions well into the next case that Quinn is forced to take for The Office. The mysterious group LP is at it again manipulating the leaders and economies of foreign countries.
Several different events unfold that continue to confuse Quinn and his crew.
Great series!
Several different events unfold that continue to confuse Quinn and his crew.
Great series!
June 2, 2024
Shadow of Betrayal (Jonathan Quinn, #3) by Brett Battles
Quinn returns with Orlando and his sidekick Nate in tow to foil the latest job for the office.
It's a good read if a little pedestrian in places I would have to say the weakest in the series so far.
worth your time and hard-earned cash.
Quinn returns with Orlando and his sidekick Nate in tow to foil the latest job for the office.
It's a good read if a little pedestrian in places I would have to say the weakest in the series so far.
worth your time and hard-earned cash.
November 16, 2017
1st read of a new author. took some time getting to know the characters, but in the end, it was a great action story. Enjoyed the connection between the 3 characters, Quinn, Nate and Orlando.
will be interested in another of Battles Books.
will be interested in another of Battles Books.
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