Bannerman's Promise

Bannerman #4

by John R. Maxim

"Paul Bannerman and his "people" were the government's most efficient killers, until they retired to a peaceful, affluent community in Connecticut. But there were promises made that still need to be kept. And old lethal habits sometimes die very hard--especially in matters of honor...or survival."Assassins don't come any deadlier than Carla Benedict, Paul Bannerman's most ruthless operative. And now she's been forced to terminate a smooth, cunning, and dangerous spy: her own lover.

Bannerman realizes that Carla's extreme actions will ultimately have serious global repercussions. But he doesn't know how serious until an urgent call from Zurich blasts him out of retirement and plunges him into a roiling maelstrom of conspiracy and murder. For there is a terrible new cancer growing in the corrupted heart of an old enemy -- a virulent, rapidly spreading disease that Paul Bannerman has sworn to battle...to the death.

Genres: Fiction, Thriller, Mystery, Crime

608 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published July 1, 1993

About the author

John R. Maxim was born in Greenwich Village, NYC, educated at NY Jesuit Schools (Xavier and Fordham) played all the street sports and most team sports.
Comes from a family of cops and a few Feds. After school, took up flying, skydiving and dirt-track stock car racing until the Military decided it could do without him. Then went into marketing and advertising. Several awards. Rose to Senior VP at major New York Advertising agencies. Work involved a great deal of international travel. Major hobby back then was sailing.
Always wanted to write, however, and, one night on the bar car, decided to give it a year, succeed or fail. Sold first novel at age 41. Wrote 12 more plus one non-fiction, averaging a year and a half each. Translated into ten languages. Several were optioned for film or TV. Still waiting.
Took up skiing. Many trips to Switzerland and Colorado. With the kids gone, sold our Connecticut house and moved to Hilton Head Island with his beautiful wife, Christine, herself a champion sailor.

Reviews

[Linda Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bannerman's Promise is as much an action story as the other books in this series but it did seem to get bogged down from time to time in Russian politics. Not my favorite setting for a story. It was hard to keep the characters straight - especially when so many of them were double agents. But I do love the Bannerman cast and they sure do know how to make an entrance. The main story thread is probably the honeymoon trip that Lesko and Elena embark on with their friend Leo, a KGB agent. If Moscow seems like a dangerous place for a honeymoon, it certainly is. Meanwhile, back in Zurich, assassin Carla Benedict once again has fallen in love with the wrong man. Turns out that her Latin lover is also a Russian agent who has definitely chosen the wrong target. As violence breaks out in these two cities and his friends are threatened, Paul Bannerman leaps into action. The body count is high in this book and the methods of death can be quite creative. Not my favorite plot, but I am definitely a fan of all things Bannerman.

[Jeff Dickison · Rating 4 out of 5]

Couldn't decide to give it 3 stars or 4. Finally went with four as the last 2/3 of the book is quite good. This book, though, was definitely hard to get into. Concerns a spy master who, even though retired, gets drawn into shenanigans in the new Russia. Recommended to spy lovers.

[Josh · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is definitely one of my favorite spy-thriller series. I liked this one because it had more of John Waldo in it, but it could have used a little more Billy.