What do you think?
Rate this book
Jack McClure #5
Beloved Enemy
New from Eric Van Lustbader, the author of The Bourne Legacy and The Bourne Betrayal, comes Beloved Enemy, the thrilling fifth installment in the New York Times bestselling Jack McClure series.In the stunning follow up to Father Night, Jack McClure faces a choice: help the woman he loves, or destroy her as the enemy she is.
Shortly after McClure leaves a late night meeting with Dennis Paull, the Secretary of Homeland Security, Paull is found-shot dead. The President is furious but equally frightened of a scandal, since Jack McClure is one of their own-an operative and Paull's friend. Who will protect the country if even McClure cannot be trusted?
With top officials in the CIA and FBI after him, McClure, still devastated over his friend's death, goes on the run. Someone framed him for Paull's murder, possibly to prevent him from accomplishing Paull's last request-a task vital to U.S. National Security. Someone in the intelligence community has gone rogue and is reporting to The Syrian, one of the most cruel, aggressive terrorists McClure and Paull have ever come across. McClure has been charged with securing the name of the mole, but when Paull's informant goes missing, McClure realizes his mission has only begun.
Jack may be setting off after a mole, but he knows that ultimately he will have to confront The Syrian. Which also means confronting The Syrian's lover, Annika Dementieva, the woman Jack once loved and lost.
On a quest to find the mole before cloaked agents around the world are exposed and murdered, Jack will soon find himself facing his own beloved enemy...
368 pages, Hardcover
First published September 10, 2013
54 people are currently reading
410 people want to read
About the author
Eric Van Lustbader
167 books1,226 followersEric Van Lustbader was born and raised in Greenwich Village. He is the author of more than twenty-five best-selling novels, including The Ninja, in which he introduced Nicholas Linnear, one of modern fiction's most beloved and enduring heroes. The Ninja was sold to 20th CenturyFox, to be made into a major motion picture. His novels have been translated into over twenty languages.
Mr. Lustbader is a graduate of Columbia College, with a degree in Sociology. Before turning to writing full time, he enjoyed highly successful careers in the New York City public school system, where he holds licenses in both elementary and early childhood education, and in the music business, where he worked for Elektra Records and CBS Records, among other companies.
http://us.macmillan.com/author/ericva...
Mr. Lustbader is a graduate of Columbia College, with a degree in Sociology. Before turning to writing full time, he enjoyed highly successful careers in the New York City public school system, where he holds licenses in both elementary and early childhood education, and in the music business, where he worked for Elektra Records and CBS Records, among other companies.
http://us.macmillan.com/author/ericva...
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 33 reviews
February 26, 2016
A super spy is framed for the murder of the Secretary of Defense, and has to run all over the world to clear his name. Not bad, but really not very memorable either. Certainly won't take the place of Vince Flynn.
Not anywhere near as sleazy at Van Lustbader's 80's work.
Not anywhere near as sleazy at Van Lustbader's 80's work.
August 18, 2016
This is a good book, but you could get lost if you hadn't read the ones before it.
February 28, 2018
Eric Van Lustbader is one of my favorite writers due to his depth of detail and fleshing out of his characters. Beloved Enemy started a bit slower then what I am use to from Lustbader but it builds momentum with lots of twists and turns which is a hallmark of his work. Well worth the read as a stand alone and even better if you have been reading the series as that will give you some extra background.
October 30, 2025
The police and politicians are easily deceived by a framed murder.
The one framed (Jack) travels the world searching for why he was framed. Others are searching for him (both police and bad guys).
Meanwhile, Jack still has feelings for a previous love who had abandoned him. Some of the story involves her relations with Syrian the terrorist.
Well-developed characters and fast plot.
This book is filled with sociopaths on all sides who have no trouble murdering people.
The one framed (Jack) travels the world searching for why he was framed. Others are searching for him (both police and bad guys).
Meanwhile, Jack still has feelings for a previous love who had abandoned him. Some of the story involves her relations with Syrian the terrorist.
Well-developed characters and fast plot.
This book is filled with sociopaths on all sides who have no trouble murdering people.
August 30, 2020
Not as great as earlier titles in the series. Captivating and a good story, for sure, but some of the plot elements were ludicrous and hard to believe, or others were just plain shallow without any back story or buildup - along with a rapid plot pace that accelerated from one stretch to another.
August 15, 2017
A decent beach read. Light with a few interesting characters. I would actually rate it 3.5 stars, better than average but not a book you can't put down
August 31, 2021
Another great story. It's complicated with many characters. Jack finds love with Annika after finding the Syrian. There is much trouble along the way.
January 27, 2023
Such a web written so it keeps you reading!! Well done!! Love the Jack McLure character. So diverse and fun!
June 3, 2025
Excellent book!
September 16, 2013
Many readers liken this, the Jack McClure series, to the non-stop action that the Jason Bourne novels provided. Which makes sense; after all, both of these incredible series were written by this author who knows how to tell a tale of suspense that engages readers from the very first book.
In this fifth installment, Jack McClure is called into the office of the Secretary of Homeland Security, Dennis Paull. Secretary Paull is deeply concerned that one of his contacts has up and disappeared, and asks Jack to do whatever is necessary to find him. He has a reason to worry, considering the fact that this contact told the Secretary that there’s a mole very high up in the government with a frightening agenda.
The only downside for Jack is that this assignment may bring him face-to-face once again with his old girlfriend, Annika, who is now aligned with Iraj Namazi, an international terrorist. But Jack agrees to go after the contact and leaves the office. Shortly after his departure, Secretary Paull is found dead. The President, aware of the assignment given to Jack, knows that McClure - who is now the prime suspect in the death of Paull - is innocent.
With the officials of the CIA, FBI, Homeland Security and all the other ‘initials’ after him for murder, Jack goes on the run, keeping in mind his fiend who is now dead at the hands of a true enemy. Jack has been framed, and he’s determined to find out who set him up and clear his name.
The mole is most certainly the culprit, and it becomes obvious that he or she is reporting to the Syrian terrorist. As McClure fights to remain alive and carry out his friend’s last request, he soon realizes that this mission may be his last.
From beginning to end this book is ‘5-star’ all the way. This is a series that puts the ‘thrill’ in thriller. Enjoy!
In this fifth installment, Jack McClure is called into the office of the Secretary of Homeland Security, Dennis Paull. Secretary Paull is deeply concerned that one of his contacts has up and disappeared, and asks Jack to do whatever is necessary to find him. He has a reason to worry, considering the fact that this contact told the Secretary that there’s a mole very high up in the government with a frightening agenda.
The only downside for Jack is that this assignment may bring him face-to-face once again with his old girlfriend, Annika, who is now aligned with Iraj Namazi, an international terrorist. But Jack agrees to go after the contact and leaves the office. Shortly after his departure, Secretary Paull is found dead. The President, aware of the assignment given to Jack, knows that McClure - who is now the prime suspect in the death of Paull - is innocent.
With the officials of the CIA, FBI, Homeland Security and all the other ‘initials’ after him for murder, Jack goes on the run, keeping in mind his fiend who is now dead at the hands of a true enemy. Jack has been framed, and he’s determined to find out who set him up and clear his name.
The mole is most certainly the culprit, and it becomes obvious that he or she is reporting to the Syrian terrorist. As McClure fights to remain alive and carry out his friend’s last request, he soon realizes that this mission may be his last.
From beginning to end this book is ‘5-star’ all the way. This is a series that puts the ‘thrill’ in thriller. Enjoy!
March 30, 2015
I thought this was the third book in Eric Van Lustbader's Jack McClure series, but this says it's the fifth??? Narrated by Peter Berkrot, this performer does a great job with the voices of all the characters and their many accents. Peter is really the strength of this audiobook. I started this series and really enjoyed the first two books. They involved the Presidents Daughter and her interaction with Jack McClure. Circumstances have come to pass since the previous book that has put Jack on the run. The government thinks he has murdered the Secretary of Homeland Security Dennis Paul and are trying to kill him. Enemies from the previous two books are looking for revenge and his love Annika Demertieva may once again lead to his downfall. Jack is looking for the real killer as he is himself the hunted.
Several story lines converge in this book that involve issues and characters from the first two books. There is a lot of action but the story did not grab me or keep me interested. It's almost a where are they now filler book for what I hope is a better 4th book.
Several story lines converge in this book that involve issues and characters from the first two books. There is a lot of action but the story did not grab me or keep me interested. It's almost a where are they now filler book for what I hope is a better 4th book.
November 13, 2013
Wow...time to take a breath as super spy Jack McClure successfully defies death many times in this 5th installment of E.V.L.'s series. ( this is the 4th I have read ) I can see why the Robert Ludlum estate chose E.V.L.to carry on the Jason Bourne novels after Ludlum's passing.I have read four of the latest Bourne entries by E.V.L. and was so pleased that it led me to see what his other novels were like. In this latest; McClure is framed for the murder of his boss the head of Homeland Security. He escapes to Bangkok and later to Switzerland in a effort to prove his innocence. His arch enemy is the ruthless terrorist the "Syrian" who it appears has made an alliance with Jack's former lover Annika Dementieva. This is a very fast paced action packed thriller with more twists and turns than three German pretzels. My actual rating is 3.5 stars. Any fans of this genre will enjoy this hard to put down story.
October 21, 2013
This was a fast paced novel going from DC to Bangkok to Switzerland. In this book, Jack McClure is targeted as the murderer of Homeland Security Director Dennis Paull and his security team. Escaping from DC, he focuses on finding the man in the dossier that Paull had shown him knowing that this man could clear him. Jack travels to Bangkok and then Switzerland, meeting his old love and enemy Annika Dementieva and The Syrian known as Namazi along the way. As the bad guys are taken out, he and Annika find her grandfather’s legacy in an ancient monastery. Jack finds proof of the mole within DC hierarcy as well as other incriminating evidence of world and business leaders. Gourdjiev tells him that the information is powerful and to use the knowledge wisely.
April 10, 2014
Beloved Enemy by Eric Van Lustbader.
Most of us have come to know Eric Van Lustbader as the writer who has taken over the Jason Bourne series from Robert Ludlum, and done a good job of keeping the stories coming for the movies. I've listened to a couple and they are good listens. That's why I was so disappointed in this book. The story, the plots, the characters and the dialog were not up to the level I was expecting from the JB stories.
And what made it worse was the reader - Peter Berkrot. He is not a good narrator and thinks that growling and whispering are good character voices. Most of the time you couldn't tell which character was talking.
Unless this is a library book and you really want something to read, I wouldn't waste my time on it.
Most of us have come to know Eric Van Lustbader as the writer who has taken over the Jason Bourne series from Robert Ludlum, and done a good job of keeping the stories coming for the movies. I've listened to a couple and they are good listens. That's why I was so disappointed in this book. The story, the plots, the characters and the dialog were not up to the level I was expecting from the JB stories.
And what made it worse was the reader - Peter Berkrot. He is not a good narrator and thinks that growling and whispering are good character voices. Most of the time you couldn't tell which character was talking.
Unless this is a library book and you really want something to read, I wouldn't waste my time on it.
August 8, 2016
The author of the Jason Bourne series, this is the story of another spy named Jack McLure. They changed the name to Jack Ryan for the movie series. I think I didnt start this series with book 1 because it took me a while to get up to speed. Good book. It started to pick up speed about halfway through. Liked the second half, first half not so much. I had trouble keeping the Washington characters straight, there just wasn't enough backstory given to make them memorable.
Overall a good read, fun adventure. That's all you can ask for sometimes. Would make another great movie, I'm sure.
Overall a good read, fun adventure. That's all you can ask for sometimes. Would make another great movie, I'm sure.
March 22, 2014
I listened to the audio book & that was a mistake. There is a different narrator for this book than all the others. He over exaggerates the voices where they either sound like pro wrestlers shouting in the ring or Jabba the Hut from Star Wars. I can't believe this is the published version. It is laughable & downright annoying.
December 27, 2016
It took a long time to get to this review. I must have read at least 15 other books since I started this one and I guess there was a reason I kept putting it down and reading something else. I finally decided the book had too many characters and I was having trouble keeping them straight and I found that very frustrating so I have given it away. Maybe someone else will like it but I didn't.
October 17, 2013
The idea that the one person you ever loved has betrayed you and become your mortal enemy makes for an intriguing premise on which to base a dramatic story. Toss in a ruthless terrorist with deadly intentions, and you're off and rolling. Action all the way!
December 2, 2014
The Jack McClure series by this author are always a "can't put down" page turner. The endings always leave the story open for a sequel. Excellent book by the author designated to also continue Robert Ludlum's Jason Bourne series.
November 7, 2014
Lustbader seems to be writing for movie scripts. Fight scenes seem to be conveniently long and somewhat unbelievable. He did not tie up some major plots and players but they are for the next franchise book. Still a decent read though.
December 31, 2014
Where do all the henchmen in these novels come from? Every Bourne-like hero in every not-quite serial novel like this dispatches about a dozen anonymous bad guys on their way through the gauntlet to the next installment. Still nice to hit up some genre over the holiday.
February 25, 2016
id actually give this three and a half stars. I hadn't read the previous books in the series so it took me a while to get into it. It's a typical action thriller. If you're looking for a cerebral experience you'll be disappointed. But if you just sit back and enjoy the tale, it's a decent read.
December 4, 2013
Disappointing in relation to the earlier books. But if you are following the series you might miss something if there is another book to the series.
November 1, 2013
Loved!
November 14, 2013
A bit disappointing after reading the earlier books expected the same high speed action and it's left it hanging too many loose ends
November 24, 2013
Loved this last installment of the McClure series ! Wish there were more to come!
November 27, 2013
Always read Lustbader's earlier books-haven't kept up w/his Bourne books but do like his Jake McClure series, i.e. President's Daughter, Father Night, and this one.
March 3, 2014
The situations grow increasingly absurd as we head to one of the more annoying conclusions to a five book series.
http://opionator.wordpress.com/2014/0...
http://opionator.wordpress.com/2014/0...
December 21, 2015
not a fan of this book 25 yrs ago his nickolas linnear were good
January 9, 2016
Fine...a little confusing at times and I felt like the storylines were both tied up too nicely and not tied up at all.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 33 reviews