What do you think?
Rate this book
The Martini Club #3
The Shadow Friends
Not yet published
Expected 25 Aug 26THE MARTINI CLUB IS NOT YOUR USUAL BOOK GROUP. THEY ALSO LOVE BIRD WATCHING.
THEY ARE ALSO RETIRED SPIES . . . SO THINGS CAN GET PRETTY EXCITING.
And now, driven from their peaceful home town to save a friend, Maggie Bird and her friends must rely on each other more than ever . . .
A murder at a global conference in Purity brings back an old flame for retired spy Ingrid - a fellow CIA agent she worked with decades ago in an operation that ended in the deaths of three people, including the young woman they were supposed to protect. Has the killer resurfaced after all these years? Now Ingrid faces a difficult choice: join her ex-lover in pursuit of the assassin or forsake the vow she made years ago to avenge the dead.
But when Ingrid abruptly vanishes, her husband Lloyd must spring to action. Lloyd, an ex-CIA analyst, has no experience in the field, but he does have the skills to find his wife. With a concerned Maggie in tow, he tracks Ingrid to Amsterdam, where he unwittingly sets off a chain of events that threaten Ingrid's life, and could lead to the end of the Martini Club.
Meanwhile in Maine, detective Jo Thibodeau – helped by the remaining members of the club, uncovers startling evidence that turns all their assumptions upside down about who the murderer really is.
THEY ARE ALSO RETIRED SPIES . . . SO THINGS CAN GET PRETTY EXCITING.
And now, driven from their peaceful home town to save a friend, Maggie Bird and her friends must rely on each other more than ever . . .
A murder at a global conference in Purity brings back an old flame for retired spy Ingrid - a fellow CIA agent she worked with decades ago in an operation that ended in the deaths of three people, including the young woman they were supposed to protect. Has the killer resurfaced after all these years? Now Ingrid faces a difficult choice: join her ex-lover in pursuit of the assassin or forsake the vow she made years ago to avenge the dead.
But when Ingrid abruptly vanishes, her husband Lloyd must spring to action. Lloyd, an ex-CIA analyst, has no experience in the field, but he does have the skills to find his wife. With a concerned Maggie in tow, he tracks Ingrid to Amsterdam, where he unwittingly sets off a chain of events that threaten Ingrid's life, and could lead to the end of the Martini Club.
Meanwhile in Maine, detective Jo Thibodeau – helped by the remaining members of the club, uncovers startling evidence that turns all their assumptions upside down about who the murderer really is.
319 pages, Hardcover
Expected publication August 25, 2026
About the author
Tess Gerritsen
156 books21.8k followersInternationally bestselling author Tess Gerritsen took an unusual route to a writing career. A graduate of Stanford University, Tess went on to medical school at the University of California, San Francisco, where she was awarded her M.D.
While on maternity leave from her work as a physician, she began to write fiction. In 1987, her first novel was published. Call After Midnight, a romantic thriller, was followed by eight more romantic suspense novels. She also wrote a screenplay, "Adrift", which aired as a 1993 CBS Movie of the Week starring Kate Jackson.
Tess's first medical thriller, Harvest, was released in hardcover in 1996, and it marked her debut on the New York Times bestseller list. Her suspense novels since then have been: Life Support (1997), Bloodstream (1998), Gravity (1999), The Surgeon (2001), The Apprentice (2002), The Sinner (2003), Body Double (2004), Vanish (2005), The Mephisto Club (2006), and The Bone Garden (2007). Her books have been translated into 31 languages, and more than 15 million copies have been sold around the world.
As well as being a New York Times bestselling author, she has also been a #1 bestseller in both Germany and the UK. She has won both the Nero Wolfe Award (for Vanish) and the Rita Award (for The Surgeon.) Critics around the world have praised her novels as "Pulse-pounding fun" (Philadelphia Inquirer), "Scary and brilliant" (Toronto Globe and Mail), and "Polished, riveting prose" (Chicago Tribune). Publisher Weekly has dubbed her the "medical suspense queen".
Now retired from medicine, she writes full time. She lives in Maine.
While on maternity leave from her work as a physician, she began to write fiction. In 1987, her first novel was published. Call After Midnight, a romantic thriller, was followed by eight more romantic suspense novels. She also wrote a screenplay, "Adrift", which aired as a 1993 CBS Movie of the Week starring Kate Jackson.
Tess's first medical thriller, Harvest, was released in hardcover in 1996, and it marked her debut on the New York Times bestseller list. Her suspense novels since then have been: Life Support (1997), Bloodstream (1998), Gravity (1999), The Surgeon (2001), The Apprentice (2002), The Sinner (2003), Body Double (2004), Vanish (2005), The Mephisto Club (2006), and The Bone Garden (2007). Her books have been translated into 31 languages, and more than 15 million copies have been sold around the world.
As well as being a New York Times bestselling author, she has also been a #1 bestseller in both Germany and the UK. She has won both the Nero Wolfe Award (for Vanish) and the Rita Award (for The Surgeon.) Critics around the world have praised her novels as "Pulse-pounding fun" (Philadelphia Inquirer), "Scary and brilliant" (Toronto Globe and Mail), and "Polished, riveting prose" (Chicago Tribune). Publisher Weekly has dubbed her the "medical suspense queen".
Now retired from medicine, she writes full time. She lives in Maine.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 76 reviews
Want to Read
January 29, 2026Okay. I preordered a book that isn't being published until August. Looks like it will be a River Read for sure. It was a great deal, $3.99 for the Kindle e-book. I love this series about retired spooks and Tess Gerritsen is a fantastic author.
January 27, 2026
Another gripping suspense thriller by Tess Gerritsen!
From the very start, the deaths and mystery dragged me in to the story, grabbed me by the throat and only let go after the final word was read. Even then I was still bracing myself! Wow a very interesting story with a suspense only Tess can orchestrate!!!
Thanks to NetGalley and Thomas and Mercer for this review copy. This opinion is my own.
From the very start, the deaths and mystery dragged me in to the story, grabbed me by the throat and only let go after the final word was read. Even then I was still bracing myself! Wow a very interesting story with a suspense only Tess can orchestrate!!!
Thanks to NetGalley and Thomas and Mercer for this review copy. This opinion is my own.
January 20, 2026
I must confess I let The Shadow Friends by Tess Gerritsen leapfrog over all of the books in my reading list on its arrival, despite it not being published until August 2026 because I love this
Martini Club series
so much. I think in my first review I talked about it being akin to the 'Thursday Murder Club on speed'. Thanks to the fact that all five members of this 'club' are ex-CIA, all with their own set of skills, which have only dulled a little in the decades since their retirement. I loved the first two books in this series. I probably didn't enjoy this quite as much, although the bar is possibly set unfairly high. This is similar to the first book in the series, when the past of one of the members comes back to haunt them and pull the group back into the life they left.
I loved that Gerritsen includes some commentary on the direction some of the security services (American alphabet agencies) are moving, cosying up to former enemies like Russia and agents forced to pledge their loyalties to power-hungry bureaucrats and politicians rather than the country and its citizens. Given what's happening in the USA at the moment, it's rather topical... if not ironic. Also interesting are the references (via speakers of the disrupted conference) to future dangers, such as bioweapons and biological warfare.
I've commented in previous posts that I'd love to see this translated onto the screen and given so many books are now being optioned for movies and streaming services I'll keep my fingers crossed.
Read my review here: https://www.debbish.com/books-literat...
I loved that Gerritsen includes some commentary on the direction some of the security services (American alphabet agencies) are moving, cosying up to former enemies like Russia and agents forced to pledge their loyalties to power-hungry bureaucrats and politicians rather than the country and its citizens. Given what's happening in the USA at the moment, it's rather topical... if not ironic. Also interesting are the references (via speakers of the disrupted conference) to future dangers, such as bioweapons and biological warfare.
I've commented in previous posts that I'd love to see this translated onto the screen and given so many books are now being optioned for movies and streaming services I'll keep my fingers crossed.
Read my review here: https://www.debbish.com/books-literat...
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I really have enjoyed the Martini club series so far and look forward to continuing to read their story.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I love the characters and the story, although Lloyd really got in my nerves this time.
January 20, 2026
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review "The Shadow Friends", by Tess Gerritsen. This book is the third in her enormously entertaining and action-packed 'The Martini Club' series.
When a renowned disease expert and Russian defector dies mysteriously during a global affairs conference in Purity, Maine, the tight-knit band of former spies in the Martini Club once again sees their quiet coastal retirement interrupted by international intrigue. And when a waitress at the conference hotel is found murdered, Ingrid Slocum sees chilling links to a disastrous mission that nearly killed her three decades ago.
And then, Ingrid is drawn once again into the world of international intrigue by an old friend/associate/love, as she suddenly leaves her husband and their circle of retired specialists, in order to finally solve the mystery of 'the fifth man', with nothing to go on but a stiletto and a picture. And to find out why supposedly 'safe' Russian defectors are suddenly in the crosshairs.
But is the danger much closer to home than Ingrid realizes?
Don't want to give away anything at all with respect to this one. I'll just say that I had no idea until the very end.
When a renowned disease expert and Russian defector dies mysteriously during a global affairs conference in Purity, Maine, the tight-knit band of former spies in the Martini Club once again sees their quiet coastal retirement interrupted by international intrigue. And when a waitress at the conference hotel is found murdered, Ingrid Slocum sees chilling links to a disastrous mission that nearly killed her three decades ago.
And then, Ingrid is drawn once again into the world of international intrigue by an old friend/associate/love, as she suddenly leaves her husband and their circle of retired specialists, in order to finally solve the mystery of 'the fifth man', with nothing to go on but a stiletto and a picture. And to find out why supposedly 'safe' Russian defectors are suddenly in the crosshairs.
But is the danger much closer to home than Ingrid realizes?
Don't want to give away anything at all with respect to this one. I'll just say that I had no idea until the very end.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
First and foremost, a large thank you to NetGalley, Tess Gerritsen, and Thomas & Mercer for providing me with a copy of this publication, which allows me to provide you with an unbiased review.
Tess Gerritsen returns with another stellar entry in her Martini Club series, proving once again why she remains one of the most dependable voices in modern suspense. Blending Cold War intrigue with contemporary global threats, she crafts a thriller that is both intelligent and relentlessly entertaining.
When a renowned disease expert and Russian defector dies under suspicious circumstances during a global affairs conference in Purity, Maine, the retired intelligence operatives of the Martini Club are pulled back into a world they thought they had left behind. As another murder exposes links to a disastrous mission from decades earlier, Ingrid Slocum finds herself confronting ghosts from her past alongside a former CIA colleague and one-time lover. Their search for answers stretches from coastal Maine to Amsterdam, where old enemies remain determined to bury long-hidden secrets. Meanwhile, Maggie Bird and the rest of the Martini Club must rely on the espionage skills they once hoped never to use again.
Tess Gerritsen has long been an author I can rely on whenever I want a gripping thriller, and this novel reinforces exactly why. Her storytelling is sharp and purposeful, with every chapter building momentum and driving the narrative forward. Short, punchy chapters create an addictive pace, while Gerritsen expertly balances suspense, action, and mystery to keep readers fully invested. The Cold War backdrop never feels dated; instead, it provides a fascinating foundation for a story filled with deception, revenge, and shifting loyalties.
The characters continue to be one foundational strength for series fans. They can appreciate spending more time with the members of the Martini Club, each bringing distinct personalities, experience, and wit to the investigation. While I am still becoming fully acquainted with every member of the ensemble, Gerritsen skillfully develops each character without losing sight of the central mystery. Ingrid, in particular, receives compelling depth as her past and present collide in emotionally satisfying ways.
The plotting is expertly layered, offering plenty of twists, surprises, and well-timed revelations that prevent the story from becoming predictable. Just when events appear to settle into a familiar pattern, Gerritsen shifts the narrative in unexpected directions, ensuring the suspense rarely lets up. The blend of international espionage, personal history, and modern geopolitical tension creates a thoroughly engaging thriller that feels both fresh and classic.
I have admired Tess Gerritsen’s work for many years, and this stands among the strongest novels she has written in quite some time. Fans of intelligent espionage thrillers and character-driven suspense will find much to enjoy, and I am already looking forward to seeing where the Martini Club heads next. Highly recommended.
Kudos, Madam Gerritsen, for another highly entertaining read!
Love/hate the review?
An ever-growing collection of others appears at: http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/
Tess Gerritsen returns with another stellar entry in her Martini Club series, proving once again why she remains one of the most dependable voices in modern suspense. Blending Cold War intrigue with contemporary global threats, she crafts a thriller that is both intelligent and relentlessly entertaining.
When a renowned disease expert and Russian defector dies under suspicious circumstances during a global affairs conference in Purity, Maine, the retired intelligence operatives of the Martini Club are pulled back into a world they thought they had left behind. As another murder exposes links to a disastrous mission from decades earlier, Ingrid Slocum finds herself confronting ghosts from her past alongside a former CIA colleague and one-time lover. Their search for answers stretches from coastal Maine to Amsterdam, where old enemies remain determined to bury long-hidden secrets. Meanwhile, Maggie Bird and the rest of the Martini Club must rely on the espionage skills they once hoped never to use again.
Tess Gerritsen has long been an author I can rely on whenever I want a gripping thriller, and this novel reinforces exactly why. Her storytelling is sharp and purposeful, with every chapter building momentum and driving the narrative forward. Short, punchy chapters create an addictive pace, while Gerritsen expertly balances suspense, action, and mystery to keep readers fully invested. The Cold War backdrop never feels dated; instead, it provides a fascinating foundation for a story filled with deception, revenge, and shifting loyalties.
The characters continue to be one foundational strength for series fans. They can appreciate spending more time with the members of the Martini Club, each bringing distinct personalities, experience, and wit to the investigation. While I am still becoming fully acquainted with every member of the ensemble, Gerritsen skillfully develops each character without losing sight of the central mystery. Ingrid, in particular, receives compelling depth as her past and present collide in emotionally satisfying ways.
The plotting is expertly layered, offering plenty of twists, surprises, and well-timed revelations that prevent the story from becoming predictable. Just when events appear to settle into a familiar pattern, Gerritsen shifts the narrative in unexpected directions, ensuring the suspense rarely lets up. The blend of international espionage, personal history, and modern geopolitical tension creates a thoroughly engaging thriller that feels both fresh and classic.
I have admired Tess Gerritsen’s work for many years, and this stands among the strongest novels she has written in quite some time. Fans of intelligent espionage thrillers and character-driven suspense will find much to enjoy, and I am already looking forward to seeing where the Martini Club heads next. Highly recommended.
Kudos, Madam Gerritsen, for another highly entertaining read!
Love/hate the review?
An ever-growing collection of others appears at: http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Name of Book: The Shadow Friends
Series: The Martini Club #3
Author: Tess Gerritsen
Genre: Mystery/Thriller
Publisher: Thomas & Mercer
Pub Date: August 25, 2026
My Rating: 4.3 Stars
Pages: 336
This is Book 3 in the series and I did read the other two.
We were introduced to Maggie Bird in The Spy Coast Book #1 - ‘The Martini Club’ series”.
Maggie turned sixty and retired to Purity, Maine, ~ Several other retired CIA officers have already retired there and are busy doing retirement things- gardening, raising chickens, and reading books for their’ Martini Club’ book club gathering.
This group doesn’t tell anyone they're ex-Agency - once a secret agent, always a secret agent.
Story starts twenty-eight years when Ingrid Slocum is overseeing the protection of Sophie who as a waitress was a spy. Although discovered she was able to escape with help..…. While hiding out on an isolated farm in a very isolated area in Providence; they are sure she won’t be found. Only the Russians do find them. They kill Sophie, the two guard and Ingrid is wounded.
Ingrid knows she was ready to give up the spy business as well as her handsome CIA lover Rodrigo Estrada to be with Lloyd.
Rodrigo is now back in her life as a renowned disease expert and Russian defector dies mysteriously during a global affairs conference in Purity.
Then a waitress at the conference hotel is found murdered. This of course reminds Ingrid of her failed mission years ago.
Indrid and her husband Lloyd as well as former spies in the Martini Club - Maggie, Declan and Ben are needed and their quiet coastal retirement is interrupted as they head to Amsterdam to track down another would-be killer. It appears in this game of revenge and deception, the past never dies—it just hides in the shadows.
This was great and my favorite in the Martini Club series!
This is my twenty-eighth Tess Gerritsen novel.
I love her stories and call myself a fan!
As always, I love reading the Author’s notes and/or Acknowledgements.
In her Acknowledgements she of course thanks the many who helped her along the way. I enjoyed her thanks to her husband Jacob who is also an author. She tells us that there are times when there are in the same room not saying a word to each other as they are both listening to their later characters clamoring in their heads.
(I can totally picture this situation!)
I enjoy anything she writes but have to admit I sooo wish she would write another
Rizzoli and Isles story!!!
Want to thank NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for this eGalley.
Publishing Release Date scheduled for August 25, 2026.
Series: The Martini Club #3
Author: Tess Gerritsen
Genre: Mystery/Thriller
Publisher: Thomas & Mercer
Pub Date: August 25, 2026
My Rating: 4.3 Stars
Pages: 336
This is Book 3 in the series and I did read the other two.
We were introduced to Maggie Bird in The Spy Coast Book #1 - ‘The Martini Club’ series”.
Maggie turned sixty and retired to Purity, Maine, ~ Several other retired CIA officers have already retired there and are busy doing retirement things- gardening, raising chickens, and reading books for their’ Martini Club’ book club gathering.
This group doesn’t tell anyone they're ex-Agency - once a secret agent, always a secret agent.
Story starts twenty-eight years when Ingrid Slocum is overseeing the protection of Sophie who as a waitress was a spy. Although discovered she was able to escape with help..…. While hiding out on an isolated farm in a very isolated area in Providence; they are sure she won’t be found. Only the Russians do find them. They kill Sophie, the two guard and Ingrid is wounded.
Ingrid knows she was ready to give up the spy business as well as her handsome CIA lover Rodrigo Estrada to be with Lloyd.
Rodrigo is now back in her life as a renowned disease expert and Russian defector dies mysteriously during a global affairs conference in Purity.
Then a waitress at the conference hotel is found murdered. This of course reminds Ingrid of her failed mission years ago.
Indrid and her husband Lloyd as well as former spies in the Martini Club - Maggie, Declan and Ben are needed and their quiet coastal retirement is interrupted as they head to Amsterdam to track down another would-be killer. It appears in this game of revenge and deception, the past never dies—it just hides in the shadows.
This was great and my favorite in the Martini Club series!
This is my twenty-eighth Tess Gerritsen novel.
I love her stories and call myself a fan!
As always, I love reading the Author’s notes and/or Acknowledgements.
In her Acknowledgements she of course thanks the many who helped her along the way. I enjoyed her thanks to her husband Jacob who is also an author. She tells us that there are times when there are in the same room not saying a word to each other as they are both listening to their later characters clamoring in their heads.
(I can totally picture this situation!)
I enjoy anything she writes but have to admit I sooo wish she would write another
Rizzoli and Isles story!!!
Want to thank NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for this eGalley.
Publishing Release Date scheduled for August 25, 2026.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Spy novel enthusiasts, raise a glass! Tess Gerritsen’s “Martini Club” meets again, this time for a globe-trotting tale filled with romance, unsettled scores, vengeance, and chances to travel “roads not taken.”
First, if you’re new to Ms. Gerritson’s espionage series, you may be wondering just what, or who, is “The Martini Club?” Five retired CIA officers—four field agents and one analyst—who now live in the picturesque Maine seacoast town of Purity and spend their days gardening, reading, puttering, book-clubbing, and preparing and sharing gourmet meals along with plenty of gin, vodka, whiskey, and or wine. It’s quite the idyllic retirement, at least until some sort of catastrophe befalls one of them, or their town, at which point they feel compelled to become involved, much to the chagrin of police chief Jo Thibodeau
Gerritsen begins this third book in the series several decades ago with an attack by a Soviet hit squad upon a CIA safe house in Provence. Ingrid is the only agent to survive the attack, rescued by her fellow agent and former lover, the ever-dashing Rodrigo Estrada.
Fast forward to the present. Ingrid—now comfortably married to former analyst Lloyd Slocum—has put her excellent organizational skills to work arranging a security conference on the next possible global pandemic. Attended at a Purity hotel by some three hundred people, including her fellow Martini Club members, the conference proceeds according to plan—at least, until Rodrigo surprises Ingrid and Lloyd by showing up for the first time in decades. Then, one of the speakers is found dead in his hotel room, possibly from exposure to the Ebola virus. Then, a maid is found dead, stuffed into the trunk of her car. And then, Ingrid disappears.
Where has she gone, and why? And what will Lloyd and the other Martini Club members have to do in order to get her back?
It’s a tale that takes readers from Maine to Amsterdam to Madrid and back to Maine and that’s filled with danger, suspense, and CIA tradecraft. I especially liked Ms. Gerritsen’s portrayals of some of the ways intelligence operatives and analysts think and function.
It’s also a tale that features several love stories, and as the title indicates, some very meaningful friendships. I greatly enjoyed the characters and the relationships Ms. Gerritsen created.
All in all, a solid four-star read.
My thanks to NetGalley, author Tess Gerritsen, and publisher Thomas & Mercer for providing me with a complimentary electronic ARC. All of the foregoing is my honest, independent opinion.
First, if you’re new to Ms. Gerritson’s espionage series, you may be wondering just what, or who, is “The Martini Club?” Five retired CIA officers—four field agents and one analyst—who now live in the picturesque Maine seacoast town of Purity and spend their days gardening, reading, puttering, book-clubbing, and preparing and sharing gourmet meals along with plenty of gin, vodka, whiskey, and or wine. It’s quite the idyllic retirement, at least until some sort of catastrophe befalls one of them, or their town, at which point they feel compelled to become involved, much to the chagrin of police chief Jo Thibodeau
Gerritsen begins this third book in the series several decades ago with an attack by a Soviet hit squad upon a CIA safe house in Provence. Ingrid is the only agent to survive the attack, rescued by her fellow agent and former lover, the ever-dashing Rodrigo Estrada.
Fast forward to the present. Ingrid—now comfortably married to former analyst Lloyd Slocum—has put her excellent organizational skills to work arranging a security conference on the next possible global pandemic. Attended at a Purity hotel by some three hundred people, including her fellow Martini Club members, the conference proceeds according to plan—at least, until Rodrigo surprises Ingrid and Lloyd by showing up for the first time in decades. Then, one of the speakers is found dead in his hotel room, possibly from exposure to the Ebola virus. Then, a maid is found dead, stuffed into the trunk of her car. And then, Ingrid disappears.
Where has she gone, and why? And what will Lloyd and the other Martini Club members have to do in order to get her back?
It’s a tale that takes readers from Maine to Amsterdam to Madrid and back to Maine and that’s filled with danger, suspense, and CIA tradecraft. I especially liked Ms. Gerritsen’s portrayals of some of the ways intelligence operatives and analysts think and function.
It’s also a tale that features several love stories, and as the title indicates, some very meaningful friendships. I greatly enjoyed the characters and the relationships Ms. Gerritsen created.
All in all, a solid four-star read.
My thanks to NetGalley, author Tess Gerritsen, and publisher Thomas & Mercer for providing me with a complimentary electronic ARC. All of the foregoing is my honest, independent opinion.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
It is difficult to talk about Tess Gerritsen’s Martini Club series without resorting to a comparison to the Thursday Murder Club books from Richard Osman, each features a tightknit group of retirees with unique skills solving mysteries while having an awkward relationship with the local law enforcement. But each are excellent in different ways, the Martini Club is more international spy thriller intrigue while the Thursday Murder Club tends toward the cozy side of the business. Ms. Gerritsen’s latest, “The Shadow Friends”, even has our Martini Club leave the cozy confines of Purity, Maine and head across the pond to Amsterdam and beyond.
We start with a flashback to an earlier mission for one of our retirees, Ingrid Slocum, that ended up going totally belly-up and resulted in CIA assets killed. Ingrid was sure that there was a fifth gunman, although only four were discovered. The fallout for this mission resulted in Ingrid leaving her partner/lover Rodrigo and eventually marrying the steady and predictable CIA analyst Lloyd.
Back in Purity in the current day, Ingrid was roped into hosting an international conference on global affairs. Her ex-partner Rodrigo makes a surprise appearance, he has gone private and has a tempting job offer for Ingrid to become an active field agent once again. When one of the presenters (a Russian defector) dies mysteriously, and a local waitress is ruthlessly murdered, it seems like the Russian mob is active once again, sending Rodrigo and Ingrid on the run, trying to finish the mission that failed 30 years ago.
Of course the rest of the club aren’t going to sit idly by. Ben and Declan, along with police chief Jo Thibodeau, try to solve the local angle while Maggie and Lloyd pursue the missing Ingrid and Rodrigo throughout Europe. But all roads eventually lead back to Purity, as Ingrid confronts her past and her chosen path with a little help from her friends.
Another fine mystery with some old friends, this time the focus is on Ingrid instead of Maggie. Much more action and intrigue in this third chapter, the only disappointment was how quickly the friends seemed to suspect that Ingrid ran off with her ex-lover, one would think they’d have a little more faith after all these years. But that’s a small complaint, the rest of the story was fantastic, eagerly anticipating the next visit.
I requested and received a free advanced electronic copy from Thomas & Mercer via NetGalley. Thank you!
We start with a flashback to an earlier mission for one of our retirees, Ingrid Slocum, that ended up going totally belly-up and resulted in CIA assets killed. Ingrid was sure that there was a fifth gunman, although only four were discovered. The fallout for this mission resulted in Ingrid leaving her partner/lover Rodrigo and eventually marrying the steady and predictable CIA analyst Lloyd.
Back in Purity in the current day, Ingrid was roped into hosting an international conference on global affairs. Her ex-partner Rodrigo makes a surprise appearance, he has gone private and has a tempting job offer for Ingrid to become an active field agent once again. When one of the presenters (a Russian defector) dies mysteriously, and a local waitress is ruthlessly murdered, it seems like the Russian mob is active once again, sending Rodrigo and Ingrid on the run, trying to finish the mission that failed 30 years ago.
Of course the rest of the club aren’t going to sit idly by. Ben and Declan, along with police chief Jo Thibodeau, try to solve the local angle while Maggie and Lloyd pursue the missing Ingrid and Rodrigo throughout Europe. But all roads eventually lead back to Purity, as Ingrid confronts her past and her chosen path with a little help from her friends.
Another fine mystery with some old friends, this time the focus is on Ingrid instead of Maggie. Much more action and intrigue in this third chapter, the only disappointment was how quickly the friends seemed to suspect that Ingrid ran off with her ex-lover, one would think they’d have a little more faith after all these years. But that’s a small complaint, the rest of the story was fantastic, eagerly anticipating the next visit.
I requested and received a free advanced electronic copy from Thomas & Mercer via NetGalley. Thank you!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
4.5 Stars
We're back with our retired CIA agents. Aka The Martini Club.
Ingrid is in the middle of things this time. An old case and an old flame come calling ... very close to home. And then all over Europe and back.
I really enjoyed this.
It was so exciting and suspensy, a bit funny and a bit heartbreaking.
Great third book in this series. Great locations. Great cast of people.
I really want to see this on TV one day.
click ► HERE! to buy the book!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I find my enjoyment of some series is based as much on my love of the characters as a well done plot. Such is the case with The Martini Club series. These retired folks are people I’d love to know and share cocktails with.
The Shadow Friends is the third in the series and as good as the first two. Purity, Maine, where the Martini Club makes its home, is hosting a conference on global affairs. When one of the speakers, a Russian defector, dies under mysterious circumstances, followed by the murder of a waitress, Ingrid finds herself drawn back into the spy game. But this time, she strikes off alone, leaving her husband, Lloyd, and her buddies and former CIA cohorts behind. I loved the underlying current of not knowing whom to trust. Also, poor Lloyd is left wondering exactly what’s behind Ingrid’s departure and whether a handsome ex-colleague might have something to do with it. The story’s romantic angle was heart warming even if I wanted to throttle Lloyd for putting himself and others in harm’s way.
There’s no downtime, with the gang finding themselves in multiple dangerous situations.
Gerritsen plays into the current political scene with the administration’s loyalty tests and seeming love of Putin’s dictatorship. Meanwhile, it’s a reminder that Russia doesn’t share our belief that the Cold War is over.
While it probably could work as a stand-alone, I believe it would work much better reading them in order. I don’t often compare books, but fans of The Thursday Murder Club series will also find much to appreciate with The Martini Club. The characters are similar in not just their age, but their intelligence levels. This does move at a faster pace, much more in the thriller than mystery category.
My thanks to Netgalley and Thomas & Mercer for an advance copy of this book.
The Shadow Friends is the third in the series and as good as the first two. Purity, Maine, where the Martini Club makes its home, is hosting a conference on global affairs. When one of the speakers, a Russian defector, dies under mysterious circumstances, followed by the murder of a waitress, Ingrid finds herself drawn back into the spy game. But this time, she strikes off alone, leaving her husband, Lloyd, and her buddies and former CIA cohorts behind. I loved the underlying current of not knowing whom to trust. Also, poor Lloyd is left wondering exactly what’s behind Ingrid’s departure and whether a handsome ex-colleague might have something to do with it. The story’s romantic angle was heart warming even if I wanted to throttle Lloyd for putting himself and others in harm’s way.
There’s no downtime, with the gang finding themselves in multiple dangerous situations.
Gerritsen plays into the current political scene with the administration’s loyalty tests and seeming love of Putin’s dictatorship. Meanwhile, it’s a reminder that Russia doesn’t share our belief that the Cold War is over.
While it probably could work as a stand-alone, I believe it would work much better reading them in order. I don’t often compare books, but fans of The Thursday Murder Club series will also find much to appreciate with The Martini Club. The characters are similar in not just their age, but their intelligence levels. This does move at a faster pace, much more in the thriller than mystery category.
My thanks to Netgalley and Thomas & Mercer for an advance copy of this book.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
The Martini Club #3
The Shadow Friends by Tess Gerritsen
With this third book in The Martini Club series, we get to see our former spy friends, older and just as wise as ever, continuing to do what needs to be done to keep themselves off the radar of others while also keeping others safe. A renowned disease expert and Russian defector dies at a conference in Purity, Maine, now the home of former CIA operatives Ingrid, (and spouse, Lloyd), Maggie, Declan and Ben. Then a waitress for the conference hotel is murdered in a way that brings back Ingrid's last failed mission and she can't let this threat go without doing something about it.
Thirty years ago, Ingrid knew she was ready to give up the spy business to be with Lloyd, so much more trustworthy and emotionally dependable than her CIA lover, Rodrigo, a handsome, suave lover who Ingrid realized would always have a roving eye and active love life that included other women. Now Rodrigo wants her in his private agency of retired spies and also in his arms, Rodrigo, who is just as charming and handsome as ever. And he also wants revenge for their last mission together, to get justice for their co-workers and the woman they had been trying to protect.
Will the rest of the Purity group allow Ingrid to slink off alone to meet danger? No, of course not, so off some of them go to get Ingrid back, to stop her from whatever she is doing, and to find out just what is going on that made her leave them without telling them her plans. This group may be older in body but they have been very busy in their retired years. They are no where near as rusty as they might have been if they hadn't been living full lives and always brainstorming and challenging each other in life and play.
But they are dealing with assassins, people much younger and hungrier than they are now. On the home front, young police chief Jo Thibodeau, so often stymied by this group, but more often taken under their wing and fed and martini-ed now that they have all become such good friends, is having to deal with the fall out of whatever it is that Ingrid and company are doing. Jo is a favorite character of mine, sort of the everywoman more than meeting her match, over and over, when this group continues to go rogue, one way or another. It's nice to be back with these folks but it's hard to see some of them hurting when they can't understand why Ingrid won't let them help.
Expected publication August 25, 2026
Thank you to Thomas & Mercer and NetGalley for this ARC
The Shadow Friends by Tess Gerritsen
With this third book in The Martini Club series, we get to see our former spy friends, older and just as wise as ever, continuing to do what needs to be done to keep themselves off the radar of others while also keeping others safe. A renowned disease expert and Russian defector dies at a conference in Purity, Maine, now the home of former CIA operatives Ingrid, (and spouse, Lloyd), Maggie, Declan and Ben. Then a waitress for the conference hotel is murdered in a way that brings back Ingrid's last failed mission and she can't let this threat go without doing something about it.
Thirty years ago, Ingrid knew she was ready to give up the spy business to be with Lloyd, so much more trustworthy and emotionally dependable than her CIA lover, Rodrigo, a handsome, suave lover who Ingrid realized would always have a roving eye and active love life that included other women. Now Rodrigo wants her in his private agency of retired spies and also in his arms, Rodrigo, who is just as charming and handsome as ever. And he also wants revenge for their last mission together, to get justice for their co-workers and the woman they had been trying to protect.
Will the rest of the Purity group allow Ingrid to slink off alone to meet danger? No, of course not, so off some of them go to get Ingrid back, to stop her from whatever she is doing, and to find out just what is going on that made her leave them without telling them her plans. This group may be older in body but they have been very busy in their retired years. They are no where near as rusty as they might have been if they hadn't been living full lives and always brainstorming and challenging each other in life and play.
But they are dealing with assassins, people much younger and hungrier than they are now. On the home front, young police chief Jo Thibodeau, so often stymied by this group, but more often taken under their wing and fed and martini-ed now that they have all become such good friends, is having to deal with the fall out of whatever it is that Ingrid and company are doing. Jo is a favorite character of mine, sort of the everywoman more than meeting her match, over and over, when this group continues to go rogue, one way or another. It's nice to be back with these folks but it's hard to see some of them hurting when they can't understand why Ingrid won't let them help.
Expected publication August 25, 2026
Thank you to Thomas & Mercer and NetGalley for this ARC
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
The Shadow Friends is the third book in the Martini Club series by Tess Gerritsen. I have read and loved the other two already and can say that the newest one, coming August 25th, is another top read!
The Martini Club is a group of five friends who are all former spies. They may be retired but you should never count them out. Their skills come in handy when things start happening in Purity, Maine, the cozy town that is a hotbed for activity. Knowing they can be helpful and also wanting to still be of use, they are always eager to assist police chief Jo Thibadeau. She manages to put up with their interference in her investigations but also welcomes the help even if she's not entirely clear on how they do it.
The friendship among our former spies is wonderful and a comfort to the reader. When one of them gets in trouble you know the others will have their back. It's fun watching how skillfully, mostly, they navigate situations. It's also fun watching their relationship with Jo grow. There is action, humor, and a little coziness in this quick read.
We move outside of Purity a little in this one and get some background on Ingrid who is not someone I'd want to mess with. A former colleague has come asking for her help. Meanwhile a Russian defector and a waitress are killed at a conference. The international mission and the murder in Purity feel urgent. There's a scene with Maggie early on that had me cringing and scared for her. Some new characters are introduced and I wouldn't be surprised if we saw more from them in another book. I love this series with its setting, writing, and characters!
Thank you to Netgalley for the chance to read!
The Martini Club is a group of five friends who are all former spies. They may be retired but you should never count them out. Their skills come in handy when things start happening in Purity, Maine, the cozy town that is a hotbed for activity. Knowing they can be helpful and also wanting to still be of use, they are always eager to assist police chief Jo Thibadeau. She manages to put up with their interference in her investigations but also welcomes the help even if she's not entirely clear on how they do it.
The friendship among our former spies is wonderful and a comfort to the reader. When one of them gets in trouble you know the others will have their back. It's fun watching how skillfully, mostly, they navigate situations. It's also fun watching their relationship with Jo grow. There is action, humor, and a little coziness in this quick read.
We move outside of Purity a little in this one and get some background on Ingrid who is not someone I'd want to mess with. A former colleague has come asking for her help. Meanwhile a Russian defector and a waitress are killed at a conference. The international mission and the murder in Purity feel urgent. There's a scene with Maggie early on that had me cringing and scared for her. Some new characters are introduced and I wouldn't be surprised if we saw more from them in another book. I love this series with its setting, writing, and characters!
Thank you to Netgalley for the chance to read!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
When Tess Gerritsen ends The Shadow Friends (release date: August 2026) with “perhaps,” is she promising us more sagas about the Martini Club? I sure hope so!
Retired US operatives living in a quiet town in Maine, Maggie, Ben, Declan, Lloyd and Ingrid have become friends. Not predictable friends, even to themselves, but intriguing friends.
The story starts out in Ingrid’s past because that fifth person she was sure was in the charging SUV never really was a figment of her imagination. Nor was Rodrigo…
Speakers at the annual Stone Coast Conference run by Ingrid are giving bold talks about Russian germ warfare when all of a sudden the quiet town becomes a murder scene. Russian speaker, Dr. Mikhail Maslow — a formerly protected ex-Russian spy — is found dead in his room.
Gerritsen deftly makes the reader wonder about a lot of people as suspects. The Martini Club is considering options as well when Rodrigo, an old partner of Ingrid’s shows up and she takes off to parts unknown. No warning and no explanation to her husband Lloyd.
Lloyd sets out to rescue his wife, accompanied by Maggie, who realizes as a former analyst, that Lloyd is no match for the world Ingrid is about to challenge.
A master of twists and turns, near-death wrong moves and constantly changing alliances, Gerritsen lets the reader and the Martini Club doubt their understanding of loyalty to each other and their responsibility as protectors of government secrets. This is another winner! I personally am already looking for book 4!!
Thanks to NetGalley for a review copy.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Great next edition of our favorite Maine former spooks, aka the Martini Club.
When Ingrid is the organizer and emcee of an international symposium dealing with the threat of bioweapons,
the town becomes a crime scene. The main presenter, an expert on African contagions, is found non responsive in his room, showing signs of an unknown poisoning, the hotel is under siege with CIA and other law enforcement officers, seeking to find the cause of his sudden illness. Ingrid, having found him and given CPR including mouth to mouth, is quarantined in their local hospital as they watch her for signs of any contaminant within her body.
And the story takes off as the remaining members of the Martini Club join forces to try to solve the mystery. much to the dismay of Jo, the local police chief, who simply can not believe that once again, this group is in the thick of a murder investigation in her used to be, quiet, little seaside town.
When it turns out the present-day murder could be linked to a past murder by Russian mafia thugs, from years ago when Ingrid and her partner were involved in a sabotage at their safe house, the stakes are suddenly raised.
The story is filled with murder, mystery and marvelous mayhem, as Ingrid takes off for parts unknown with her former Agency partner to try yo track down the killer of her speaker and Lloyd takes off with Maggie to try to find Ingrid.
An entertainingly riveting story with old, familiar and thoroughly captivating characters.
Great read.
When Ingrid is the organizer and emcee of an international symposium dealing with the threat of bioweapons,
the town becomes a crime scene. The main presenter, an expert on African contagions, is found non responsive in his room, showing signs of an unknown poisoning, the hotel is under siege with CIA and other law enforcement officers, seeking to find the cause of his sudden illness. Ingrid, having found him and given CPR including mouth to mouth, is quarantined in their local hospital as they watch her for signs of any contaminant within her body.
And the story takes off as the remaining members of the Martini Club join forces to try to solve the mystery. much to the dismay of Jo, the local police chief, who simply can not believe that once again, this group is in the thick of a murder investigation in her used to be, quiet, little seaside town.
When it turns out the present-day murder could be linked to a past murder by Russian mafia thugs, from years ago when Ingrid and her partner were involved in a sabotage at their safe house, the stakes are suddenly raised.
The story is filled with murder, mystery and marvelous mayhem, as Ingrid takes off for parts unknown with her former Agency partner to try yo track down the killer of her speaker and Lloyd takes off with Maggie to try to find Ingrid.
An entertainingly riveting story with old, familiar and thoroughly captivating characters.
Great read.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
This is such a fun series that when I saw this book offered on NetGalley, I immediately requested it and was thrilled to receive an advanced copy. It was a quick read, hard to put down - I enjoy reading about the camaraderie of the Martini Club and their community - Purity, ME along with their use of their CIA skills to solve crimes. They can’t keep out of investigating a crime and this series, for me, provides a hard to put down - fun read mystery.
The story opens with the death of a disease expert - Russian defector - who arrived from Africa having helped combat ebola (infected by ebola? Or killed?). He was to speak at an international conference on bioweapons organized by Ingrid. This is quickly followed by the murder of a hotel employee. Are the deaths connected?
Ingrid’s past is catching up to the present when Rodrigo, an old colleague/lover, shows up at the conference. And she discovers the murder weapon may be tied to an old case she was involved in w/Rodrigo. Then she disappears - did she leave Lloyd to join Rodrigo and under which context (romance? Investigation? both?).
The Martini Club can’t resist a mystery, so they find out more about the victims. And then Ingrid disappears...willingly? with Rodrigo? Where is she? Why? This was a quick and enjoyable read!
I recommend this series to fans of Richard Osman’s Thursday Murder Club series.
Thank you to Tess Gerritsen, Thomas & Mercer and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this e-book.
Review of advance copy received from Storygraph
Release: August 25, 2026
Author: Tess Gerritsen
Publisher: Thomas & Mercer
Rating: 3.5★
Thoughts:
This was such a fun mix of espionage and character-driven drama. I loved the older, retired spy angle—it made everything feel fresh compared to typical thrillers. The pacing and international elements kept it exciting without losing the emotional stakes.
This book suits someone in the mood for something: adventurous, tense, mysterious
Pace: fast
Plot or Character Driven?: a mix
Strong Character Development?: yes
Loveable Characters?: yes
Diverse Cast?: it’s complicated
Are Character Flaws a Main Focus?: it’s complicated
Main Themes / Tropes:
retired spies, international intrigue, past catching up, assassination plot, second chances
Synopsis:
When a suspicious death disrupts a seemingly routine conference, a group of retired intelligence operatives is thrust back into a world they thought they had long since abandoned. As Ingrid Slocum confronts the lingering consequences of a mission gone disastrously wrong, the past resurfaces with lethal intent, blurring the boundaries between loyalty and betrayal. Spanning continents and decades, the narrative deftly explores the enduring weight of unfinished business and the inescapable pull of a life once lived in the shadows.
Favorite Quote:
"fear isn't only something we feel; it changes our brains, our perceptions, and our actions."
Author: Tess Gerritsen
Publisher: Thomas & Mercer
Rating: 3.5★
Thoughts:
This was such a fun mix of espionage and character-driven drama. I loved the older, retired spy angle—it made everything feel fresh compared to typical thrillers. The pacing and international elements kept it exciting without losing the emotional stakes.
This book suits someone in the mood for something: adventurous, tense, mysterious
Pace: fast
Plot or Character Driven?: a mix
Strong Character Development?: yes
Loveable Characters?: yes
Diverse Cast?: it’s complicated
Are Character Flaws a Main Focus?: it’s complicated
Main Themes / Tropes:
retired spies, international intrigue, past catching up, assassination plot, second chances
Synopsis:
When a suspicious death disrupts a seemingly routine conference, a group of retired intelligence operatives is thrust back into a world they thought they had long since abandoned. As Ingrid Slocum confronts the lingering consequences of a mission gone disastrously wrong, the past resurfaces with lethal intent, blurring the boundaries between loyalty and betrayal. Spanning continents and decades, the narrative deftly explores the enduring weight of unfinished business and the inescapable pull of a life once lived in the shadows.
Favorite Quote:
"fear isn't only something we feel; it changes our brains, our perceptions, and our actions."
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I was thrilled to discover this new-to-me series by woman of (crime) letters Tess Gerritson. The Shadow Friends is the third in her Martini Club series about a friendship group of former CIA agents attempting to live a quiet life in a town called Purity. There’s nothing folksy or cosy about them - they are smart, passionate and complex - so refreshing to find a third act of life story that doesn’t diminish people over fifty. For all that the book is thoughtful about what this stage of life is like:
Once, she could think: Someday I'll pick up the guitar, or I'll learn to speak Arabic. Now she'd come to accept that those things might never happen, that there were not enough years left in her lifetime.
The story begins with two suspicious deaths, one of which alerts Ingrid as the unusual method of death is one that she has seen before from a case-gone-wrong that has haunted her. This combined with the return of an old flame sets the story in motion. The book is very interesting in a post Cold War landscape.
"The Agency has changed since we retired," said Ben. "There's been a recent realignment of priorities and the new leadership doesn't seem to think of Russia as the enemy. Now it's more about absolute loyalty to these new folks in charge.
The Shadow Friends is a pacy, gritty exciting read with excellent plotting, world building and characters.
Thank you Tess Gerritson, the publisher and NetGalley for sharing this review copy with me.
Once, she could think: Someday I'll pick up the guitar, or I'll learn to speak Arabic. Now she'd come to accept that those things might never happen, that there were not enough years left in her lifetime.
The story begins with two suspicious deaths, one of which alerts Ingrid as the unusual method of death is one that she has seen before from a case-gone-wrong that has haunted her. This combined with the return of an old flame sets the story in motion. The book is very interesting in a post Cold War landscape.
"The Agency has changed since we retired," said Ben. "There's been a recent realignment of priorities and the new leadership doesn't seem to think of Russia as the enemy. Now it's more about absolute loyalty to these new folks in charge.
The Shadow Friends is a pacy, gritty exciting read with excellent plotting, world building and characters.
Thank you Tess Gerritson, the publisher and NetGalley for sharing this review copy with me.
February 8, 2026
Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC of Shadow Friends by Tess Gerritson
This is, without question, the strongest instalment in The Martini Club series to date. As a long-time fan, I went in with high expectations and this delivered on every level. What begins with a suspicious death at a prestigious medical conference quickly spirals into something far darker, especially when a second murder follows, committed with chilling precision. From that point on, the tension barely lets up.
Maggie Bird and the rest of the Martini Club are on superb form. Their shared history, sharp instincts and quiet loyalty make them a formidable team, and I was rooting for them from the very first chapter. The author handles the shifting layers of intrigue with real finesse, gradually revealing how past missions and long-buried secrets are colliding with the present in dangerous ways.
The pacing is immaculate, controlled, deliberate and utterly gripping, with each reveal pulling the reader deeper into the mystery. The blend of espionage, murder and character driven storytelling kept me reading late into the night, eager to see how it would all unfold.
Smart, atmospheric and deeply satisfying, The Shadow Friends is a standout thriller and an absolute five-star read. Tess Gerritsen is at the top of her game, and this series just keeps getting better.
This is, without question, the strongest instalment in The Martini Club series to date. As a long-time fan, I went in with high expectations and this delivered on every level. What begins with a suspicious death at a prestigious medical conference quickly spirals into something far darker, especially when a second murder follows, committed with chilling precision. From that point on, the tension barely lets up.
Maggie Bird and the rest of the Martini Club are on superb form. Their shared history, sharp instincts and quiet loyalty make them a formidable team, and I was rooting for them from the very first chapter. The author handles the shifting layers of intrigue with real finesse, gradually revealing how past missions and long-buried secrets are colliding with the present in dangerous ways.
The pacing is immaculate, controlled, deliberate and utterly gripping, with each reveal pulling the reader deeper into the mystery. The blend of espionage, murder and character driven storytelling kept me reading late into the night, eager to see how it would all unfold.
Smart, atmospheric and deeply satisfying, The Shadow Friends is a standout thriller and an absolute five-star read. Tess Gerritsen is at the top of her game, and this series just keeps getting better.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
This series features a group of retired spies who dub themselves “The Martini Club”and now reside in Purity, Maine. An infectious disease specialist is found dead at a conference organized by Ingrid Slocum, one of the club’s members. Tragically, a brutal murder of a hotel waitress follows, reminiscent of a case Ingrid handled in the past. When a colleague from that time reappears, Ingrid can’t resist going back into action to seek retribution for an earlier case that went awry. As Ingrid embarks on a journey into international intrigue, her fellow Martini Club members are left frantically searching for her.
This is the third in The Martini Club series by best selling author Tess Gerritsen. Although I have read and enjoyed the prior installments, this one does work as a stand alone. However, delving into the first two books will provide more background and a greater understanding of these characters.
This narrative is fast paced, entertaining, and suspenseful. It is an engrossing read with great characters. They are bold, resilient, loyal, and indomitable, not to mention a bit geriatric. I eagerly anticipate the next installment in the series, eager to uncover the secrets that lie ahead for these formidable individuals.
Thanks to @NetGalley and @AmazonPublishing #ThomasandMercer for the DRC.
This is the third in The Martini Club series by best selling author Tess Gerritsen. Although I have read and enjoyed the prior installments, this one does work as a stand alone. However, delving into the first two books will provide more background and a greater understanding of these characters.
This narrative is fast paced, entertaining, and suspenseful. It is an engrossing read with great characters. They are bold, resilient, loyal, and indomitable, not to mention a bit geriatric. I eagerly anticipate the next installment in the series, eager to uncover the secrets that lie ahead for these formidable individuals.
Thanks to @NetGalley and @AmazonPublishing #ThomasandMercer for the DRC.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
4 solid stars for book 3 in the Martini Club series. I have read books 1 and 2 in the series. While this book would work as a stand alone, you will better understand some background elements to this book, i.e.:
How the Martini Club(a group of retired CIA covert operatives and 1 one desk analyst) came about in the fictional town of Purity, Maine.
See a senior citizen romance that starts in book 2 come into full bloom in this book.
This book opens with a global affairs conference in Purity. Various experts are speaking on doomsday scenarios that could cause catastrophic loss of life, such as germ warfare. When one of the speakers fails to appear, Ingrid, one of the retired spies, goes to investigate. When he doesn't answer the door, she persuades a maid to let her in. The scientist dies and Ingrid is put into isolation, for fear that she could be contagious. As the plot progresses, another death leads Ingrid to believe that a covert Russian assassin is killing people.
Besides the Martini Club members, there is a private contractor company, hired by the CIA, involved in the hunt for the killer. Part of the plot involves an incident from Ingrid's past. The suspense builds as some members of the club intervene unexpectedly and cause complications. I enjoy the characters and the plots in this series and recommend it to mystery fans and fans of the author.
Both my wife and I enjoy this series.
Triggers:none
Thank You Thomas and Mercer for sending med this eARC through NetGalley.
#TheShadowFriends #NetGalley.
Pub Date Aug 25 2026
How the Martini Club(a group of retired CIA covert operatives and 1 one desk analyst) came about in the fictional town of Purity, Maine.
See a senior citizen romance that starts in book 2 come into full bloom in this book.
This book opens with a global affairs conference in Purity. Various experts are speaking on doomsday scenarios that could cause catastrophic loss of life, such as germ warfare. When one of the speakers fails to appear, Ingrid, one of the retired spies, goes to investigate. When he doesn't answer the door, she persuades a maid to let her in. The scientist dies and Ingrid is put into isolation, for fear that she could be contagious. As the plot progresses, another death leads Ingrid to believe that a covert Russian assassin is killing people.
Besides the Martini Club members, there is a private contractor company, hired by the CIA, involved in the hunt for the killer. Part of the plot involves an incident from Ingrid's past. The suspense builds as some members of the club intervene unexpectedly and cause complications. I enjoy the characters and the plots in this series and recommend it to mystery fans and fans of the author.
Both my wife and I enjoy this series.
Triggers:none
Thank You Thomas and Mercer for sending med this eARC through NetGalley.
#TheShadowFriends #NetGalley.
Pub Date Aug 25 2026
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Maggie, Declan, Lloyd, Ingrid, and Ben return in “The Shadow Friends,” the next installment of Tess Gerritsen’s Martini Club series, which follows five seniors who just happen to be former CIA operatives.
In this story, Ingrid’s past comes back to haunt her in the form of her ex-colleague and still-dangerously-charming former lover. He pulls her into a secret mission that she keeps even from Lloyd, her husband of 28 years. When Ingrid suddenly disappears, Lloyd teams up with Maggie and heads to Europe to track her down and uncover what she’s hiding. Meanwhile, back in Purity, Maine, the rest of the group investigates the murder of a visiting presenter at a convention and tries to untangle how that death connects to the murder of a hotel housekeeper. The story flies by at a frenetic pace as secrets are revealed and long-standing relationships are tested. Ms. Gerritsen clearly knows what her readers want and continues to deliver.
Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for the advance copy in exchange for my honest review. This is a fun, fast read and a worthy addition to the Martini Club series.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
This is the third book in a series featuring five retired CIA employees living in a quiet New England town. One had been an analyst, the others had hands-on field roles. They’re collectively called The Martini Club because their propensity to gather together to enjoy (maybe binge on) their favourite tipple. But it seems they’re also continuously on the lookout for events/cases that prick their interest and in which they can impose themselves. Here, it all kicks off when a tragic event occurs at a conference being managed by one of the five.
It certainly opens dramatically and it quickly drew me in. I didn’t miss the fact that I’d skipped the first two books; this one can definitely be read as a stand-alone. But after the fast start it settled into an uneasy mix of a driving, tension filled narrative sat alongside regular folksy elements generated by the antics of this ageing crew of alcohol swilling friends. I enjoyed the story, but my personal tastes typically run to tales tinged with a more hardboiled flavour.
My thanks to Thomas & Mercer for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
It certainly opens dramatically and it quickly drew me in. I didn’t miss the fact that I’d skipped the first two books; this one can definitely be read as a stand-alone. But after the fast start it settled into an uneasy mix of a driving, tension filled narrative sat alongside regular folksy elements generated by the antics of this ageing crew of alcohol swilling friends. I enjoyed the story, but my personal tastes typically run to tales tinged with a more hardboiled flavour.
My thanks to Thomas & Mercer for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
How would you respond when your past unexpectedly comes calling to your present? In The Shadow Friends, the highly complicated (and covert) CIA past lives of several retired friends (self-named, "The Martini Club") come calling to their current small-town of Purity, Maine, with old enemies, contract killers and consultants throughout. Even further still, what would you do (and how do you respond) when your friends start going missing?
Two of my favorites in the series and the husband/wife paid, Lloyd and Ingrid, had a lot of the focus for the book. Per usual, Ms. Gerritsen wove in humor, wit, and spy jargon in a very enjoyable and easy-to-read way. The dialogue was constantly evolving and kept my interest.
While I enjoyed the earlier two books in the series (The Spy Coast and The Summer Guests), I liked this book the most. Overall, a nice thriller and a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5 read (rounded up). Looking forward to re-reading when this releases in August 2026! Thanks again to NetGalley and Ms. Gerritsen for the ARC copy of this book, in exchange for an honest review.
Two of my favorites in the series and the husband/wife paid, Lloyd and Ingrid, had a lot of the focus for the book. Per usual, Ms. Gerritsen wove in humor, wit, and spy jargon in a very enjoyable and easy-to-read way. The dialogue was constantly evolving and kept my interest.
While I enjoyed the earlier two books in the series (The Spy Coast and The Summer Guests), I liked this book the most. Overall, a nice thriller and a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5 read (rounded up). Looking forward to re-reading when this releases in August 2026! Thanks again to NetGalley and Ms. Gerritsen for the ARC copy of this book, in exchange for an honest review.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
After a Russian defector dies during a conference in Maine, The Shadow Friends follows retired spies (The Martini Club) as they are re-engaged in global intrigue.
When a renowned disease expert and Russian defector dies mysteriously during a local conference, a series of events pulls Ingrid back into the world of international intrigue. I bit my fingernails as Ingrid dealt with the mystery of a murdered hotel employee, having a hunky ex-lover appear, and racing to Amsterdam to track down a would-be killer ... all while being pursued by a clandestine network of assassins. I want to be THAT kind of senior citizen!!
I love this series so much! The Shadow Friends has lightning-fast pacing, and all of the characters are believable and wonderful. I highly recommend this book.
HUGE thanks to #ThomasAndMercer for providing this book for consideration and review via #NetGalley. All opinions are my own. The Shadow Friends has an expected publication date of August 25, 2026.
#TessGerritsen #Espionage #Thriller #Mystery #Series
When a renowned disease expert and Russian defector dies mysteriously during a local conference, a series of events pulls Ingrid back into the world of international intrigue. I bit my fingernails as Ingrid dealt with the mystery of a murdered hotel employee, having a hunky ex-lover appear, and racing to Amsterdam to track down a would-be killer ... all while being pursued by a clandestine network of assassins. I want to be THAT kind of senior citizen!!
I love this series so much! The Shadow Friends has lightning-fast pacing, and all of the characters are believable and wonderful. I highly recommend this book.
HUGE thanks to #ThomasAndMercer for providing this book for consideration and review via #NetGalley. All opinions are my own. The Shadow Friends has an expected publication date of August 25, 2026.
#TessGerritsen #Espionage #Thriller #Mystery #Series
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
The Shadow Friends is the 3rd book in this series which features a group of retired CIA agents who all live in a small Maine town, calling themselves The Martini Club. In this installment, a Russian dissident and expert in infectious diseases is found dead in his hotel room where he was a featured speaker in a global conference. When a waitress at the same hotel is also found dead in the parking lot, The Martini Club is thrust into action, and one of them sees parallels to an old mission of hers that went haywire. This is a highly enjoyable and entertaining series, as our older retired spies have lost none of their special skills and use them to help solve the murders. The book moves along swiftly, the characters are all fun and easy to root for and the plot is relevant and timely in another great read in this series. Hopefully looking forward to more! I received an ARC of this book from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
The third installment in the Martini Club wins out for being my all-time favorite of the series. I was immediately sucked into this nail-biter and couldn't put it down. While this particular thriller focuses more on Ingrid and part of her backstory, I enjoyed having more development and activity from all of the characters in the larger roles that they played. The group always felt closeknit to me, even though they were still guarded with their secrets, but by the end of the book, I felt like they became even closer than before. What an excellent addition to the series! These books just keep getting better and better in my opinion. It was fun to spend time with the infamous gang again and get swept up in another mystery. I loved it and I'm looking forward to reading the next adventure in this series.
Thank you to Thomas & Mercer and NetGalley for granting me a digital ARC in exchange for my honest review!
Thank you to Thomas & Mercer and NetGalley for granting me a digital ARC in exchange for my honest review!
January 27, 2026
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my copy of this book.
When a scientist is killed and then a house keeper turns up dead, the martini club start their own investigation. All signs point to a case from Ingrid’s past life. She can’t share any disappears. Is she the mole?
This was another great martini club novel. It starts with an episode from Ingrid’s past. This was revealing! A fast paced book that was both exciting, but so tense I could feel my jaw tighten! All I wanted to do was get to the bottom of this case. As always there were twists and turns until the end. I was wrong about the mole, I had no clue. I really enjoyed the challenge of reading and puzzling things out along with the characters. I enjoy that the. ‘heroes’ are older, with experience. The slow build if background knowledge makes what we know-spies- feel more real.
Great book, 100% recommend.
When a scientist is killed and then a house keeper turns up dead, the martini club start their own investigation. All signs point to a case from Ingrid’s past life. She can’t share any disappears. Is she the mole?
This was another great martini club novel. It starts with an episode from Ingrid’s past. This was revealing! A fast paced book that was both exciting, but so tense I could feel my jaw tighten! All I wanted to do was get to the bottom of this case. As always there were twists and turns until the end. I was wrong about the mole, I had no clue. I really enjoyed the challenge of reading and puzzling things out along with the characters. I enjoy that the. ‘heroes’ are older, with experience. The slow build if background knowledge makes what we know-spies- feel more real.
Great book, 100% recommend.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I have read all the other books in the Martini Club series, so I was very excited to receive this one. It was a great read in keeping with the strong characterisation and immersive writing style of Gerritsen. The action was fast-paced and at times it truly felt like you could see the images right before you because she was so descriptive in both setting and character's emotions.
I especially enjoyed the theme of ageism and covert sexism in the spy field.
There were two twists that I didn't see coming until right before the reveal which speaks well to the pace and revelation of information. In keeping with Gerritsen's writing, the twists were believable and gave you the "dang, I should have seen that coming" feeling. This book was a quick read, albeit dense, because I didn't want to put it down.
I can't wait to see what the Martini Club is up to next!
I especially enjoyed the theme of ageism and covert sexism in the spy field.
There were two twists that I didn't see coming until right before the reveal which speaks well to the pace and revelation of information. In keeping with Gerritsen's writing, the twists were believable and gave you the "dang, I should have seen that coming" feeling. This book was a quick read, albeit dense, because I didn't want to put it down.
I can't wait to see what the Martini Club is up to next!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 76 reviews