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The Martini Club #3
The Shadow Friends: A Thriller
THE 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, Paperback
First published August 25, 2026
About the author
Tess Gerritsen
161 books22k 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.
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August 19, 2026
Retire another day.
When a Russian defector mysteriously collapses at a global affairs conference in Purity, Maine and a waitress is murdered at the same hotel, the Martini Club's peaceful (ahem) retirement from the CIA is once again abruptly interrupted - especially once one of their own recognizes disturbing connections to a mission gone wrong from three decades ago.
With the renewed interest in geriatric sleuths following the success of Richard Osman's 2020 novel The Thursday Murder Club , it's no surprise Tess Gerritsen created her own, decidedly more espionage-focused group of highly capable senior citizens with 2023's The Spy Coast , the first book in the highly recommended Martini Club series. But despite its geriatric members, the Martini Club does not deal with cozy mysteries. Instead, The Shadow Friends - the series' third installment - is another suspenseful, intelligent, and thoroughly entertaining thriller that is both intricately plotted and fast-paced, with plenty of international intrigue, chases, assassins, and retired spies who are, of course, more than capable of holding their own - and may indeed be saving the day, if not the world. And this particular installment feels especially timely.
But what really makes the series work is the characters. Gerritsen has created a wonderfully eccentric, complex, and capable group of five former spies (and their long-suffering counterpart, the local chief of police) who are impossible not to grow attached to. True to their former CIA careers, the Martini Club members are soon leaving their idyllic Maine retirement behind and jet-setting around the world in search of one of their own - and, of course, revenge.
If you haven't read the previous two installments, this can also be read as a standalone, although I'm not sure why you would want to deprive yourself of two more books about this particular group of spies.
Fast-paced, suspenseful, and impossible to put down, The Shadow Friends may just be my favorite installment in the series so far.
Many thanks to Thomas & Mercer for providing me with an ARC via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.
"The Shadow Friends" is slated to be released on August 25, 2026.
When a Russian defector mysteriously collapses at a global affairs conference in Purity, Maine and a waitress is murdered at the same hotel, the Martini Club's peaceful (ahem) retirement from the CIA is once again abruptly interrupted - especially once one of their own recognizes disturbing connections to a mission gone wrong from three decades ago.
With the renewed interest in geriatric sleuths following the success of Richard Osman's 2020 novel The Thursday Murder Club , it's no surprise Tess Gerritsen created her own, decidedly more espionage-focused group of highly capable senior citizens with 2023's The Spy Coast , the first book in the highly recommended Martini Club series. But despite its geriatric members, the Martini Club does not deal with cozy mysteries. Instead, The Shadow Friends - the series' third installment - is another suspenseful, intelligent, and thoroughly entertaining thriller that is both intricately plotted and fast-paced, with plenty of international intrigue, chases, assassins, and retired spies who are, of course, more than capable of holding their own - and may indeed be saving the day, if not the world. And this particular installment feels especially timely.
But what really makes the series work is the characters. Gerritsen has created a wonderfully eccentric, complex, and capable group of five former spies (and their long-suffering counterpart, the local chief of police) who are impossible not to grow attached to. True to their former CIA careers, the Martini Club members are soon leaving their idyllic Maine retirement behind and jet-setting around the world in search of one of their own - and, of course, revenge.
If you haven't read the previous two installments, this can also be read as a standalone, although I'm not sure why you would want to deprive yourself of two more books about this particular group of spies.
Fast-paced, suspenseful, and impossible to put down, The Shadow Friends may just be my favorite installment in the series so far.
Many thanks to Thomas & Mercer for providing me with an ARC via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.
"The Shadow Friends" is slated to be released on August 25, 2026.
August 24, 2026
🎧 Pub Week Audiobook Review🎧
Narrated by Hillary Huber
Since I listened to the first book, The Sky Coast, I’ve looked forward to listening to the next one. First, Hillary Huber does a phenomenal job with her narration. I think she has the perfect voice for each character. My favorite will always be Maggie Bird! She was made to narrate this series! She’s also a favorite!
Retired CIA agents are back at it again when a mysterious death of a man and a murder of a woman hit Purity, Maine.
I just love these characters so much. Gerritsen can weave suspense and humor at just the right time. Who doesn’t love senior citizens in their thrillers? If you’re a fan of those, definitely give this series a shot.
It can be read as a standalone but I highly recommend reading them in order for a better experience.
4 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Narrated by Hillary Huber
Since I listened to the first book, The Sky Coast, I’ve looked forward to listening to the next one. First, Hillary Huber does a phenomenal job with her narration. I think she has the perfect voice for each character. My favorite will always be Maggie Bird! She was made to narrate this series! She’s also a favorite!
Retired CIA agents are back at it again when a mysterious death of a man and a murder of a woman hit Purity, Maine.
I just love these characters so much. Gerritsen can weave suspense and humor at just the right time. Who doesn’t love senior citizens in their thrillers? If you’re a fan of those, definitely give this series a shot.
It can be read as a standalone but I highly recommend reading them in order for a better experience.
4 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Want to Read
August 26, 2026This book just dropped in my Kindle. Can't wait to read it! Looks like it will be a Road Trip 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.
August 31, 2026
4+ Stars
The Martini Club #3
Suspenseful
Great characters
Fast paced
Excellent flow
Fun
A retired group of ex-CIA friends live in the small resort town of Purity, Maine.
What could go wrong in this quiet and safe town?
Strong character development and strong characters.
Friendship, what-ifs, and love are explored.
In The Shadow Friends, the Martini Club deals with a situation (illness or is it murder) that occurs during a conference.
Then there is another murder in the parking lot at the conference. Are they related? Most likely.
And the fun begins.
I loved this book. It was well written and I was thrilled to be back with The Martini Club gang.
I’m happy to hear that a fourth “Martini Club” novel is the works.
There are some great interviews with Tess Gerritsen available on social media.
Two that I watched were The Thriller Mavens’ Sara DiVello on August 24, 2026 and The Poisoned Pen Bookstore’s Barbara Peters on August 27, 2026.
I highly recommend The Shadow Friends!
The Martini Club #3
Suspenseful
Great characters
Fast paced
Excellent flow
Fun
A retired group of ex-CIA friends live in the small resort town of Purity, Maine.
What could go wrong in this quiet and safe town?
Strong character development and strong characters.
Friendship, what-ifs, and love are explored.
In The Shadow Friends, the Martini Club deals with a situation (illness or is it murder) that occurs during a conference.
Then there is another murder in the parking lot at the conference. Are they related? Most likely.
And the fun begins.
I loved this book. It was well written and I was thrilled to be back with The Martini Club gang.
I’m happy to hear that a fourth “Martini Club” novel is the works.
There are some great interviews with Tess Gerritsen available on social media.
Two that I watched were The Thriller Mavens’ Sara DiVello on August 24, 2026 and The Poisoned Pen Bookstore’s Barbara Peters on August 27, 2026.
I highly recommend The Shadow Friends!
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...
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.
August 25, 2026
the setup…
Ingrid Slocum is helping to facilitate the annual Stone Coast Conference at the Cod Cove Resort in Purity. Things go smoothly until one of conference headliners, a former Russian defector, is found unconscious in his hotel room. When one of the resort staff is later found murdered, Ingrid recognizes a link to her last failed mission twenty-eight years ago…a stiletto left on site. “Coincidentally”, Rodrigo Estrada, Ingrid’s former colleague (and lover) shows up the conference, asking her to join him to find who’s murdering former Russian defectors. She can’t resist as that last mission still weighs heavily so she leaves behind the band of former operatives known as The Martini Club, including husband Lloyd.
the heart of the story…
This time it’s the hunters becoming the hunted as Ingrid rejoins that world she left behind without a word to her husband or friends. Of course, Maggie, Declan and Ben go into action but Lloyd, a former desk analyst, insists he be in the field with them, adding even more complications in Purity and later in Amsterdam. Things get so dicey as both teams race to find who’s behind the murders and the mole.
the narration…
Hillary Huber as the voice of this series just elevates a really great story even higher. Her warm tone, excellent storytelling skills and voice distinctions are perfection.
the bottom line…
I loved this story and the series is now one of my top favorites. This remarkable and unconventional group of friends and former agency operatives are so good at what they do even in retirement. It was great seeing that other side of Ingrid and a glimpse into her former life. I can’t get enough of The Martini Club. 4.5 stars
Posted on Blue Mood Café
(Thanks to Brilliance Audio and NetGalley for my complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.)
Ingrid Slocum is helping to facilitate the annual Stone Coast Conference at the Cod Cove Resort in Purity. Things go smoothly until one of conference headliners, a former Russian defector, is found unconscious in his hotel room. When one of the resort staff is later found murdered, Ingrid recognizes a link to her last failed mission twenty-eight years ago…a stiletto left on site. “Coincidentally”, Rodrigo Estrada, Ingrid’s former colleague (and lover) shows up the conference, asking her to join him to find who’s murdering former Russian defectors. She can’t resist as that last mission still weighs heavily so she leaves behind the band of former operatives known as The Martini Club, including husband Lloyd.
the heart of the story…
This time it’s the hunters becoming the hunted as Ingrid rejoins that world she left behind without a word to her husband or friends. Of course, Maggie, Declan and Ben go into action but Lloyd, a former desk analyst, insists he be in the field with them, adding even more complications in Purity and later in Amsterdam. Things get so dicey as both teams race to find who’s behind the murders and the mole.
the narration…
Hillary Huber as the voice of this series just elevates a really great story even higher. Her warm tone, excellent storytelling skills and voice distinctions are perfection.
the bottom line…
I loved this story and the series is now one of my top favorites. This remarkable and unconventional group of friends and former agency operatives are so good at what they do even in retirement. It was great seeing that other side of Ingrid and a glimpse into her former life. I can’t get enough of The Martini Club. 4.5 stars
Posted on Blue Mood Café
(Thanks to Brilliance Audio and NetGalley for my complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.)
September 3, 2026
my jaw is on the floor.
September 3, 2026
The Martini Club is back again! Book 3 in this serious and it's another great addition the series.
In this one, we get to know some of their past a little more. A group of spies can't have always had easy previous cases and now that they are retired, the past of one of them is coming back to haunt them. Even though this one felt a little big on the conspiracy and just how deep their previous cases could go, I was completely drawn in and rolled with it. I just love this group, so getting a glimpse into the previous days and the previous cases was great, even if heartbreaking for what they'd given up for the life they'd lived.
And I love that they've fully roped in their local officer. She's such a fun, skeptical addition to their group and I loved her strong personality and sharp insight. I was honestly not sure, as the ending approached, who all would make it out of this one. Such a compelling mystery and action driven story. I did the audio and I highly recommend. I loved this one!
A huge thank you to the author and publisher for providing an e-ARC via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion regarding the book.
In this one, we get to know some of their past a little more. A group of spies can't have always had easy previous cases and now that they are retired, the past of one of them is coming back to haunt them. Even though this one felt a little big on the conspiracy and just how deep their previous cases could go, I was completely drawn in and rolled with it. I just love this group, so getting a glimpse into the previous days and the previous cases was great, even if heartbreaking for what they'd given up for the life they'd lived.
And I love that they've fully roped in their local officer. She's such a fun, skeptical addition to their group and I loved her strong personality and sharp insight. I was honestly not sure, as the ending approached, who all would make it out of this one. Such a compelling mystery and action driven story. I did the audio and I highly recommend. I loved this one!
A huge thank you to the author and publisher for providing an e-ARC via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion regarding the book.
August 26, 2026
I received this recent release as an ARC from NetGalley, but I had to read the second book in the series first—always in order for me! This was probably my least favorite of the three, but I still found it to be an enjoyable, quick read.
The aging, retired CIA agents are back working together to solve a new mystery, this time involving one of their own and an unfortunate event from her past. Add in Russian spies, hired killers and biological warfare, and there’s plenty going on!
Overall, another quick and entertaining read, but this one just didn’t quite grab me as much as the first two. Still a solid addition to the series!
The aging, retired CIA agents are back working together to solve a new mystery, this time involving one of their own and an unfortunate event from her past. Add in Russian spies, hired killers and biological warfare, and there’s plenty going on!
Overall, another quick and entertaining read, but this one just didn’t quite grab me as much as the first two. Still a solid addition to the series!
August 29, 2026
Espionage, “retirement” and cocktails.
Tess… say less. 🍸
Tess… say less. 🍸
August 23, 2026
As a long-time fan of Tess Gerritsen, I went into The Shadow Friends expecting something much darker and more intense. It took me a little while to adjust, because this is a very different side of Gerritsen from the one I know and love from the Rizzoli & Isles series.
Once I stopped expecting that familiar cold, tense atmosphere, I actually started having a lot of fun. The best way I can describe this book is Miss Marple on martinis, with a touch of James Bond. There are retired spies, old secrets, suspicious deaths, plenty of bodies and a group of people who may technically be retired but clearly never got the memo.
For a while, it really worked for me. The mystery was intriguing, the book was incredibly easy to read, and there was a point when I genuinely didn’t want to put it down. I especially enjoyed Maggie, Declan, Ben and Jo. Their interactions brought some much-needed humour to the story, and honestly, I would have happily read an entire book about these retired spies getting themselves into increasingly ridiculous situations while poor Jo tries to maintain some semblance of law and order.
Unfortunately, somewhere along the way, the story started losing me.
One of my biggest issues was that I never truly believed these characters were retirement age. Take away the occasional reminder and they could easily have been in their forties. I wasn’t expecting stereotypical frail elderly characters, but I wanted their age to actually be part of their lives. Give me aching knees after crouching down, reading glasses, slower recovery after physical exertion — something. These are highly capable former spies and I loved that, but their bodies seemed completely untouched by time. It felt like they had simply been written as younger characters and then given older ages.
And then there was Ingrid.
Unfortunately, she ended up being my least favourite character. I actually liked the idea of an older woman being portrayed as desirable, sexual and affected by the return of an old flame. There is absolutely nothing wrong with enjoying attention or remembering a passionate relationship from decades ago. My problem was what Ingrid did with those feelings.
Her behaviour around Rodrigo often felt surprisingly immature, and I struggled with how casually her 28-year marriage to Lloyd seemed to be treated. Lloyd’s love for Ingrid was obvious; Ingrid’s love for Lloyd never felt nearly as convincing to me. By the end, I was left with the uncomfortable impression that she stayed with him partly because he represented the safe, comfortable life she already had rather than because, after everything, he was unquestionably the person she wanted to choose.
Ironically, I enjoyed the book considerably more whenever Ingrid and Lloyd moved into the background and Maggie, Declan, Ben and Jo took over. Their dynamic felt much closer to what I wanted from the premise of a group of retired spies solving crimes.
The ending didn’t help. After so much build-up, the final confrontation felt surprisingly rushed, with the climax unfolding over what felt like only a handful of paragraphs. There were plenty of bodies throughout the story, yet many of those deaths seemed to leave remarkably little emotional weight or consequence behind. The final revelations were also fairly predictable, so instead of finishing on a high, the story ended with more of a shrug.
There is still plenty to enjoy here. Gerritsen remains an effortlessly readable writer, the premise is fantastic, and the Martini Club itself has a lot of charm. This simply confirmed that, for me, Gerritsen shines brightest when she is writing her darker, colder, more intense thrillers.
A generous 3 stars. 🍸
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Once I stopped expecting that familiar cold, tense atmosphere, I actually started having a lot of fun. The best way I can describe this book is Miss Marple on martinis, with a touch of James Bond. There are retired spies, old secrets, suspicious deaths, plenty of bodies and a group of people who may technically be retired but clearly never got the memo.
For a while, it really worked for me. The mystery was intriguing, the book was incredibly easy to read, and there was a point when I genuinely didn’t want to put it down. I especially enjoyed Maggie, Declan, Ben and Jo. Their interactions brought some much-needed humour to the story, and honestly, I would have happily read an entire book about these retired spies getting themselves into increasingly ridiculous situations while poor Jo tries to maintain some semblance of law and order.
Unfortunately, somewhere along the way, the story started losing me.
One of my biggest issues was that I never truly believed these characters were retirement age. Take away the occasional reminder and they could easily have been in their forties. I wasn’t expecting stereotypical frail elderly characters, but I wanted their age to actually be part of their lives. Give me aching knees after crouching down, reading glasses, slower recovery after physical exertion — something. These are highly capable former spies and I loved that, but their bodies seemed completely untouched by time. It felt like they had simply been written as younger characters and then given older ages.
And then there was Ingrid.
Unfortunately, she ended up being my least favourite character. I actually liked the idea of an older woman being portrayed as desirable, sexual and affected by the return of an old flame. There is absolutely nothing wrong with enjoying attention or remembering a passionate relationship from decades ago. My problem was what Ingrid did with those feelings.
Her behaviour around Rodrigo often felt surprisingly immature, and I struggled with how casually her 28-year marriage to Lloyd seemed to be treated. Lloyd’s love for Ingrid was obvious; Ingrid’s love for Lloyd never felt nearly as convincing to me. By the end, I was left with the uncomfortable impression that she stayed with him partly because he represented the safe, comfortable life she already had rather than because, after everything, he was unquestionably the person she wanted to choose.
Ironically, I enjoyed the book considerably more whenever Ingrid and Lloyd moved into the background and Maggie, Declan, Ben and Jo took over. Their dynamic felt much closer to what I wanted from the premise of a group of retired spies solving crimes.
The ending didn’t help. After so much build-up, the final confrontation felt surprisingly rushed, with the climax unfolding over what felt like only a handful of paragraphs. There were plenty of bodies throughout the story, yet many of those deaths seemed to leave remarkably little emotional weight or consequence behind. The final revelations were also fairly predictable, so instead of finishing on a high, the story ended with more of a shrug.
There is still plenty to enjoy here. Gerritsen remains an effortlessly readable writer, the premise is fantastic, and the Martini Club itself has a lot of charm. This simply confirmed that, for me, Gerritsen shines brightest when she is writing her darker, colder, more intense thrillers.
A generous 3 stars. 🍸
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
August 31, 2026
3.5, rounded up.
This is a great series and this entry really takes on the issue of aging out after you've had a vibrant, meaningful career.
My one negative was Lloyd. He was never a field agent, true, but he had a lot of the same training and spent years being aware of Ingrid's career. In Amsterdam and Madrid he was a bumbling old fool and I found that unbelievable and inexcusable.
This is a great series and this entry really takes on the issue of aging out after you've had a vibrant, meaningful career.
My one negative was Lloyd. He was never a field agent, true, but he had a lot of the same training and spent years being aware of Ingrid's career. In Amsterdam and Madrid he was a bumbling old fool and I found that unbelievable and inexcusable.
August 31, 2026
Review to follow soon!
September 3, 2026
Tess Gerritsen's Martini Club mysteries are comparable to The Thursday Murder Club and The Thursday Murder Club. They all have a group of people working to solve mysteries, and a law enforcement officer who assists them, although often quite reluctantly.
In the case of the Maritini Club all are retired CIA Intelligence Agents who are friends and have known each other a long time. They all settled in a small town on the coast of Maine where they are often assisted by the local police chief, Jo.
Because they worked in intelligence they have a unique set of skills which are quite unexpected in senior citizens. Their former profession was secretive by necessity and continues to be so even among spouses which is the case of Ingrid and Lloyd Slocum.
In the most recent book of the Martini Club, The Shadow Friends a case from Ingrid's past comes back to haunt her. It is quite exciting with everything from biological warfare, to plutonium coming into play.
I have read every book of this series and will continue to do so. I like my martinis dry with a blue cheese stuffed olive or two.
If you like espionage, older protagonists and a bit of excitement this is a series for you.
In the case of the Maritini Club all are retired CIA Intelligence Agents who are friends and have known each other a long time. They all settled in a small town on the coast of Maine where they are often assisted by the local police chief, Jo.
Because they worked in intelligence they have a unique set of skills which are quite unexpected in senior citizens. Their former profession was secretive by necessity and continues to be so even among spouses which is the case of Ingrid and Lloyd Slocum.
In the most recent book of the Martini Club, The Shadow Friends a case from Ingrid's past comes back to haunt her. It is quite exciting with everything from biological warfare, to plutonium coming into play.
I have read every book of this series and will continue to do so. I like my martinis dry with a blue cheese stuffed olive or two.
If you like espionage, older protagonists and a bit of excitement this is a series for you.
August 30, 2026
I dislike the current trend of creating smaller books—not just in length but in actual size. Me thinks this book was actually only about 250 pages if it were formatted in the usual way.
Regardless, I did find it quite engaging, albeit slightly unbelievable due to the age of the characters (I’m only begrudgingly thinking of my own 62 year old mental and physical limitations) but I like the author’s writing so I let it slide.
Three and a half stars.
Regardless, I did find it quite engaging, albeit slightly unbelievable due to the age of the characters (I’m only begrudgingly thinking of my own 62 year old mental and physical limitations) but I like the author’s writing so I let it slide.
Three and a half stars.
August 25, 2026
Okay this is my favorite so far in the Martini Club series! This third installment finds Ingrid team up with an ex-CIA colleague (and former lover) in this fast-paced and action-packed read! If you have not checked out this series yet, I highly recommend it!! 👏
Thank you Amazon Publishing and Brilliance Publishing for the gifted finished copy in exchange for my honest review! ❤️
Thank you Amazon Publishing and Brilliance Publishing for the gifted finished copy in exchange for my honest review! ❤️
August 20, 2026
Thank you to Amazon Publishing and Megan Beatie Communications for the gifted ARC.
I started this series with book three and it was just fine.
Tess Gerritsen’s The Shadow Friends was definitely the thriller I needed at the right time. It’s a smart, fast-paced spy story about a group of friends who are all retired intelligence agents. They call themselves the Martini Club, and they spend their retirement on good food, good conversation, and a lot of drinks. Until duty calls.
When a renowned infectious disease expert and Russian defector turns up dead at a conference, followed by the murder of a hotel waitress, the group gets pulled back into the game. Ingrid recognizes the killer’s handiwork immediately. She’s seen it before, decades ago, on a mission that nearly got her killed.
I really liked Ingrid, her husband Lloyd, Maggie, and Declan. Gerritsen provides enough backstory that jumping in at book three never felt like a gap. I had a real handle on these characters and their friendship from page one. The pacing never let up, the tension stayed high, and the spycraft was sharp throughout.
This one is perfect for anyone who loves the idea of nosy retirees solving mysteries and saving the world at the same time.
I started this series with book three and it was just fine.
Tess Gerritsen’s The Shadow Friends was definitely the thriller I needed at the right time. It’s a smart, fast-paced spy story about a group of friends who are all retired intelligence agents. They call themselves the Martini Club, and they spend their retirement on good food, good conversation, and a lot of drinks. Until duty calls.
When a renowned infectious disease expert and Russian defector turns up dead at a conference, followed by the murder of a hotel waitress, the group gets pulled back into the game. Ingrid recognizes the killer’s handiwork immediately. She’s seen it before, decades ago, on a mission that nearly got her killed.
I really liked Ingrid, her husband Lloyd, Maggie, and Declan. Gerritsen provides enough backstory that jumping in at book three never felt like a gap. I had a real handle on these characters and their friendship from page one. The pacing never let up, the tension stayed high, and the spycraft was sharp throughout.
This one is perfect for anyone who loves the idea of nosy retirees solving mysteries and saving the world at the same time.
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.
Read
August 8, 2026Events Become Very Personal For The Martini Club
Twenty-eight years earlier, in rural France, Slocum was protecting a Russian crime informant, Sophie. She sees the dust trail of a fast-moving car toward the cabin. The two agents at the gate had not notified her of visitors. She tells Sophie to lock herself in the bedroom. As five men exit their vehicle, she opens fire, taking one down. A fusillade answers her shot. Sophie is seriously injured and has to be helped to the bedroom. Ingrid bars the door. She hears explosives used to breach the front door. Soon the attackers are at the bedroom door, and it is blown open. Ingrid is knocked out. She comes to, and her partner, Rodrigo, is looking down at her. He tells her that all four were killed. She says there were five. She looks at Sophie, but Sophie is dead. She later learns that the two team members guarding the gate will now be getting stars on the CIA's entrance wall.
This novel may seem complete because the author weaves four main storyline threads, but it is engaging, easy to read, and not confusing. The first thread starts with a health and welfare check on a waitress who didn’t show up for work. The thread soon escalates. The second thread unfolds simultaneously, following the death of a guest speaker at an annual conference. This year the focus is on global catastrophes. Next, after 28 years without seeing him, Rodrigo appears and asks her to join him on a secret mission that requires her expertise. This thread morphs into the next when Ingrid is added to the Russian kill list. She must be protected. The greatest difficulty for Ingrid is that she has always led from the front and could not share what she did in the CIA Directorate of Operations with the rest of the Martini Club. Three of them worked their entire careers in that directorate. This gap leads to the first cracks of trust between the Martini Club members and Ingrid, including her husband. Discussions about Ingrid’s actions are an important aspect of the novel. Much time is spent between the Martini Club members and the chief of police discussing what Ingrid is doing and where she is. More important questions arise about where Ingrid’s loyalty lies. Even her husband, Lloyd, stalwartly loyal to Ingrid, starts to show cracks. The discussions provide much insight into their questions about Ingrid's actions. Even though the reader has a much better view, the author sneaks in many twists and turns. I rate one of them at the level of a tsunami. It stopped my reading while that revelation soaked in. Needless to say, shortly into this novel, I couldn’t put it down.
Unlike the previous novel, where the background of the Martini Club members was more general, this novel’s B-storylines are more laser-focused on how they continue their research and analysis. I found that Jo Tribodeau's relationship with the Martini Club members grew as they became more willing to share information with her that they had not considered before. Finally, seeing the highs and lows of Lloyd’s faith and love for Ingrid was excellent. Having all these threads woven into the main storyline significantly improved my enjoyment of this novel.
The aspects of a novel that can turn off some readers are very low in this novel. There are no intimate scenes, with only a few references. As for vulgar language, the level is low. The more common rude and impious language is a little more frequent. Most violence is described in a less edgy way, after the fact, in autopsy reports or crime scene descriptions. Only a few violent scenes are described as they occur. This novel is the third in the Martini Club series. I have read only the second novel. I did not find that knowledge of the events of the previous novel was critical to understanding what was happening in this novel.
I read this novel on my Kindle. I mark anything I consider an issue with a blue highlight. This novel is one of the very few I didn’t use the blue highlight on at all. I didn't find anything I didn’t like. The main reason I liked it was the interaction among the Martini Club members. Overall, the novel’s easy, cozy-mystery style was the major contributor to my reading enjoyment. All the loose ends are tied up at the end, unless Ingrid gets the urge again, since the door is open. I would definitely read a fourth Martini Club novel. I highly recommend this novel. Based on the novels I have read, I have upgraded Tess Gerritsen to my Must-Read author category. I rate this novel with five stars.
I received the free, pre-publication e-book of this novel from Thomas & Mercer via NetGalley. My review is based solely on my reading experience. Thank you, Thomas & Mercer, for the opportunity to read and review this novel early.
Twenty-eight years earlier, in rural France, Slocum was protecting a Russian crime informant, Sophie. She sees the dust trail of a fast-moving car toward the cabin. The two agents at the gate had not notified her of visitors. She tells Sophie to lock herself in the bedroom. As five men exit their vehicle, she opens fire, taking one down. A fusillade answers her shot. Sophie is seriously injured and has to be helped to the bedroom. Ingrid bars the door. She hears explosives used to breach the front door. Soon the attackers are at the bedroom door, and it is blown open. Ingrid is knocked out. She comes to, and her partner, Rodrigo, is looking down at her. He tells her that all four were killed. She says there were five. She looks at Sophie, but Sophie is dead. She later learns that the two team members guarding the gate will now be getting stars on the CIA's entrance wall.
This novel may seem complete because the author weaves four main storyline threads, but it is engaging, easy to read, and not confusing. The first thread starts with a health and welfare check on a waitress who didn’t show up for work. The thread soon escalates. The second thread unfolds simultaneously, following the death of a guest speaker at an annual conference. This year the focus is on global catastrophes. Next, after 28 years without seeing him, Rodrigo appears and asks her to join him on a secret mission that requires her expertise. This thread morphs into the next when Ingrid is added to the Russian kill list. She must be protected. The greatest difficulty for Ingrid is that she has always led from the front and could not share what she did in the CIA Directorate of Operations with the rest of the Martini Club. Three of them worked their entire careers in that directorate. This gap leads to the first cracks of trust between the Martini Club members and Ingrid, including her husband. Discussions about Ingrid’s actions are an important aspect of the novel. Much time is spent between the Martini Club members and the chief of police discussing what Ingrid is doing and where she is. More important questions arise about where Ingrid’s loyalty lies. Even her husband, Lloyd, stalwartly loyal to Ingrid, starts to show cracks. The discussions provide much insight into their questions about Ingrid's actions. Even though the reader has a much better view, the author sneaks in many twists and turns. I rate one of them at the level of a tsunami. It stopped my reading while that revelation soaked in. Needless to say, shortly into this novel, I couldn’t put it down.
Unlike the previous novel, where the background of the Martini Club members was more general, this novel’s B-storylines are more laser-focused on how they continue their research and analysis. I found that Jo Tribodeau's relationship with the Martini Club members grew as they became more willing to share information with her that they had not considered before. Finally, seeing the highs and lows of Lloyd’s faith and love for Ingrid was excellent. Having all these threads woven into the main storyline significantly improved my enjoyment of this novel.
The aspects of a novel that can turn off some readers are very low in this novel. There are no intimate scenes, with only a few references. As for vulgar language, the level is low. The more common rude and impious language is a little more frequent. Most violence is described in a less edgy way, after the fact, in autopsy reports or crime scene descriptions. Only a few violent scenes are described as they occur. This novel is the third in the Martini Club series. I have read only the second novel. I did not find that knowledge of the events of the previous novel was critical to understanding what was happening in this novel.
I read this novel on my Kindle. I mark anything I consider an issue with a blue highlight. This novel is one of the very few I didn’t use the blue highlight on at all. I didn't find anything I didn’t like. The main reason I liked it was the interaction among the Martini Club members. Overall, the novel’s easy, cozy-mystery style was the major contributor to my reading enjoyment. All the loose ends are tied up at the end, unless Ingrid gets the urge again, since the door is open. I would definitely read a fourth Martini Club novel. I highly recommend this novel. Based on the novels I have read, I have upgraded Tess Gerritsen to my Must-Read author category. I rate this novel with five stars.
I received the free, pre-publication e-book of this novel from Thomas & Mercer via NetGalley. My review is based solely on my reading experience. Thank you, Thomas & Mercer, for the opportunity to read and review this novel early.
August 29, 2026
I liked the first two books... I really didn't like the third and it's a DNF at 60%. I tried to finish it and skipped through until the end to get to know who the killer was but ugh...
The "Russian sleeper agents" angle of this book was so boring.
And there was too much of Ingrid and Lloyd, the two most boring characters of the friends group. I love Maggie and Ben and Declan, but even they were annoyingly stupid in this book that makes you wonder how they managed to survive their CIA careers.
Especially Lloyed annoyed me so much ... like, yes, he had a desk job and was desperate at the point in the book, but really, couldn't he have stopped and listened for a moment?
Also Ingrid... oh, an old flame appears and I behave worse than a teenager.
The second book was my favorite because it was a "regular" crime that five retired CIA employees helped to solve. The third book was... there are Russian sleeper agents and we all behave really stupidly.
Nope...
Plus, I had my suspicions about who the sleeper was from the beginning and I was right... I probably read too many crime novels by now to be really surprised here.
But this book disappointed me.
I am glad it was part of my Kindle Unlimited period so I didn't have to buy it to read it. I would have felt annoyed if I had bought the book...
The "Russian sleeper agents" angle of this book was so boring.
And there was too much of Ingrid and Lloyd, the two most boring characters of the friends group. I love Maggie and Ben and Declan, but even they were annoyingly stupid in this book that makes you wonder how they managed to survive their CIA careers.
Especially Lloyed annoyed me so much ... like, yes, he had a desk job and was desperate at the point in the book, but really, couldn't he have stopped and listened for a moment?
Also Ingrid... oh, an old flame appears and I behave worse than a teenager.
The second book was my favorite because it was a "regular" crime that five retired CIA employees helped to solve. The third book was... there are Russian sleeper agents and we all behave really stupidly.
Nope...
Plus, I had my suspicions about who the sleeper was from the beginning and I was right... I probably read too many crime novels by now to be really surprised here.
But this book disappointed me.
I am glad it was part of my Kindle Unlimited period so I didn't have to buy it to read it. I would have felt annoyed if I had bought the book...
August 28, 2026
I have been waiting for this puppy. Just released today, and looking forward to reading the third in the series. Really enjoy the books so far! Retired spies, now living in Purity, Maine just can't shake old habits. Wonder what mischief, adventure and intrigue they'll get into this time. To be continued...
Tess Gerritsen is one of my favourite authors, whether its the Rizzoli & Isles series, or this newer, 'The Martini Club' series. Started reading this recent addition two days ago, and the story was moving right from the get go. Former Russian defectors to the United States are being executed years, if not decades after the fact. There's a mole in the CIA feeding this info to the Russians. Ingrid, one of the Martini Club members, gets pulled into her old way of life as an operative. Lloyd, her husband, doesn't know where she's disappeared to, falls apart emotionally, then decides he's going to 'find her', which stirs up a lot of trouble.
I enjoyed it and am looking forward to book #4 of the series coming out in March 2028; a year and a half from now.
Tess Gerritsen is one of my favourite authors, whether its the Rizzoli & Isles series, or this newer, 'The Martini Club' series. Started reading this recent addition two days ago, and the story was moving right from the get go. Former Russian defectors to the United States are being executed years, if not decades after the fact. There's a mole in the CIA feeding this info to the Russians. Ingrid, one of the Martini Club members, gets pulled into her old way of life as an operative. Lloyd, her husband, doesn't know where she's disappeared to, falls apart emotionally, then decides he's going to 'find her', which stirs up a lot of trouble.
I enjoyed it and am looking forward to book #4 of the series coming out in March 2028; a year and a half from now.
August 28, 2026
I hope this is the last of the series. Boring, unimaginative, predictable and entirely unbelievable.
Why assume that the man who killed a small town waitress with a stiletto is the fifth man from a hit almost thirty years ago? Just because it had the same symbol on it? It could just be the symbol used by the Russian gang overall. Thin connection, at best, that allows the story to continue.
Further, it’s been crammed into our heads all three books that the five are “the best of the best”, yet Ingrid runs off on a secret mission without saying a WORD, like “Hey gang, I can’t tell you why, but I’ll be gone a little while- just business as usual” to keep them all from freaking out, hunting her down and compromising the mission like stumbling, goofy civilians? C’mon!!
Wait.. and THEN these vicious “professional” Russian thugs see Ingrid in Amsterdam and somehow misrecognize her as a 65 year old Russian defector from 40 years ago, and are so sure they put her on the kill list?? Don’t even get me started on the side plot of having to consider Ingrid and RODRIGO smashing grey uglies. {shiver}
The last two chapters, the killer is revealed and Ingrid’s marriage is safe. The end. I’ve been a hardcore Tess fan many years but now have to rethink that. What a shame she’s become this commercialized.
Why assume that the man who killed a small town waitress with a stiletto is the fifth man from a hit almost thirty years ago? Just because it had the same symbol on it? It could just be the symbol used by the Russian gang overall. Thin connection, at best, that allows the story to continue.
Further, it’s been crammed into our heads all three books that the five are “the best of the best”, yet Ingrid runs off on a secret mission without saying a WORD, like “Hey gang, I can’t tell you why, but I’ll be gone a little while- just business as usual” to keep them all from freaking out, hunting her down and compromising the mission like stumbling, goofy civilians? C’mon!!
Wait.. and THEN these vicious “professional” Russian thugs see Ingrid in Amsterdam and somehow misrecognize her as a 65 year old Russian defector from 40 years ago, and are so sure they put her on the kill list?? Don’t even get me started on the side plot of having to consider Ingrid and RODRIGO smashing grey uglies. {shiver}
The last two chapters, the killer is revealed and Ingrid’s marriage is safe. The end. I’ve been a hardcore Tess fan many years but now have to rethink that. What a shame she’s become this commercialized.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 1, 2026
Book 3. When a Russian disease expert suddenly dies, my favorite group of retired spies find themselves back in the middle of murder and mayhem. Although not the 5 star read that book 2 was for me, this was still a good suspenseful mystery that moved quickly. I did a read/listen and the narration was great. So glad there's a book 4 up next. Not ready to let go of these characters just yet.
August 30, 2026
book 3 was great
I am enjoying the characters Tess has created in thus series. Another exciting adventure with them where their pasts are never really in the past.
I am enjoying the characters Tess has created in thus series. Another exciting adventure with them where their pasts are never really in the past.
September 2, 2026
Mr Carter read and loved this one !
September 3, 2026
I love this series by Tess Gerritsen. Thank you, MB Communications and the author, for having me on tour. This is the 3rd in The Martini Club series. The others are “The Spy Coast” and “The Summer Guests” and I recommend those as well.
The Martini Club are former spies (retired CIA agents) and this one finds them trying to uncover a mysterious death.
Maine, a Russian defector, a murder, former lovers, intrigue, Amsterdam and assassins. I was all in. These characters are so fun and we know their peaceful retirement will be disrupted again.
Another fun one by Gerritsen. She knows how to draw the reader in and I felt like I could visualize this as a high voltage movie. I hope to see more of this series.
The Martini Club are former spies (retired CIA agents) and this one finds them trying to uncover a mysterious death.
Maine, a Russian defector, a murder, former lovers, intrigue, Amsterdam and assassins. I was all in. These characters are so fun and we know their peaceful retirement will be disrupted again.
Another fun one by Gerritsen. She knows how to draw the reader in and I felt like I could visualize this as a high voltage movie. I hope to see more of this series.
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