A rogue agent faces a deadly conspiracy in Athens. A stolen briefcase threatens global security. A high-stakes mission teeters on the edge of catastrophe.
And it’s all a thrilling game of espionage.
When a covert deal goes sideways in Athens, Agent James Burke is thrust into a pulse-pounding mission to recover a briefcase packed with explosive secrets. Teamed with the fierce and fearless Lyndsey Archer, Burke must navigate betrayals, ambushes, and a shadowy terrorist organization with global ambitions.
From heart-stopping cliffside infiltrations to explosive showdowns in the ancient streets of Athens, Burke battles enemy agents in a game where trust is scarce—and survival is never guaranteed.
Grab Never Spy Alone, a fast-paced espionage romp with a charming blend of intrigue and humor. If you love the action and farce of old-school Bond, you’ll be hooked on this exciting thriller!
Craig A. Hart is a writer of thrillers. In a past life, he was also director for Northern Illinois Radio Information Service, a broadcast outreach that brought daily news and information to the visually impaired.
In 2015, Kindle Press published his literary novel BECOMING MOON. NPR affiliate Northern Public Radio featured BECOMING MOON in their Winter Book Series, and it won Best Novel of Summer 2015 from Pinnacle Awards. He is also the author of the historical mystery NIGHT AT KEY WEST, which is based on true events.
In 2016, he publishing SERENITY, the first book in the popular Shelby Alexander Thriller Series. Serenity alone has been downloaded over 400,000 times by eager readers.
In 2022, he launched the Maxwell Barnes Adventure Thriller Series, co-written with S.J. Varengo. The award-winning first book in that series, MAYAN SHADOWS, was published on May 11, 2022. Two more books follow in that series: MAYAN THUNDER and MAYAN TEMPEST.
A native of Grand Rapids, Michigan, Craig lives in Iowa City, Iowa with his wife, sons, insane dog, and anti-social cat.
‘Jackal is dead, and the briefcase has disappeared’ – A powerful and entertaining novel!
Writer/editor Craig A. Hart has served as editor-in-chief for The Rusty Nail literary magazine, as manager for Sweatshoppe Media, and director of Northern Illinois Radio Information Service, an outreach that brought daily news and information to the visually impaired. In addition to writing fiction Craig has published self-help manuals on writing and critiques of other writers’ works. He now opens his new series– An Onyx Sector Adventure - with NEVER SPY ALONE.
Hart opens this mesmerizing and entertaining series with a seductive Prologue: ‘The black BMW 5 series, its sleek exterior polished to a mirror-like sheen, sat nestled against the curb beneath the sprawling canopy of an ancient oak tree. The car’s midnight hue blended seamlessly with the deep shadows cast by the gnarled boughs, their leaves whispering faintly in the cool October breeze. At forty-three minutes past midnight, the vehicle was shrouded in near invisibility, a phantom presence on this desolate stretch of road…The man in the driver’s seat, a wiry figure in his late thirties, sat hunched forward, his sharp features illuminated faintly by the dim glow of the dashboard…’ And so the stage for a notable briefcase is set and the story commences.
As usual, Hart distills his plot well: ‘When a covert deal goes sideways in Athens, Agent James Burke is thrust into a pulse-pounding mission to recover a briefcase packed with explosive secrets. Teamed with the fierce and fearless Lyndsey Archer, Burke must navigate betrayals, ambushes, and a shadowy terrorist organization with global ambitions. From heart-stopping cliffside infiltrations to explosive showdowns in the ancient streets of Athens, Burke battles enemy agents in a game where trust is scarce—and survival is never guaranteed.’ The novel is great for a bedtime read, short but pungent, and Hart proves yet again that he is a solid master of espionage weaving.
I've read a lot of spy novels, from the realistic to the almost-fantasy level. This one leans towards the unrealistic. It feels a bit like a modern James Bond-lite.
The story is good, if simplistic and without a lot of depth. A little more characterization wouldn't have hurt. I felt like I still barely knew the characters of Burke or Lyndsey, the two main characters. Speaking of Bond earlier, even Ian Fleming's Bond books felt much deeper than this.
The action is good, the pace moves along well. It was never dull, not making the mistake some of these books have of being longer than they needed to be. The beginning in particular was excellent, though I don't think the book quite paid off on that start. The ending felt extremely abrupt. I wouldn't quite say it came out of left field, but it was close. Maybe center field.
But I enjoyed it. I've read some better spy books, but I've definitely read many that were worse than this, too.
The title actually is quite the apt warning, as illustrated in the first four chapters of Never Spy Alone by author Jeffrey A Hart, when two characters got assassinated in jaw dropping ways. And all for a stolen briefcase supposedly holding highly confidential secrets. But not everything appears above board, a finger pointing towards a mole. For Jason Burke and Lyndsey Archer it is quite clear a mole is at play and more than one source is interested in having their grasping fingers getting ahold of that briefcase. Lethally so. This is quite the action intensive thriller in a new series that will have readers enthralled with each new book to be released, as Never Spy Alone already attest to. Enjoy
Sometimes less is more but in others you'll be grateful for those people who have your back. If you are a lone wolf, you don't have the backing of a pack who will do whatever it takes to prop you up.
Unfortunately, it might take a tragedy for you to realise what you should cherish, but knowing that there are people who have your back no matter what is something special.
The excitement begins quickly and gets a stronghold. There are really bad guys and their thugs. Lots of close calls, gun battles and bloodshed. And along with all that intrigue and chaos is a lot of wit and smart mouthed banter. Everything a great spy novel needs! Loved it. And now for the 3rd one waiting in my library!
An Ok read. A short respite from reading my bookclub assigned readings. I have downloaded the series, so I will continue when I need a break from lengthy books