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Supernotes
Already a bestseller in Italy and optioned for film, Supernotes is a novel based on the true story of Agent Kasper, one of the many aliases of a top-level undercover spy who worked for both the American CIA and the Italian intelligence services.
Agent Kasper is a man with a staggering résumé: a former police officer, a former airline pilot, a firearms expert, a highly accomplished practitioner of several of the martial arts, and a secret agent par excellence. In the end, his competence is his undoing. While in Phnom Penh, Kasper is approached by the CIA to track down the source of the so-called "supernotes" that are flooding Southeast Asia, illegal U.S. banknotes counterfeited so perfectly as to be undetectable, even by sophisticated machines. With patience, skill, and courage, Kasper discovers the explosive secret: a money-printing operation in North Korea. Kasper tells his handlers what he's discovered, and a few days later a Cambodian associate calls him with a single, urgent message: "Leave town now!" But before he can cross the Thai border, Kasper is arrested, apparently on CIA orders. As Kasper suffers through a brutal incarceration, he tries to figure out why the two governments he so heroically served chose to abandon him.
From the Hardcover edition.
Agent Kasper is a man with a staggering résumé: a former police officer, a former airline pilot, a firearms expert, a highly accomplished practitioner of several of the martial arts, and a secret agent par excellence. In the end, his competence is his undoing. While in Phnom Penh, Kasper is approached by the CIA to track down the source of the so-called "supernotes" that are flooding Southeast Asia, illegal U.S. banknotes counterfeited so perfectly as to be undetectable, even by sophisticated machines. With patience, skill, and courage, Kasper discovers the explosive secret: a money-printing operation in North Korea. Kasper tells his handlers what he's discovered, and a few days later a Cambodian associate calls him with a single, urgent message: "Leave town now!" But before he can cross the Thai border, Kasper is arrested, apparently on CIA orders. As Kasper suffers through a brutal incarceration, he tries to figure out why the two governments he so heroically served chose to abandon him.
From the Hardcover edition.
274 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 1, 2014
About the author
Agent Kasper
4 books4 followersAgent Kasper is a half-Italian and half-American former secret agent. He was one of the most effective operatives of Italy's secret services. A jet pilot, skydiver, Krav Maga instructor and firearms instructor, he now lives on a farm outside Rome and runs his own martial arts studio.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 38 reviews
July 14, 2016
Agent Kasper, of both Italian and American descent, had been following the trail of the supernotes for the CIA for years – putting himself in danger; spending time in prison before being freed without charge. But when he was kidnapped in Cambodia while trying to cross the border to freedom, the life of adrenalin rushes and edge of the knife danger were made to look like a walk in the park.
His captors were led by a Lieutenant Darrha of the Cambodian Combat Intelligence Division, or CID – Darrha was cruel and malicious; Kasper understood he’d reached the end of the line when he was removed from the SUV and stood facing the AK-47. But when the bullets were fired over his head and he was ordered back into the vehicle by laughing Cambodians, Kasper wondered if there was a glimmer of hope…
After being moved around in various squalid hiding places for weeks, tortured and starved, the Prison Ward of the notorious Preah Monivong Hospital was just another in a long line of degrading and terrible places. Kasper’s health was at its worst; his mind he kept alert as best he could. The beatings were severe; the torture worse – but when they moved him to one of the most dreadful prison sites the world had known, Prey Sar Correctional Centre, near Phnom Penh, in Cambodia, things would become much worse.
In the meantime, Kasper’s mother in Italy had contacted people for help for her son. Working around the clock and well behind the scenes were two women – one knew Kasper, one didn’t. But they both had the same goal – to prove Kasper’s innocence. Would they succeed against powers much higher than anyone they had dealt with before? And who could they trust?
The Supernotes Affair by Agent Kasper and translated by Luigi Carletti is based on a true story; it is a riveting, suspenseful read of an innocent man and his determination to survive the atrocities which were being meted out to him on a daily basis. Gripping and intense, The Supernotes Affair is a top notch thriller which I have no hesitation in recommending.
With thanks to Allen & Unwin for this copy to read in exchange for my honest review.
His captors were led by a Lieutenant Darrha of the Cambodian Combat Intelligence Division, or CID – Darrha was cruel and malicious; Kasper understood he’d reached the end of the line when he was removed from the SUV and stood facing the AK-47. But when the bullets were fired over his head and he was ordered back into the vehicle by laughing Cambodians, Kasper wondered if there was a glimmer of hope…
After being moved around in various squalid hiding places for weeks, tortured and starved, the Prison Ward of the notorious Preah Monivong Hospital was just another in a long line of degrading and terrible places. Kasper’s health was at its worst; his mind he kept alert as best he could. The beatings were severe; the torture worse – but when they moved him to one of the most dreadful prison sites the world had known, Prey Sar Correctional Centre, near Phnom Penh, in Cambodia, things would become much worse.
In the meantime, Kasper’s mother in Italy had contacted people for help for her son. Working around the clock and well behind the scenes were two women – one knew Kasper, one didn’t. But they both had the same goal – to prove Kasper’s innocence. Would they succeed against powers much higher than anyone they had dealt with before? And who could they trust?
The Supernotes Affair by Agent Kasper and translated by Luigi Carletti is based on a true story; it is a riveting, suspenseful read of an innocent man and his determination to survive the atrocities which were being meted out to him on a daily basis. Gripping and intense, The Supernotes Affair is a top notch thriller which I have no hesitation in recommending.
With thanks to Allen & Unwin for this copy to read in exchange for my honest review.
October 21, 2015
I love this book it exposes CIA for what it is a rogue agency in. the US government. Agent Kasper is held in Cambodia without anyone knowing where he is or what he is doing. He was investigating supernotes for "the company" when he was given his burn notice. A burn notice is when
the government ignores your existence. I hope to see more work in future from Agent Kasper.
the government ignores your existence. I hope to see more work in future from Agent Kasper.
June 7, 2020
Eu recomendo vivamente ler este livro para quem gosta da espionagem, mas neste livro retrata uma estória do Agente Kasper, que foi vitima de rapto e ficou em cativeiro por 360 dias. Mostra o lado sóbrio de ser um agente e coisas que jamais iríamos saber sobre o mundo das drogas, lavagem de dinheiro, raptos etc.
Obviamente que o agente em questão não pode ser identificado por razões de segurança, mas mostra como funciona entre o mundo oculto e autoridades (governo, goveradores e politicos ) sobre um fos principais temas: “Supernotes”.
É uma leitura fácil com pormenores interessantes e bem escrito pelo Luigi Carletti e relatado pelo próprio agente Kasper.
5 ⭐️
Obviamente que o agente em questão não pode ser identificado por razões de segurança, mas mostra como funciona entre o mundo oculto e autoridades (governo, goveradores e politicos ) sobre um fos principais temas: “Supernotes”.
É uma leitura fácil com pormenores interessantes e bem escrito pelo Luigi Carletti e relatado pelo próprio agente Kasper.
5 ⭐️
January 2, 2015
Amazing book that has the power to make you think about how much rotten this world is. I really appreciated the narration because it was light and fluent even when the author told a painful story. I strongly recommend this to you.
July 23, 2015
"Supernotes" are counterfeit $100 bills so good, they're indistinguishable from the real thing and they are exactly what the CIA had asked Agent Kasper to investigate, when he discovered a little too much. Abandoned by his country, betrayed by the CIA, Agent Kasper now finds himself imprisoned in Cambodia after stumbling upon a conspiracy the US government never expected him to find.
Supernotes flips between multiple accounts and time frames as Agent Kasper retraces his incredible story, filled with thrilling espionage and page-turning suspense, all the while he waits in jail, knowing there is little chance of his ever getting out alive.
- Lauren W. Doubleday Marketing Department
Supernotes flips between multiple accounts and time frames as Agent Kasper retraces his incredible story, filled with thrilling espionage and page-turning suspense, all the while he waits in jail, knowing there is little chance of his ever getting out alive.
- Lauren W. Doubleday Marketing Department
October 23, 2015
I was given this book for review. Best spy thriller I have read in a long while. Very fascinating main character. The whole book revolves around how he wound up getting into to prisons in Cambodia and how he was extracted. The language is crisp and the story is exciting. Totally could not put this book down!
November 9, 2015
I was surprised that this was a true story and as I have read, it got more interesting as the pages went by which I have enjoyed it so much and can't wait to recommend it to friends!
January 14, 2016
Review will follow shortly.
April 13, 2014
Supernotes è stato per me come un piccolo spioncino su un universo da sempre schermato, in cui finalmente, al di là della porta, si è accesa una luce fioca. E quello che ho visto è scritto in modo impeccabile, duro.
Carletti trova il modo giusto di far combaciare le cose, pur usando spesso digressioni non sempre di facile intuizione.
Davvero coinvolgente, un must have per gli amanti di un mix letale tra narcotraffico e CIA.
Carletti trova il modo giusto di far combaciare le cose, pur usando spesso digressioni non sempre di facile intuizione.
Davvero coinvolgente, un must have per gli amanti di un mix letale tra narcotraffico e CIA.
April 11, 2015
Questo è un libro inchiesta, una testimonianza, una cruda verità. Ho trovato questo libro quasi per caso, leggendo un'intervista all' agente Kasper su un giornale. Che dire... una vicenda al limite dell'assurdo, ma che non fatico a credere sia tutta vera. Sulla vicenda nulla s'è mai sentito ne letto, chissà perchè....
Leggetelo leggetelo leggetelo!
Leggetelo leggetelo leggetelo!
October 28, 2018
The cover said “Thriller.” Well, it isn’t quite that, but it is a superb story about espionage and international intrigue. The jumping back and forth of the timeline was a bit confusing, but after reaching the end of the book, it all made sense. A very well put together storyline. With only a few characters to deal with, it was easy to follow, unlike some novels that inundate you with an entire village of characters that you can only catch fleeting glimpses of and never remember. This is one of the few books I’ve read that have the realism and plausibility.
August 28, 2018
Il materiale del racconto potrebbe anche essere interessante.
La narrazione è lenta, noiosa e difficile da leggere, perché induce ad allontanarsi con la mente pur di fuggire dalla noia.
La narrazione è lenta, noiosa e difficile da leggere, perché induce ad allontanarsi con la mente pur di fuggire dalla noia.
June 5, 2019
Great read giving an insight into corruption.
July 12, 2020
American corruption.
August 17, 2020
Interesting story that gives an insight on the maze that is the American intelligence agencies. Would like to know the aftermath though and more about the mysterious Clancy.
November 17, 2021
Libro molto interessante perché storia vera e particolare di un agente sottocopertura. Rimangono alcuni aspetti che avrei approfondito
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April 8, 2023read
November 22, 2015
**I received this as an ARC here on GR**
3.5 stars
First of all, did this really happen? Eek!
I was looking up some of the names in this book of people I didn't think warranted a change of identity for publishing purposes, and I was having trouble finding much information on them and the organizations mentioned rather passively throughout the story. I had some trouble believing it was real, honestly. It probably shows that international political intrigue is not one of my areas of great interest.
In any case, it's billed a "thriller," and that's probably how I should look at it rather than as some sort of ultra-simplified exposé like I would be tempted to.
I can't really talk about the part of the story that had initially tempted me to change my rating from three to four stars, as massive spoilers would abound, but I will say that I was rather satisfied at having pushed through the fluff (*cough* Barbara Belli *cough*) to come full circle with Kasper's utterly ridiculous and near hopeless situation.
I think the only real annoyance I felt throughout the book was that it continually raised more questions than answers, and I would forget about them completely until they returned out of the blue a while later. There are so many flashbacks that it starts to feel messy, and instead of making progress, I felt that all of the different threads following different characters were deterring from rather than contributing to the story.
There is quite the handful of characters that we never hear from again, despite their apparent importance to the scenario, and perhaps that's why this book can't be anything more than a thriller; in real life, we would want to know the consequences of their actions and the real motives behind them. Here, we fill in the blanks because it's more mysterious and intriguing to do so. I guess.
In any case, while some parts (read: a good number of the countless flashbacks and anything involving the Roman lawyer) are a bit of a chore to get through, other parts are appropriately fast-paced and are definitely interesting enough to make me want to finish. Again, political thrillers? Not really my forte. The ending got me, though. Ouch, it really did.
Anyway, this review is not the most ringing endorsement, I know. However, if the premise sounds interesting to you, especially since it's supposed to be a true, and surely embellished, story, open it up and see if it draws you in. I was hooked, and I am glad that I was able to read something outside of my usual genres.
Again, to the extent that this really did happen... Wow.
3.5 stars
First of all, did this really happen? Eek!
I was looking up some of the names in this book of people I didn't think warranted a change of identity for publishing purposes, and I was having trouble finding much information on them and the organizations mentioned rather passively throughout the story. I had some trouble believing it was real, honestly. It probably shows that international political intrigue is not one of my areas of great interest.
In any case, it's billed a "thriller," and that's probably how I should look at it rather than as some sort of ultra-simplified exposé like I would be tempted to.
I can't really talk about the part of the story that had initially tempted me to change my rating from three to four stars, as massive spoilers would abound, but I will say that I was rather satisfied at having pushed through the fluff (*cough* Barbara Belli *cough*) to come full circle with Kasper's utterly ridiculous and near hopeless situation.
I think the only real annoyance I felt throughout the book was that it continually raised more questions than answers, and I would forget about them completely until they returned out of the blue a while later. There are so many flashbacks that it starts to feel messy, and instead of making progress, I felt that all of the different threads following different characters were deterring from rather than contributing to the story.
There is quite the handful of characters that we never hear from again, despite their apparent importance to the scenario, and perhaps that's why this book can't be anything more than a thriller; in real life, we would want to know the consequences of their actions and the real motives behind them. Here, we fill in the blanks because it's more mysterious and intriguing to do so. I guess.
In any case, while some parts (read: a good number of the countless flashbacks and anything involving the Roman lawyer) are a bit of a chore to get through, other parts are appropriately fast-paced and are definitely interesting enough to make me want to finish. Again, political thrillers? Not really my forte. The ending got me, though. Ouch, it really did.
Anyway, this review is not the most ringing endorsement, I know. However, if the premise sounds interesting to you, especially since it's supposed to be a true, and surely embellished, story, open it up and see if it draws you in. I was hooked, and I am glad that I was able to read something outside of my usual genres.
Again, to the extent that this really did happen... Wow.
February 28, 2016
Mancava un mesetto al Natale del 2012 e i miei occhi si posavano per la prima volta (e perplesso) su un lettore di ebook; attorniato da una serie quasi infinita di librerie recuperate e scaffali montati negli spazi più improbabili, mi sembrava di avvertire sulla nuca lo sguardo ferito dei miei romanzi cartacei. Mi preparavo a raggiungere la futura consorte sull’altra sponda del laghetto atlantico e le 26 ore di volo fra andata e ritorno presupponevano una quantità di volumi incompatibili con le regole di qualsiasi compagnia aerea non dedita al trasporto cargo.
Dopo circa due anni e mezzo di esperienza, ho scoperto che esiste uno specifico genere letterario che è decisamente arricchito dalla sua versione elettronica. E’ un pensiero che ho concretizzato finalmente durante la lettura di Supernotes, un volume che sta a metà tra la biografia e il saggio e che racconta la storia di un incredibile personaggio italiano che – consci della limitatezza dell’espressione – potremmo definire un “agente segreto”. L’Agente Kasper (naturalmente sotto pseudonimo), affiancato da Luigi Carletti, racconta la sua storia di infiltrato nei cartelli della droga e della finanza parallela culminata con un arresto in Cambogia e con una lunghissima detenzione in campi di prigionia che poco hanno da invidiare alle più tragiche esperienze europee degli anni Quaranta.
Ed è scorrendo le pagine di questa biografia che fa rima con spy story che mi sono reso conto di un paio di cose: la prima – sarà banale, ma è altrettanto triste – è che negli ultimi venti anni ci siamo indignati e abbiamo pregato per la liberazione di numerosi ostaggi italiani all’estero, ma dell’agente Kasper e della sua storia non abbiamo mai saputo nulla. Un connazionale, carabiniere e operante per lo Stato, è rimasto in un campo di tortura per lunghi mesi senza che nessuno muovesse un dito, lanciasse un titolo su un giornale, organizzasse manifestazioni. “Usi Obbedir Tacendo”.
La seconda – lo accennavo prima – è che leggere un testo del genere su un iPad ha un vantaggio pazzesco: al primo nome che ti sembra vagamente di riconoscere scatta il “seleziona e cerca su Google”, e in un secondo stai ricostruendo su Wiki e sulla stampa estera la storia del cartello a cui Agente Kasper piazzò un cartone da 500 milioni di dollari in fronte.
Leggibilissimo, emozionante, persino commuovente nelle sue ultime trenta/quaranta pagine. Supernotes è stato un volume in grado di farmi precipitare in una spirale di storia contemporanea e militare che si estende a “Soldier I”, racconto di un agente del SAS attualmente sul mio comodino.
http://capitolo23.com/2016/02/28/supe...
Dopo circa due anni e mezzo di esperienza, ho scoperto che esiste uno specifico genere letterario che è decisamente arricchito dalla sua versione elettronica. E’ un pensiero che ho concretizzato finalmente durante la lettura di Supernotes, un volume che sta a metà tra la biografia e il saggio e che racconta la storia di un incredibile personaggio italiano che – consci della limitatezza dell’espressione – potremmo definire un “agente segreto”. L’Agente Kasper (naturalmente sotto pseudonimo), affiancato da Luigi Carletti, racconta la sua storia di infiltrato nei cartelli della droga e della finanza parallela culminata con un arresto in Cambogia e con una lunghissima detenzione in campi di prigionia che poco hanno da invidiare alle più tragiche esperienze europee degli anni Quaranta.
Ed è scorrendo le pagine di questa biografia che fa rima con spy story che mi sono reso conto di un paio di cose: la prima – sarà banale, ma è altrettanto triste – è che negli ultimi venti anni ci siamo indignati e abbiamo pregato per la liberazione di numerosi ostaggi italiani all’estero, ma dell’agente Kasper e della sua storia non abbiamo mai saputo nulla. Un connazionale, carabiniere e operante per lo Stato, è rimasto in un campo di tortura per lunghi mesi senza che nessuno muovesse un dito, lanciasse un titolo su un giornale, organizzasse manifestazioni. “Usi Obbedir Tacendo”.
La seconda – lo accennavo prima – è che leggere un testo del genere su un iPad ha un vantaggio pazzesco: al primo nome che ti sembra vagamente di riconoscere scatta il “seleziona e cerca su Google”, e in un secondo stai ricostruendo su Wiki e sulla stampa estera la storia del cartello a cui Agente Kasper piazzò un cartone da 500 milioni di dollari in fronte.
Leggibilissimo, emozionante, persino commuovente nelle sue ultime trenta/quaranta pagine. Supernotes è stato un volume in grado di farmi precipitare in una spirale di storia contemporanea e militare che si estende a “Soldier I”, racconto di un agente del SAS attualmente sul mio comodino.
http://capitolo23.com/2016/02/28/supe...
December 27, 2015
I wanted to love this book. I enjoy spy thrillers and financial thrillers and thought a spy novel about supernotes would be really interesting. For a variety of reasons, I just couldn't get into it and ended up skimming through most of the book. Even then I'd rather have that time back and just have skipped it altogether.
Part of the reason I think I didn't enjoy it was that it is not a typical spy thriller with the agent racing to carry out a mission for his or her country. In this book, the main character Kasper is in one Cambodian prison or another for nearly all the book. His battle is to try to get released and also figure out who is responsible for his arrest. Another of the main characters is an Italian attorney who is working for his family to try to get him released.
Another reason I couldn't get into the book is that the story was not linear. It starts just short of the ending then jumps to Kasper's arrest and bounces between the "present" in the prisons and events that happened years or even decades earlier. If done well, this kind of bouncing around between the past and present isn't an issue, but it didn't keep me engaged in the story. More importantly, despite this novel apparently being based on a true story, I never felt like Kasper was a character I could relate to or care about. Through the descriptions of brutal treatment, I just wasn't invested enough in Kasper to hope for him to be released.
A lot of the lack of caring comes down to the writing style. Through most of the book, I felt like the author was telling the story rather than drawing me into the story.
American readers should be aware that our country and American characters are not the heroes of this book. I don't want to spoil the plot for anyone who wants to read it, but just be aware that the white hats are not sitting on a lot of American heads.
Part of the reason I think I didn't enjoy it was that it is not a typical spy thriller with the agent racing to carry out a mission for his or her country. In this book, the main character Kasper is in one Cambodian prison or another for nearly all the book. His battle is to try to get released and also figure out who is responsible for his arrest. Another of the main characters is an Italian attorney who is working for his family to try to get him released.
Another reason I couldn't get into the book is that the story was not linear. It starts just short of the ending then jumps to Kasper's arrest and bounces between the "present" in the prisons and events that happened years or even decades earlier. If done well, this kind of bouncing around between the past and present isn't an issue, but it didn't keep me engaged in the story. More importantly, despite this novel apparently being based on a true story, I never felt like Kasper was a character I could relate to or care about. Through the descriptions of brutal treatment, I just wasn't invested enough in Kasper to hope for him to be released.
A lot of the lack of caring comes down to the writing style. Through most of the book, I felt like the author was telling the story rather than drawing me into the story.
American readers should be aware that our country and American characters are not the heroes of this book. I don't want to spoil the plot for anyone who wants to read it, but just be aware that the white hats are not sitting on a lot of American heads.
July 23, 2015
"Supernotes" are counterfeit $100 bills so good, they're indistinguishable from the real thing and they are exactly what the CIA had asked Agent Kasper to investigate, when he discovered a little too much. Abandoned by his country, betrayed by the CIA, Agent Kasper now finds himself imprisoned in Cambodia after stumbling upon a conspiracy the US government never expected him to find.
Supernotes flips between multiple accounts and time frames as Agent Kasper retraces his incredible story, filled with thrilling espionage and page-turning suspense, all the while he waits in jail, knowing there is little chance of his ever getting out alive.
Supernotes flips between multiple accounts and time frames as Agent Kasper retraces his incredible story, filled with thrilling espionage and page-turning suspense, all the while he waits in jail, knowing there is little chance of his ever getting out alive.
January 31, 2017
Based on a true story, this disturbing yet fascinating and gripping novel covers the events leading up to the abduction and imprisonment in Cambodia of an Italian undercover agent who is trying to trace the source of the supernotes (perfect forgeries of US currency). Disavowed by his government, Agent Kasper suffers brutal treatment at the hands of kidnappers and then the Cambodian prison system. He plans to escape or die trying. The conspiracy, lies, and the political intrigue are unsettling - who can Kasper trust, who is actually on his side?
August 19, 2014
Uma abordagem deveras interessante às questões em torno de certas operações secretas efectuadas por organizações não menos secretas e à fomra como as mesmas são financiadas.
Se se tiver em consideração aquilo que foi escrito nesta obra, o mundo está a tornar-se, definitivamente, num lugar muito mau para se viver quando se está atento àquilo que nos rodeia. Como confirma o adágio, os ignorantes são sempre os mais felizes.
Se se tiver em consideração aquilo que foi escrito nesta obra, o mundo está a tornar-se, definitivamente, num lugar muito mau para se viver quando se está atento àquilo que nos rodeia. Como confirma o adágio, os ignorantes são sempre os mais felizes.
February 2, 2016
This is a very enjoyable book that never lost my interest. It is the story about how Agent Kasper wound up in Cambodian prisons told by the prisoner in recollections of his past. It reveals the murky world of espionage and how you never can be sure who is who or who to trust.
Parts of it are also about his Roman lawyer who he has never met. Those parts really do not add anything to the book but are still interesting.
Doubleday gifted me a copy of this.
Parts of it are also about his Roman lawyer who he has never met. Those parts really do not add anything to the book but are still interesting.
Doubleday gifted me a copy of this.
March 1, 2016
A thriller based upon some real events. Originally written by an Italian, it was translated pretty well and did not seem to be from an english is a second language author. The sign of a good publisher (and editor). It was the the action packed story I have been reading of late. I am not a big fan of stories that jump back and forth between time lines, so it lost some points with me there.
Have a GoodReads.
Have a GoodReads.
March 19, 2016
When you find out that Supernotes is based on a true story, you will not be surprised. When exposing the CIA and the US Government in such a fictional way that it must be accurate. A must read, very enlightening, and well written.
March 30, 2014
Fenomenale..... ★★★★★
May 15, 2014
Deludente. Manca l'avventura, l'intreccio è scontato e lo stile involuto. Questo genere di libri dovrebbe essere da lettura in 1/2/3 giorni non trascinarsi (come è stato per me) per 10 giorni...
Displaying 1 - 30 of 38 reviews