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Madison McGuire #3
A Singular Spy
From the back cover
Madison McGuire returns - in the third high voltage adventure in this thrilling series.
In Geneva, an insignificant station clerk is blackmailed and then killed. A seemingly minor event, in the ruthless world of espionage.
But his murder has set into motion a chain of events that will send Madison McGuire from her quiet life with lover Terry to her most challenging and dangerous assignment: to uncover a traitor - a lethally dangerous mole - in the highest echelons of the government of the United States.
To direct an officially unauthorized action in neutral Switzerland, and to neutralize the deadly mole, Madison must operate in utmost secrecy. She compiles her team: a crack photographer, an expert at electronic penetration, a master interrogator. She also recruits rookie agent Alexandria Kimble, and former head of records Donna Sylves, who has been drummed out of the CIA, rumor has it, because she is a lesbian.
How can this secret operation be sealed away from the scrutiny of so highly placed an American mole? Soon there is a string of deaths...and Madison learns all about a vicious killer named Natasha, a spy named Raven, and the menace that will reach into the most deeply personal area of Madison's life.
Madison McGuire returns - in the third high voltage adventure in this thrilling series.
In Geneva, an insignificant station clerk is blackmailed and then killed. A seemingly minor event, in the ruthless world of espionage.
But his murder has set into motion a chain of events that will send Madison McGuire from her quiet life with lover Terry to her most challenging and dangerous assignment: to uncover a traitor - a lethally dangerous mole - in the highest echelons of the government of the United States.
To direct an officially unauthorized action in neutral Switzerland, and to neutralize the deadly mole, Madison must operate in utmost secrecy. She compiles her team: a crack photographer, an expert at electronic penetration, a master interrogator. She also recruits rookie agent Alexandria Kimble, and former head of records Donna Sylves, who has been drummed out of the CIA, rumor has it, because she is a lesbian.
How can this secret operation be sealed away from the scrutiny of so highly placed an American mole? Soon there is a string of deaths...and Madison learns all about a vicious killer named Natasha, a spy named Raven, and the menace that will reach into the most deeply personal area of Madison's life.
179 pages, Paperback
First published May 1, 1992
73 people want to read
About the author
Amanda Kyle Williams
15 books359 followersAmanda Kyle Williams was an American crime writer best known for her Keye Street series that are psychologically complex thrillers. In 2013 The Stranger You Seek was shortlisted for the Private Eye Writers of America's Shamus Award. She also wrote the Madison McGuire series.
Williams spent her childhood between Colorado and Georgia. She began her writing career as a freelance writer for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. When she decided to experiment with writing crime fiction, she studied criminology to establish background knowledge, and worked with a private investigator firm in Atlanta.
Williams was diagnosed with endometrial cancer in February 2014. She died on August 31, 2018, in Decatur, Georgia.
Williams spent her childhood between Colorado and Georgia. She began her writing career as a freelance writer for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. When she decided to experiment with writing crime fiction, she studied criminology to establish background knowledge, and worked with a private investigator firm in Atlanta.
Williams was diagnosed with endometrial cancer in February 2014. She died on August 31, 2018, in Decatur, Georgia.
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
October 26, 2016
The third spy thriller starring Madison McGuire finds her dealing with a mole, or the potential for one, in the CIA.
This book takes place mostly in Switzerland, with some parts taking place in Moscow, Washington DC, and ‘the Carolinas’ (whichever one Terry and Madison’s place is located, it gets referred to as ‘the Carolinas’ in the book).
As in the prior books, a) more than Madison herself gets to have a point of view; b) there’s a bit of ‘other potential lesbians’ around (a prior book had one of Madison’s trainers be bisexual, though I do not know if that word was actually used), and in this book there are three lesbian spies (and a fourth lesbian in the book – Terry) – Donna, Madison, and Alex – all three working on the same mission on the same team; c) there’s a bit of ‘government work is hard/conspiracies regarding governments and government work, etc.’ – I thought, while reading the book, about John Le Carré and how his spy thrillers were kind of depressing and involved burnt out (or near there) spies, and spy work isn’t that glamorous vibe (looking to get his name right, I ended up on ‘Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy’ which involves a spy implanted decades ago by the Russians . . . though in British Intelligence, instead of the CIA – yeah, a common enough spy theme, just interesting I ended up there when that’s the theme of this specific book here with Madison).
I think it was something I was told on GoodReads, something I read somewhere, or something I dreamed (I’m leaning heavily towards ‘was told’) – the bit of romance got added because the author turned in a copy of the first book without it and the publisher talked her into adding it. Correct or not, fair or not, I’ve always had a kind of ‘tacked on’ vibe about the whole Terry-Madison affair, though it was bitter sweet in this book here.
Right, so – as noted, there’s a mole that was implanted in the CIA – or at least there’s evidence of one that came to light when a specific station chief in Geneva was murdered. He had apparently been handing out some secrets, and there’s evidence that he wasn’t the only one involved. Madison is sent in to investigate – she asks to go in with a team she builds herself, with outsiders – which causes the team to become disavowalable (which doesn’t appear to be a word, hmm, made them be put in a position wherein they could be disavowaled . . . wherein they might have someone disavowal them. Bah.) Madison team consists of Donna, someone Madison had worked with in the past – former CIA head of . . . hmm . . . information? Along with her were people with names like ‘Harley’, ‘Old Charlie’, ‘Alex’, and . . . there may or may not be more, but I forget now.
There was a strong neat plot to follow, much excitement, many POV’s – one of which (well, two) involved following two spies in Moscow – a CIA one, and a KGB one (though he was also a spy for the CIA).
An enjoyable book. There’s nothing that would cause me to hesitate to recommend this to any and everyone who likes spy books.
Rating: 4.64
October 26 2016
This book takes place mostly in Switzerland, with some parts taking place in Moscow, Washington DC, and ‘the Carolinas’ (whichever one Terry and Madison’s place is located, it gets referred to as ‘the Carolinas’ in the book).
As in the prior books, a) more than Madison herself gets to have a point of view; b) there’s a bit of ‘other potential lesbians’ around (a prior book had one of Madison’s trainers be bisexual, though I do not know if that word was actually used), and in this book there are three lesbian spies (and a fourth lesbian in the book – Terry) – Donna, Madison, and Alex – all three working on the same mission on the same team; c) there’s a bit of ‘government work is hard/conspiracies regarding governments and government work, etc.’ – I thought, while reading the book, about John Le Carré and how his spy thrillers were kind of depressing and involved burnt out (or near there) spies, and spy work isn’t that glamorous vibe (looking to get his name right, I ended up on ‘Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy’ which involves a spy implanted decades ago by the Russians . . . though in British Intelligence, instead of the CIA – yeah, a common enough spy theme, just interesting I ended up there when that’s the theme of this specific book here with Madison).
I think it was something I was told on GoodReads, something I read somewhere, or something I dreamed (I’m leaning heavily towards ‘was told’) – the bit of romance got added because the author turned in a copy of the first book without it and the publisher talked her into adding it. Correct or not, fair or not, I’ve always had a kind of ‘tacked on’ vibe about the whole Terry-Madison affair, though it was bitter sweet in this book here.
Right, so – as noted, there’s a mole that was implanted in the CIA – or at least there’s evidence of one that came to light when a specific station chief in Geneva was murdered. He had apparently been handing out some secrets, and there’s evidence that he wasn’t the only one involved. Madison is sent in to investigate – she asks to go in with a team she builds herself, with outsiders – which causes the team to become disavowalable (which doesn’t appear to be a word, hmm, made them be put in a position wherein they could be disavowaled . . . wherein they might have someone disavowal them. Bah.) Madison team consists of Donna, someone Madison had worked with in the past – former CIA head of . . . hmm . . . information? Along with her were people with names like ‘Harley’, ‘Old Charlie’, ‘Alex’, and . . . there may or may not be more, but I forget now.
There was a strong neat plot to follow, much excitement, many POV’s – one of which (well, two) involved following two spies in Moscow – a CIA one, and a KGB one (though he was also a spy for the CIA).
An enjoyable book. There’s nothing that would cause me to hesitate to recommend this to any and everyone who likes spy books.
Rating: 4.64
October 26 2016
June 11, 2011
Amanda Kyle Williams, in this, one of her early works, starts us off running for our lives. From there she begins to weave a web of lies... and then she drops us in amongst it.
I had to take a break in the middle of it for a doctor's appointment and a load of other stuff. It almost drove me crazy. "What is going on while I'm not there? What are they doing? What's happening? Arrggghhhh."
Then, when I next sat down with it, I found her at a dead run and me not even warmed up. I hung on and finally caught up. Tangled in intrigue and treachery, I made it to the end and then the fun stuff started.
Coming out shortly is her newest, her first mainstream spy novel: "The Stranger You Seek." How, after reading this, can one bear to wait for that?
I must. I shall. Amazon has my order on file. Hurry. Hurry please.
I had to take a break in the middle of it for a doctor's appointment and a load of other stuff. It almost drove me crazy. "What is going on while I'm not there? What are they doing? What's happening? Arrggghhhh."
Then, when I next sat down with it, I found her at a dead run and me not even warmed up. I hung on and finally caught up. Tangled in intrigue and treachery, I made it to the end and then the fun stuff started.
Coming out shortly is her newest, her first mainstream spy novel: "The Stranger You Seek." How, after reading this, can one bear to wait for that?
I must. I shall. Amazon has my order on file. Hurry. Hurry please.
August 24, 2012
Amanda Kyle Williams, in this, one of her early works, starts us off running for our lives. From there she begins to weave a web of lies... and then she drops us in amongst it.
I had to take a break in the middle of it for a doctor's appointment and a load of other stuff. It almost drove me crazy. "What is going on while I'm not there? What are they doing? What's happening? Arrggghhhh."
Then, when I next sat down with it, I found her at a dead run and me not even warmed up. I hung on and finally caught up. Tangled in intrigue and treachery, I made it to the end and then the fun stuff started.
Coming out shortly is her newest, her first mainstream spy novel: "The Stranger You Seek." How, after reading this, can one bear to wait for that?
I must. I shall. Amazon has my order on file. Hurry. Hurry please.
I had to take a break in the middle of it for a doctor's appointment and a load of other stuff. It almost drove me crazy. "What is going on while I'm not there? What are they doing? What's happening? Arrggghhhh."
Then, when I next sat down with it, I found her at a dead run and me not even warmed up. I hung on and finally caught up. Tangled in intrigue and treachery, I made it to the end and then the fun stuff started.
Coming out shortly is her newest, her first mainstream spy novel: "The Stranger You Seek." How, after reading this, can one bear to wait for that?
I must. I shall. Amazon has my order on file. Hurry. Hurry please.
May 4, 2016
Weakest of the three Madison McGuire spy novels that I have read but still enjoyable. In this outing, Madison is given the assignment of determining who a mole is in the Company. She is allowed to assemble her own team. Multiple people are killed during the search and Terry, her lover, is threatened. Good but not as suspenseful as the first two in the series.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews