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Liar's Candle
In this brilliant debut thriller, reminiscent of the works of John le Carre and Olen Steinhauer and infused with the authenticity of the author’s travels, a young American State Department intern based in Turkey becomes “the woman who knows too much” and is marked for death.
Penny Kessler, an intern at the US Embassy in Ankara, Turkey, wakes up in a hospital on the morning of July 5th to find herself at the center of an international crisis. The day before, the Embassy was the target of a devastating terrorist attack that killed hundreds of Penny’s friends and colleagues. Not only has a photograph of Penny as she emerged from the rubble become the event’s defining image, but for reasons she doesn’t understand, her bosses believe she’s a crucial witness.
Suddenly, everyone is intensely interested in what Penny knows. But what does she know? And whom can she trust? As she struggles to piece together her memories, she discovers that Zach Robson, the young diplomat she’d been falling for all summer, went missing during the attack. And one of the CIA’s most powerful officials, Christina Ekdahl, wants people to believe Zach was a traitor.
What actually happened?
Penny barely has time to ask before she discovers that her own government wants her dead. Soon, with only a single ally—a rookie intelligence officer fresh out of the Navy—she is running a perilous gauntlet, ruthlessly pursued by Turkey’s most powerful forces and by the CIA.
To survive, Penny must furiously improvise. Tradecraft takes a lifetime to master. She has less than thirty-six hours. And she’s only twenty-one years old. This is her first real test—one she can’t fail.
Penny Kessler, an intern at the US Embassy in Ankara, Turkey, wakes up in a hospital on the morning of July 5th to find herself at the center of an international crisis. The day before, the Embassy was the target of a devastating terrorist attack that killed hundreds of Penny’s friends and colleagues. Not only has a photograph of Penny as she emerged from the rubble become the event’s defining image, but for reasons she doesn’t understand, her bosses believe she’s a crucial witness.
Suddenly, everyone is intensely interested in what Penny knows. But what does she know? And whom can she trust? As she struggles to piece together her memories, she discovers that Zach Robson, the young diplomat she’d been falling for all summer, went missing during the attack. And one of the CIA’s most powerful officials, Christina Ekdahl, wants people to believe Zach was a traitor.
What actually happened?
Penny barely has time to ask before she discovers that her own government wants her dead. Soon, with only a single ally—a rookie intelligence officer fresh out of the Navy—she is running a perilous gauntlet, ruthlessly pursued by Turkey’s most powerful forces and by the CIA.
To survive, Penny must furiously improvise. Tradecraft takes a lifetime to master. She has less than thirty-six hours. And she’s only twenty-one years old. This is her first real test—one she can’t fail.
320 pages, Hardcover
First published April 10, 2018
45 people are currently reading
1653 people want to read
About the author
August Thomas
1 book57 followersMy writing:
Real geopolitics. Imaginary spies.
Me:
I once started a protest in Istanbul with a spoon and can of Libby's Pumpkin Puree. (It was an accident!)
Slightly more:
From New England. Lived in Italy, Scotland, Turkey (once as a Fulbright Scholar). Traveled 800 miles Vienna-->Plovdiv in the footsteps of the splendid Lady Mary Wortley Montagu. I was the little girl in
Beeing: Life, Motherhood, and 180,000 Honeybees .
Real geopolitics. Imaginary spies.
Me:
I once started a protest in Istanbul with a spoon and can of Libby's Pumpkin Puree. (It was an accident!)
Slightly more:
From New England. Lived in Italy, Scotland, Turkey (once as a Fulbright Scholar). Traveled 800 miles Vienna-->Plovdiv in the footsteps of the splendid Lady Mary Wortley Montagu. I was the little girl in
Beeing: Life, Motherhood, and 180,000 Honeybees .
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 156 reviews
April 10, 2018
Pity the poor intern. Penny Kessler is far from home, working with no pay for the summer at the US Embassy in Ankara, translating newspapers from Turkish to English. She wakes up in the Ulus Devlet (Ankara’s state) hospital after an explosion at the Embassy Fourth of July party. 256 are dead; many others injured; her is-he-or-isn’t-he-not-quite-boyfriend, Zach, is missing. Everyone thinks she knows something about the bombing plot – the Turkish government, the US State Department, the CIA, even the lone good guy. While still groggy, several hours after the explosion - Penny is summarily released against her and her doctor’s wishes to the safe-keeping of the Turkish president’s protege, to be treated by the president’s private physician.
And off we go with another take on a familiar trope - the naïve protagonist everyone is either attempting to torture or kill, and she has no information of value with which to bargain her way to a better position, and zero training in espionage tactics. Where Liar’s Candle distinguishes itself from other debut spy/thriller novels is in the believability of its protagonist, the authenticity of the relationship between Penny and her escape-partner and its setting – Turkey. Penny’s back story gives her language skills credibility and they are key to her continued survival. Her partner’s character lacks those language skills (a most difficult fact Ms. Thomas asks the reader to accept – and it raised both my eyebrows and required me to suspend disbelief without further analysis) and so is dependent on Penny in any local interactions. He does bring other practical skills to the table. According to the publisher’s author bio, Thomas traveled and studied in Turkey as the recipient of a Fulbright Scholarship and earned a Master’s degrees from an Istanbul university. Readers benefit from her familiarity with the language, food, landscape and geography throughout the novel as she builds those local details seamlessly into her suspense yarn. Liar’s Candle also avoids the exoticism and Othering that American writers sometimes engage in when they set their novels in the Middle East.
The suspense is maintained throughout and doesn’t let up until close to the end – when the story shifts from an escape story to observing how the implications play out back in the States for the powerful. It’s not Homeland and certainly not reminiscent of John leCarre. Nonetheless, Liar’s Candle is a rarity – a debut spy-ish, thriller novel that demonstrates superb command of the difficulty of communicating roughly contemporaneous stories over a 36-hour period, introduces a plethora of characters without making the reader feel as if he/she needs to chart them out on a whiteboard to understand who is who – and is true enough with respect to the relationship between CIA and the State Department for the average civilian thriller reader to accept its premise. Are the bad guys a little too purely bad with nary a redeeming quality in sight? Absolutely. That’s the price of a debut, but it’s a small one.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an advance e-copy to me for review.
And off we go with another take on a familiar trope - the naïve protagonist everyone is either attempting to torture or kill, and she has no information of value with which to bargain her way to a better position, and zero training in espionage tactics. Where Liar’s Candle distinguishes itself from other debut spy/thriller novels is in the believability of its protagonist, the authenticity of the relationship between Penny and her escape-partner and its setting – Turkey. Penny’s back story gives her language skills credibility and they are key to her continued survival. Her partner’s character lacks those language skills (a most difficult fact Ms. Thomas asks the reader to accept – and it raised both my eyebrows and required me to suspend disbelief without further analysis) and so is dependent on Penny in any local interactions. He does bring other practical skills to the table. According to the publisher’s author bio, Thomas traveled and studied in Turkey as the recipient of a Fulbright Scholarship and earned a Master’s degrees from an Istanbul university. Readers benefit from her familiarity with the language, food, landscape and geography throughout the novel as she builds those local details seamlessly into her suspense yarn. Liar’s Candle also avoids the exoticism and Othering that American writers sometimes engage in when they set their novels in the Middle East.
The suspense is maintained throughout and doesn’t let up until close to the end – when the story shifts from an escape story to observing how the implications play out back in the States for the powerful. It’s not Homeland and certainly not reminiscent of John leCarre. Nonetheless, Liar’s Candle is a rarity – a debut spy-ish, thriller novel that demonstrates superb command of the difficulty of communicating roughly contemporaneous stories over a 36-hour period, introduces a plethora of characters without making the reader feel as if he/she needs to chart them out on a whiteboard to understand who is who – and is true enough with respect to the relationship between CIA and the State Department for the average civilian thriller reader to accept its premise. Are the bad guys a little too purely bad with nary a redeeming quality in sight? Absolutely. That’s the price of a debut, but it’s a small one.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an advance e-copy to me for review.
June 10, 2018
Penny Kessler had only been in Turkey at the US Embassy in Ankara for three weeks when she was caught up in a horrific bombing in which hundreds were killed. Injured, dizzy and disoriented, Penny only knew she was in hospital and that many people she had known, had died. The shock and dismay she felt to see herself, bloodied and panicked, on the front pages of many newspapers was only the beginning of the most traumatic time in Penny’s life.
When Penny discovered a friend, diplomat Zack Robson was missing, she was shocked. But when the CIA put out that Zack was a traitor, Penny was left reeling. She knew that wasn’t true. She knew Zack – he wasn’t like that. With Penny knowing a smattering of the Turkish language, she managed to piece together certain things she wished she didn’t know. She also knew she had to get away from everything and everyone if she was going to be able to help Zack; and get out of the evolving situation alive.
It seemed to Penny that she had one person she could possibly trust. Connor Beauregard was also CIA, but he was in trouble as well. Could they trust one another? Was it possible to rescue Zack and escape from the volatile state of affairs themselves?
Liar’s Candle is the debut novel by August Thomas and what a debut it is! Fast-paced, the action is full-on from the very first page and kept me locked in until the last! An excellent thriller with twists galore, corruption and betrayal, and the evidence that no-one high up the ladder cares too much about the new rookies in the job. They are all expendable! Penny is a great character – strong willed and determined. I wonder if this is the beginning of a series? With Penny as the MC, it would be an excellent series! Highly recommended.
With thanks to Simon & Schuster AU for my uncorrected proof ARC to read and review.
When Penny discovered a friend, diplomat Zack Robson was missing, she was shocked. But when the CIA put out that Zack was a traitor, Penny was left reeling. She knew that wasn’t true. She knew Zack – he wasn’t like that. With Penny knowing a smattering of the Turkish language, she managed to piece together certain things she wished she didn’t know. She also knew she had to get away from everything and everyone if she was going to be able to help Zack; and get out of the evolving situation alive.
It seemed to Penny that she had one person she could possibly trust. Connor Beauregard was also CIA, but he was in trouble as well. Could they trust one another? Was it possible to rescue Zack and escape from the volatile state of affairs themselves?
Liar’s Candle is the debut novel by August Thomas and what a debut it is! Fast-paced, the action is full-on from the very first page and kept me locked in until the last! An excellent thriller with twists galore, corruption and betrayal, and the evidence that no-one high up the ladder cares too much about the new rookies in the job. They are all expendable! Penny is a great character – strong willed and determined. I wonder if this is the beginning of a series? With Penny as the MC, it would be an excellent series! Highly recommended.
With thanks to Simon & Schuster AU for my uncorrected proof ARC to read and review.
July 4, 2018
This is a very enjoyable spy-type thriller set in modern day Turkey. It opens with the bombing of a July 4th party at the US Embassy in Ankara. Our narrator, intern Penny Kessler is injured and wakes up in a Turkish hospital with concussion to find that many of her friends and colleagues have been killed. Just before the explosion, Penny had been talking to her colleague Zach and a Turkish man who Zach asked her to include on the invitation list for the party and now they have disappeared and are being implicated in the bombing with Penny under suspicion as well. Penny goes into hiding and with Connor, a young CIA rookie sent to bring her in flees across Turkey to find Zach. What they discover is treachery at the highest levels with many groups wanting them dead.
While this is not a complex high level espionage thriller, however it is entertaining and fast paced as long as you are prepared to suspend some disbelief that naive rookies Connor and Penny could have the luck to manage everything that happens in a 24h period and just go along for the ride. The plot is fairly linear and not over-complex (as political thrillers can be). The author has lived in Turkey and speaks Turkish and I enjoyed her descriptions of the customs, food, architecture and countryside which all flavoured the novel with an authentic atmosphere. The goodies and the baddies tended to be fairly black and white but that helps to keep things simple. I liked the main characters - Penny is not a femme fatale with amazing martial arts skills but an ordinary college student (speaking Turkish is her only super power), Connor is a desk jockey on his first assignment for the CIA and Zach comes over as slightly smarmy and conniving. I can see the novel making a great movie/TV series with some handsome male leads and a smart but gutsy Penny.
With thanks to Simon & Schuster AU for an ARC to read and review
While this is not a complex high level espionage thriller, however it is entertaining and fast paced as long as you are prepared to suspend some disbelief that naive rookies Connor and Penny could have the luck to manage everything that happens in a 24h period and just go along for the ride. The plot is fairly linear and not over-complex (as political thrillers can be). The author has lived in Turkey and speaks Turkish and I enjoyed her descriptions of the customs, food, architecture and countryside which all flavoured the novel with an authentic atmosphere. The goodies and the baddies tended to be fairly black and white but that helps to keep things simple. I liked the main characters - Penny is not a femme fatale with amazing martial arts skills but an ordinary college student (speaking Turkish is her only super power), Connor is a desk jockey on his first assignment for the CIA and Zach comes over as slightly smarmy and conniving. I can see the novel making a great movie/TV series with some handsome male leads and a smart but gutsy Penny.
With thanks to Simon & Schuster AU for an ARC to read and review
August 1, 2020
Liar’s Candle is an incredibly well-written spy novel with an authentic and believable cast of characters and a page-turner of a plot. Penny Kessler is an intern at the U.S. Embassy in Ankara, Turkey who survives a bombing of an Embassy party and is thought to have information on the bombing which causes her to flee for her life. August Thomas provides just enough backstory on Penny to make her a plausible heroine and keeps the reader guessing on the rest of the characters – who is truly helping Penny and who is trying to further along her demise? Liar’s Candle is fast-paced, relentless and such a fun read.
My favorite part of the book was Thomas’s seamless inclusion of details about Turkey including the culture, the food, the politics, and even several historical areas. To me, that is what sets Liar’s Candle apart from other books in that genre – the sense of time and place were phenomenally crafted. I also think the cover is spectacular and ties in beautifully with the story line.
Liar’s Candle is a treasure and well worth the read. I am already looking forward to August Thomas’ next book.
Listen to my podcast at https://www.thoughtsfromapage.com for fun author interviews. For more book reviews, check out my Instagram account: https://www.instagram.com/thoughtsfro....
My favorite part of the book was Thomas’s seamless inclusion of details about Turkey including the culture, the food, the politics, and even several historical areas. To me, that is what sets Liar’s Candle apart from other books in that genre – the sense of time and place were phenomenally crafted. I also think the cover is spectacular and ties in beautifully with the story line.
Liar’s Candle is a treasure and well worth the read. I am already looking forward to August Thomas’ next book.
Listen to my podcast at https://www.thoughtsfromapage.com for fun author interviews. For more book reviews, check out my Instagram account: https://www.instagram.com/thoughtsfro....
May 6, 2018
Liar's Candle, by August Thomas, is an interesting fast-paced political thriller.
21 year old Penny Kessler, an intern at the US Embassy in Ankara, Turkey wakes up in a hospital on July 5th, the day after a disastrous bomb has killed hundreds of people at the embassy's Independence Day party. She is one of the few survivors and her bosses believe she's a crucial witness.
As she struggles to piece together her memories, while being interrogated by her superiors, Penny understands she doesn't know who to trust.
A game of cat and mouse ensues when she suddenly becomes a target leading her to meet an intriguing group of people.
Constant action and drama, Liar's Candle is a suspenseful, engaging read.
Thank you to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster Canada for an arc of this novel in exchange for my honest review.
21 year old Penny Kessler, an intern at the US Embassy in Ankara, Turkey wakes up in a hospital on July 5th, the day after a disastrous bomb has killed hundreds of people at the embassy's Independence Day party. She is one of the few survivors and her bosses believe she's a crucial witness.
As she struggles to piece together her memories, while being interrogated by her superiors, Penny understands she doesn't know who to trust.
A game of cat and mouse ensues when she suddenly becomes a target leading her to meet an intriguing group of people.
Constant action and drama, Liar's Candle is a suspenseful, engaging read.
Thank you to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster Canada for an arc of this novel in exchange for my honest review.
July 9, 2018
This is the internationally-set thriller (with a U.S. focus) for which you've been waiting. Superb action, sympathetic protagonist, unusual and exotic setting by an author who knows the place and the language. Well-paced, well-written, good characters--I hope to see many more books like this from August Thomas.
Put Liar's Candle at the top of your to-read list.
Put Liar's Candle at the top of your to-read list.
July 14, 2022
So exciting I could hardly put it down and read through it at a cracking pace!
May 8, 2023
Always eager to find new authors, I gladly reached for this debut thriller by August Thomas. She has a wonderful way with words and has used some of her own experiences to help shape the novel. Wonderfully paced and sharp witted with international political goings-on, Thomas provides readers with an adventure like no other. While I have not seen other publications attributed to her, I am eager to see what else August Thomas might have in the works.
After a Fourth of July event at the US Embassy in Turkey, Penny Kessler finds herself in the hospital with no memory. Now the morning of July 5th, Penny discovers that the Embassy was the target of a terrorist attack that killed hundreds. With little idea what happened, Penny tries to keep her calm, but a photograph of her standing in the rubble turns out to be the media favourite. While Penny hoped that her superiors would stand with her, they have stepped back and wonder if she might be a key witness to the attack.
What does Penny know and when did she discover it? This is the question on everyone’s lips, but Penny’s amnesia is doing her no favours. With jagged pieces of memory slowly returning, Penny learns that a young diplomat in the Embassy has gone missing and is being labelled as a traitor and the mastermind behind the entire mess. But Penny cannot believe that Zach Robson would do that, what little she knows of the man she’s taken a shining to all summer.
Penny cannot get ahead and is soon lumped in with Robson, as many suspect she could be a key element of the attack. With the CIA and Turkish officials wanting her dead, Penny must put her trust in an intelligence officer who is as gruff as they come. However, if he promises to keep her alive, Penny will gladly follow him to safety.
With the stakes as high as they come, Penny will have to risk it all to stay alive, while still trying to determine what’s happened and how she could be in the middle of a traitorous cover-up by unknown sources. There is no time to ask questions now, as her life hangs in the balance. A stunning thriller that is sure to put August Thomas on the map!
There is something to be said about an author who is able to captivate me so thoroughly with a debut novel. August Thomas does just that with her strong writing and wonderful story. The narrative flow of the book worked really well, guiding the reader through some harrowing events and using international politics as a stunning backdrop. The characters within the book prove not only believable, but also well in line with the various roles they play, offering up some added realism to the story. Some decent plot twists emerge throughout the book, providing not only tense, but highly captivating, moments for the reader to enjoy. There is noting like international espionage and terrorism to get the reader’s blood boiling, something that happens here with ease. I can only hope that August Thomas will return with more in the coming years, as this was a great debut thriller that begs for more.
Kudos, Madam Thomas, for keeping me hooked throughout and with a stunning ending that is sure to impress many.
Love/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/
After a Fourth of July event at the US Embassy in Turkey, Penny Kessler finds herself in the hospital with no memory. Now the morning of July 5th, Penny discovers that the Embassy was the target of a terrorist attack that killed hundreds. With little idea what happened, Penny tries to keep her calm, but a photograph of her standing in the rubble turns out to be the media favourite. While Penny hoped that her superiors would stand with her, they have stepped back and wonder if she might be a key witness to the attack.
What does Penny know and when did she discover it? This is the question on everyone’s lips, but Penny’s amnesia is doing her no favours. With jagged pieces of memory slowly returning, Penny learns that a young diplomat in the Embassy has gone missing and is being labelled as a traitor and the mastermind behind the entire mess. But Penny cannot believe that Zach Robson would do that, what little she knows of the man she’s taken a shining to all summer.
Penny cannot get ahead and is soon lumped in with Robson, as many suspect she could be a key element of the attack. With the CIA and Turkish officials wanting her dead, Penny must put her trust in an intelligence officer who is as gruff as they come. However, if he promises to keep her alive, Penny will gladly follow him to safety.
With the stakes as high as they come, Penny will have to risk it all to stay alive, while still trying to determine what’s happened and how she could be in the middle of a traitorous cover-up by unknown sources. There is no time to ask questions now, as her life hangs in the balance. A stunning thriller that is sure to put August Thomas on the map!
There is something to be said about an author who is able to captivate me so thoroughly with a debut novel. August Thomas does just that with her strong writing and wonderful story. The narrative flow of the book worked really well, guiding the reader through some harrowing events and using international politics as a stunning backdrop. The characters within the book prove not only believable, but also well in line with the various roles they play, offering up some added realism to the story. Some decent plot twists emerge throughout the book, providing not only tense, but highly captivating, moments for the reader to enjoy. There is noting like international espionage and terrorism to get the reader’s blood boiling, something that happens here with ease. I can only hope that August Thomas will return with more in the coming years, as this was a great debut thriller that begs for more.
Kudos, Madam Thomas, for keeping me hooked throughout and with a stunning ending that is sure to impress many.
Love/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/
August 8, 2018
What a blast! No, really - the story begins in the aftermath of the 4th of July bombing of the US Embassy in Ankara. Mass casualties, the media going into overdrive and the government in lockdown. State Department intern, Penny Kessler, wakes in hospital, battered, bruised, bewildered, but alive. And from that moment on, for the next 2 days, nothings stands still. Who knows what? Who can Penny trust? With no special knowledge or skills to rely on, other than her language and common sense, Penny crosses from one side of Turkey to the other in search of the truth.
Although this was quite a fast-paced and exciting story, I have to say it took me a while to get into it. It was a matter of understanding the rhythm, I think, and once I got it, I was hooked until the end. This is the debut novel of millennial author, August Thomas, and I'm confident in saying that she must have had a very strong idea of serialisation in mind when writing this. The chapters are short-ish, and most have a cliffhanger ending (some cliffs higher than others, of course), with the plot spiralling off in a new or unexpected direction as she takes us into the next chapter.
Liar's Candle is an exhilarating and fun ride, and I'll be watching out for more from this author.
With thanks to Simon & Schuster for an advance uncorrected proof to review.
Although this was quite a fast-paced and exciting story, I have to say it took me a while to get into it. It was a matter of understanding the rhythm, I think, and once I got it, I was hooked until the end. This is the debut novel of millennial author, August Thomas, and I'm confident in saying that she must have had a very strong idea of serialisation in mind when writing this. The chapters are short-ish, and most have a cliffhanger ending (some cliffs higher than others, of course), with the plot spiralling off in a new or unexpected direction as she takes us into the next chapter.
Liar's Candle is an exhilarating and fun ride, and I'll be watching out for more from this author.
With thanks to Simon & Schuster for an advance uncorrected proof to review.
February 15, 2019
Watch me discuss this book in my February wrap up: https://youtu.be/xyKlhkDZIBY
October 15, 2018
A stunning debut, a book that brings the traditions of Le Carré and Follett into the 21st century. Breakneck pacing, sharply observed detail, an all-too-plausible plot and a protagonist to cheer for — well done, August Thomas. Well done.
June 19, 2018
From the cover jacket “Reminiscent of John LeCarre and Owen Steinhauer”. Please. More like the basis for a Lifetime TV movie. Possible title: Penny has an Adventure.
December 4, 2019
Political spy thriller with cinematic appeal and a strong sense of place.
Plot? Conspiracy heavy, but believable.
Narrative? Rather implausible, but who cares when you’re turning the pages as fast you can read them.
Characters? Eh, let’s just say it’s not at the level of le Carre as the blurb would have you believe, but plucky Penny and cunning Connor are wonderful characters you root for and want to know.
Tension filled and exciting, If you’re willing to suspend disbelief for a hell of a good story, then I recommend this romp filled with enough treachery to make the Borgias look like a nice family with a few issues.
Plot? Conspiracy heavy, but believable.
Narrative? Rather implausible, but who cares when you’re turning the pages as fast you can read them.
Characters? Eh, let’s just say it’s not at the level of le Carre as the blurb would have you believe, but plucky Penny and cunning Connor are wonderful characters you root for and want to know.
Tension filled and exciting, If you’re willing to suspend disbelief for a hell of a good story, then I recommend this romp filled with enough treachery to make the Borgias look like a nice family with a few issues.
July 6, 2022
Although I agree with readers who found Penny's exploits a little over-the-top, I loved the exposition, the descriptions of the landscape and the customs of Turkey, and the nonstop action so much that I was willing to suspend disbelief and accept that an inexperienced diplomatic intern and a young CIA officer could both act like Jason Bourne. Some of my book club members couldn't buy the premise, because they felt like Penny directs the two more-experienced young officers, Zach and Connor, too much, but I thought that Penny has the perfect mix of naivete and can-do attitude for a young woman with her intellect and drive. Whenever she is in peril in this debut novel, her wits and a wisdom beyond her years pull her out of difficult situations. The author, a Fulbright scholar who started learning Turkish at age sixteen, gives us a well-researched, entertaining debut, and I look forward to more of Penny's exploits. As Erin Downey Howerton pointed out in her Booklist review, "As the story bounces between Langley, D.C., and Ankara, the languages of spies, statesmen, and everyday Turks are peppered throughout this political thriller with a street-level view of modern Turkey." I think it is the languages of the disparate characters and the street-level view that certainly enhanced this propulsive story for me.
January 6, 2018
Set in the unique place of Turkey, this book starts with a bang. A bomb explodes at the U.S. embassy party, killing hundreds of people. One of the survivors is a young intern, Penny. Penny wakes up in the hospital after the bombing with very few memories of the event. The photograph of her emerging from the rubble sends her on the ride of her life. What does she know?
The setting of the embassy in Turkey is really what first interested me about this story. This unusual place, customs and people added so much to the saga. But, the character development in the tale is really weak. I had no connection whatsoever to any of them. Christina, the boss of the CIA, is the worst. To me...and this is my opinion, she is not the force she should be.
The intrigue and the location is what kept me reading. It is a wild ride and action packed. With many plot twists and conspiracies you never know what spin will be next.
This novel is not due for release until April. Forgive the early review. Plus, I usually do not say much about the price of an ebook...but $12.99 for this one....I would wait for a sale.
April 19, 2018
Thanks to Scribner for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.
If you have followed my reviews for awhile, then you know how much I love political thrillers. Anything with some espionage thrown in will have my attention. With my senior projects in college being about espionage, this is an element I will always love having in with the thriller genre. LIAR'S CANDLE includes a terrorist attack on a US Embassy, the lone survivor running from the Turkish forces as well as from her own government, all while trying to figure out what actually happened that day.
Penny is an intern at the US Embassy in Turkey. On the morning of July 5th, she wakes up in a hospital bed and finds herself to be in the middle of an international crisis. On July 4th, there was a terrorist attack on the Embassy - leaving hundreds of employees dead. Penny seems to be one of the only survivors and those in charge think that she is their only witness. Penny has no recollection of what happened and is struggling to keep up with all that is happening around her.
Everything changes when she discovers that the US government wants her dead. She must now try to evade her own government as well as the Turkish forces. Will she be able to get to the bottom of this before they catch up with her?
LIAR'S CANDLE has the research and experience behind it. That made it feel a lot more plausible and real. The elements that go into espionage and their investigations are always fun to get pulled through. Thomas has just enough suspense and action to keep you turning those pages to see what will happen to Penny! If you like branching out into the political thrillers, then this is one that has to be on your TBR. The writing is great, the action is there, and Penny is a great protagonist It was so fun to see her grow throughout the novel from a naive and confused girl to a young woman finding her strength and bravery in order to survive.
I give this one a solid 4/5 stars!
If you have followed my reviews for awhile, then you know how much I love political thrillers. Anything with some espionage thrown in will have my attention. With my senior projects in college being about espionage, this is an element I will always love having in with the thriller genre. LIAR'S CANDLE includes a terrorist attack on a US Embassy, the lone survivor running from the Turkish forces as well as from her own government, all while trying to figure out what actually happened that day.
Penny is an intern at the US Embassy in Turkey. On the morning of July 5th, she wakes up in a hospital bed and finds herself to be in the middle of an international crisis. On July 4th, there was a terrorist attack on the Embassy - leaving hundreds of employees dead. Penny seems to be one of the only survivors and those in charge think that she is their only witness. Penny has no recollection of what happened and is struggling to keep up with all that is happening around her.
Everything changes when she discovers that the US government wants her dead. She must now try to evade her own government as well as the Turkish forces. Will she be able to get to the bottom of this before they catch up with her?
LIAR'S CANDLE has the research and experience behind it. That made it feel a lot more plausible and real. The elements that go into espionage and their investigations are always fun to get pulled through. Thomas has just enough suspense and action to keep you turning those pages to see what will happen to Penny! If you like branching out into the political thrillers, then this is one that has to be on your TBR. The writing is great, the action is there, and Penny is a great protagonist It was so fun to see her grow throughout the novel from a naive and confused girl to a young woman finding her strength and bravery in order to survive.
I give this one a solid 4/5 stars!
May 8, 2018
A fast read. Fun. Written with the movie rights for the popcorn movie it's bound to be firmly in mind. (J Law's too obvious, but... maybe Alicia Vikander?) Calling it "brilliant" and likening it to LeCarre goes too far, as the protagonist has a thoroughly implausible lucky streak, but who cares? It's fun! It's summer. You're on the porch, feet up. Why kvetch?
May 14, 2018
ARC received from Simon & Schuster Australia for an honest review
Political/spy thrillers are my jam at the moment, and this debut from August Thomas started with a bang, and had the adrenaline pumping right till the end.
Liar's Candle is a seductive game of cat and mouse, the reader wondering who are the good guys, who are the bad. Who can be trusted.
I mean seriously, who is really the enemy?
I was whisked away on an adrenaline filled journey along with Penny and those who are dragged into her life. I as kept on the edge of my seat wondering what would happen next.
I would never have guessed that this was a debut novel. Liar's Candle is a well written, well plotted story that will keep the reader intrigued from the first blast to the last.
I was happy to see that there will be more Penny Kessler stories in the future, and can't wait to get my hands on them.
Political/spy thrillers are my jam at the moment, and this debut from August Thomas started with a bang, and had the adrenaline pumping right till the end.
Liar's Candle is a seductive game of cat and mouse, the reader wondering who are the good guys, who are the bad. Who can be trusted.
I mean seriously, who is really the enemy?
I was whisked away on an adrenaline filled journey along with Penny and those who are dragged into her life. I as kept on the edge of my seat wondering what would happen next.
I would never have guessed that this was a debut novel. Liar's Candle is a well written, well plotted story that will keep the reader intrigued from the first blast to the last.
I was happy to see that there will be more Penny Kessler stories in the future, and can't wait to get my hands on them.
April 26, 2018
I really didn't know what to expect going into this book - the premise sounded interesting but for whatever reason, I've never really read a lot of international spy/corrupt government novels. I wasn't sure how I would like it but I'm glad that I ended up picking this book up!
Thanks so much to Simon and Schuster Canada for providing me with an ARC of this book for an honest review. As always, all opinions are my own.
The story follows 21-year-old Penny, who is an intern at the American State Department in Turkey. After an explosion during a Fourth of July celebration at the US Embassy, Penny becomes the figurehead of the tragedy - the photograph of her emerging through the chaos with an American flag is the defining image of the event. But soon, Penny becomes wrapped up in political intrigue and terrorist groups. She has become the girl who knows too much and is a liability some see as needing to take care of. Armed with her wits and a hesitant ally who's convinced she's involved in the explosion, Penny fights to get to the bottom of what is really going on.
Right away, the story is very engaging both with the premise and the writing style. The shorter chapters immediately draw you in and hold your attention at the beginning before you are really invested in the storyline and it soon becomes easy to be locked in on the story.
Penny is a really interesting character. She's not you're typical brash, fierce, ready-to-save-the-world heroine but she's also not sitting on the sidelines waiting to be rescued. I think she's a perfect balance of the two and while I don't know that I could say too much about her personality, she was fleshed out enough to show what was important to her. Connor, her less than enthusiastic ally, was also a unique character. He's loyal to a fault and will do anything for his country without sacrificing his own morals. I also really liked that Thomas didn't try to cram a romance between the two of them into the story, mainly because Connor is gay, but also because the story can hold its own without needing a romance to fill in any blank spots.
I don't know if I'd call this book a thriller but I will say it was very suspenseful and you literally have no idea who you can trust. People were flip-flopping all over the place and I could barely keep straight who was corrupt and who wasn't. This isn't necessarily a flaw in the book, more just my inability to juggle all these things at once.
Now, I know basically nothing about the conflict going on in Turkey, the terrorist groups there or the workings of the Turkish government, so I can't really speak to the accuracy of Thomas's portrayal of these elements within the novel. I know the author has some personal experience with Turkey so I'm going to assume that she tried to make things as accurate as possible but I can't say for sure. I am, however, infinitely more interested in what is going on there after reading this book and it has really opened my eyes to something I don't usually think about very often.
Overall, I think this was a refreshing change of pace from what I've been reading and I really enjoyed it!
Thanks so much to Simon and Schuster Canada for providing me with an ARC of this book for an honest review. As always, all opinions are my own.
The story follows 21-year-old Penny, who is an intern at the American State Department in Turkey. After an explosion during a Fourth of July celebration at the US Embassy, Penny becomes the figurehead of the tragedy - the photograph of her emerging through the chaos with an American flag is the defining image of the event. But soon, Penny becomes wrapped up in political intrigue and terrorist groups. She has become the girl who knows too much and is a liability some see as needing to take care of. Armed with her wits and a hesitant ally who's convinced she's involved in the explosion, Penny fights to get to the bottom of what is really going on.
Right away, the story is very engaging both with the premise and the writing style. The shorter chapters immediately draw you in and hold your attention at the beginning before you are really invested in the storyline and it soon becomes easy to be locked in on the story.
Penny is a really interesting character. She's not you're typical brash, fierce, ready-to-save-the-world heroine but she's also not sitting on the sidelines waiting to be rescued. I think she's a perfect balance of the two and while I don't know that I could say too much about her personality, she was fleshed out enough to show what was important to her. Connor, her less than enthusiastic ally, was also a unique character. He's loyal to a fault and will do anything for his country without sacrificing his own morals. I also really liked that Thomas didn't try to cram a romance between the two of them into the story, mainly because Connor is gay, but also because the story can hold its own without needing a romance to fill in any blank spots.
I don't know if I'd call this book a thriller but I will say it was very suspenseful and you literally have no idea who you can trust. People were flip-flopping all over the place and I could barely keep straight who was corrupt and who wasn't. This isn't necessarily a flaw in the book, more just my inability to juggle all these things at once.
Now, I know basically nothing about the conflict going on in Turkey, the terrorist groups there or the workings of the Turkish government, so I can't really speak to the accuracy of Thomas's portrayal of these elements within the novel. I know the author has some personal experience with Turkey so I'm going to assume that she tried to make things as accurate as possible but I can't say for sure. I am, however, infinitely more interested in what is going on there after reading this book and it has really opened my eyes to something I don't usually think about very often.
Overall, I think this was a refreshing change of pace from what I've been reading and I really enjoyed it!
June 17, 2024
Not what I would usually go for, got hooked into the story line though. Would recommend as a semi easy casual read, I do think a lot of it is extremely exaggerated and is almost not physically possible. I also enjoyed the fact that it is set in Turkey which provides a completely different perspective to other books and films with similar concepts in them
March 7, 2018
As soon as I saw the summary for this one, I had to read it. I don't run into very many books that give a glimpse into the life of Foreign Service Officers or the diplomatic intern life, so I had to read it. I'm so glad that I did as it was quite a page turner.
Penny is an intern at the U.S. Embassy in Turkey and owing to the happenstance of surviving a horrendous bombing, her life is further turned upside down in a race against the clock. With so many people on so many sides looking for Penny, it's difficult to know who she can trust. That includes the CIA operative along for the ride, Connor. They're both sucked into a maelstrom of overlapping lies from all sides and bullets and bombs being tossed at them too, as if they didn't have enough challenges. There's a lot at stake and the truth is being crafted by official puppeteers on both sides. I quite enjoyed the pace for the most part. I am guilty of wanting Penny to have mentioned some things to aid in Connor helping her to put the puzzle together, that were kind of a big deal to me (& to the solution ultimately) but then this would've been a novella not a novel. The descriptions of Turkey were lovely and I quite enjoyed Penny's personal interactions with the Turkish people along the way. While this story doesn't end completely happily (it can't given the body count), some of the worst offenders do get what's coming to them and there was a measure of satisfaction in that. This was a fairly quick read with chapters that aren't overlong and each ending on a propulsive note.
Overall, I'm mostly glad for the focus on those who serve in posts abroad and the important diplomatic work that happens by regular dedicated people. It's not glamorous, the pay isn't great, the hours are long, the stretches of time away from family and home country are long and mostly they go completely unknown & unnoticed by the citizenry they serve.
I've been on a really good streak this year with my ARC choices and I'll be looking for the next from August Thomas (who has a very good debut on her hands here). Recommended.
I received an Advance Review Copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for my honest review.
Penny is an intern at the U.S. Embassy in Turkey and owing to the happenstance of surviving a horrendous bombing, her life is further turned upside down in a race against the clock. With so many people on so many sides looking for Penny, it's difficult to know who she can trust. That includes the CIA operative along for the ride, Connor. They're both sucked into a maelstrom of overlapping lies from all sides and bullets and bombs being tossed at them too, as if they didn't have enough challenges. There's a lot at stake and the truth is being crafted by official puppeteers on both sides. I quite enjoyed the pace for the most part. I am guilty of wanting Penny to have mentioned some things to aid in Connor helping her to put the puzzle together, that were kind of a big deal to me (& to the solution ultimately) but then this would've been a novella not a novel. The descriptions of Turkey were lovely and I quite enjoyed Penny's personal interactions with the Turkish people along the way. While this story doesn't end completely happily (it can't given the body count), some of the worst offenders do get what's coming to them and there was a measure of satisfaction in that. This was a fairly quick read with chapters that aren't overlong and each ending on a propulsive note.
Overall, I'm mostly glad for the focus on those who serve in posts abroad and the important diplomatic work that happens by regular dedicated people. It's not glamorous, the pay isn't great, the hours are long, the stretches of time away from family and home country are long and mostly they go completely unknown & unnoticed by the citizenry they serve.
I've been on a really good streak this year with my ARC choices and I'll be looking for the next from August Thomas (who has a very good debut on her hands here). Recommended.
I received an Advance Review Copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for my honest review.
Want to read
March 31, 2018This sounds amazing, and right up my alley (and the author started learning Turkish at 16, just like me) but the cover bothers me. And this is going to make me sound like a total nerd, but so what. I'm 99% sure the mosque on the cover is the Suleimaniye Mosque which is in Istanbul. This book is set in Ankara. Maybe it's supposed to be the Kocatepe Mosque, but it's looks an awful lot like the Suleimaniye to my eyes. I know they look similar, but that bothers me, a lot.
June 12, 2018
I had to post this review at amazon.com as well. Very disappointing, I often came close to stopping, but wanted to finish so I could file a negative review. This is fiction, I understand. However, the story is totally implausible. It's a "wondergirl" adventure set in Turkey, and it does a huge disservice to both Turkey (to which I am not a friend, incidentally) and the US Foreign Service, including its sideshow, the CIA. My own novels (Innkeeper, Resistors) feature the US Foreign Service, and immerse the characters in actual historical events. The timelines, names, places are accurate; only the names of the book's characters are fictional. I think that if a story does not have the ring of truth, is not grounded in fact, it becomes fantasy. The reviews on Liar's Candle are very strong, and that absolutely amazes me. I am so turned off by this book that I set aside my Kindle and picked up my tattered, yellow-paged copy of Michener's The Drifters so that I could read something that involves actual places, as does Thomas' book, but rings so true, and is written so well, that I consider it Michener's best--and I read them all. So, a reread of The Drifters to cleanse my brain.
February 8, 2018
This book booms to a start, and doesn't stop until the very last page!
It was such a great story with characters that I really liked. I will admit that with all the double and triple crossing that was going on, it was hard to keep track of who was a good guy and who wasn't, but that is also what kept me reading into the wee hours of the night.
I struggled to figure out exactly where they were, how far apart places were, etc... since the names of the towns in Syria and Turkey are meaningless to me. I would have liked having a better grasp of that to have a better sense of time and place. Same problem with some of the Turkish word/phrases - they help add a sense of authenticity to the story, but at the same time, left me wishing I knew what they all mean, even if they weren't necessary to understanding the dialogue.
It was such a great story with characters that I really liked. I will admit that with all the double and triple crossing that was going on, it was hard to keep track of who was a good guy and who wasn't, but that is also what kept me reading into the wee hours of the night.
I struggled to figure out exactly where they were, how far apart places were, etc... since the names of the towns in Syria and Turkey are meaningless to me. I would have liked having a better grasp of that to have a better sense of time and place. Same problem with some of the Turkish word/phrases - they help add a sense of authenticity to the story, but at the same time, left me wishing I knew what they all mean, even if they weren't necessary to understanding the dialogue.
September 3, 2018
I'm a sucker for a thriller that involves a man on the run. Whether it's The 39 Steps or The pelican Brief, I love a breathless chase. So I enjoyed Liar's Candle, which is about a young woman who survives the bombing of the US Embassy in Turkey, only to realise that her life is in danger. Reading it is really more like watching a movie than reading a book. It's as fast paced (and equally silly) as The Bourne Supremacy. Ultimately this is what trips it up: too many threads, too many dramatic escapes, too many villains. A good escapist read but I'm not sure I'll be back for the promised follow up.
April 14, 2018
I enjoyed this fast paced thriller.
A game of cat and mouse, as Penny Kessler, an intern at the US Embassy in Ankara, is on the run and doesn't know who to trust.
The story opens with Penny in hospital, one of the few survivors after a bomb exploded at the Embassy's 4th of July function. Her bosses are willing her to remember crucial pieces of information, but if she remembers, she becomes a target.
Suspense all the way with one.
A game of cat and mouse, as Penny Kessler, an intern at the US Embassy in Ankara, is on the run and doesn't know who to trust.
The story opens with Penny in hospital, one of the few survivors after a bomb exploded at the Embassy's 4th of July function. Her bosses are willing her to remember crucial pieces of information, but if she remembers, she becomes a target.
Suspense all the way with one.
May 13, 2019
This was a great one-day "pool-side" read. Utterly unbelievable but a great romp. The notes on the cover compared the book to Le Carre but I'm afraid not. I enjoyed this story of intern Penny Kessler and her one day adventure (suffering from concussion) trying to beat the bad guys. It will make a fun Jane Bond type movie but that's as good as it gets.
Want to read
January 17, 2018Well I have to read this one don't I? The main character's name is Penny. :-)
January 16, 2019
Tedious
February 16, 2018
I thought this was a very intriguing book. It keeps you on your toes and takes some unexpected turns throughout the novel. Penny, who is the main character seeks to always do the right thing but unexpected obstacles jump in her way throughout the novel. The book shows a glimpse of life in Turkey which is interesting to learn.
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