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Blue Hearts
Charles Avenue Henderson and Bruce Conn Clark shared a CIA mission in late November of 1963 that helped change the course of world history. When Henderson, now living the quiet life of a bed and breakfast owner with his beloved wife in rural West Virginia, approaches former Secretary of State Clark at a posh D.C. restaurant and suggests they let some of yesterday's secrets out today Clark responds with a plan that puts Henderson's life at risk and tests both of their dormant "spook" skills. Henderson underestimated the depth of Clark's secrets and Clark underestimated Henderson's resolve. It's a mistake that neither will make again as the old allies match cloaks and daggers against each other.
224 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1993
25 people want to read
About the author
Jim Lehrer
44 books39 followersJames Charles Lehrer was an American journalist and the news anchor for The NewsHour with Jim Lehrer on PBS, known for his role as a frequent debate moderator during elections. Lehrer was an author of non-fiction and fiction, drawing from his experiences and interests in history and politics.
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
February 3, 2015
I enjoyed this one, and probably would have given it five if I had read straight through. Left it too long between readings and sort of lost the thread.
November 7, 2009
"Blue Hearts" is not an earth-shattering representative of the political-thriller genre. But what it lacks in groundbreaking storytelling, it makes up for with clean, straight-forward plotting, and some clever and genuinely unexpected twists. Kind of like "The Da Vinci Code", only written by a competent author. I kid.
Story-wise, this isn't actually like that other one at all. Jim Lehrer didn't set out to create a convoluted labyrinth of puzzles and clues, but as the story centers on two retired CIA agents, there is an effectively used element of subterfuge and misdirection. The agents in question, however, are in their late 60s and haven't played the spy game in some years, so there is a noticable air of relaxation and nostalgia in the characters, even though we're dealing with such political thriller tropes as the Kennedy assassination, political scandal, and assassins-for-hire. There is a sort of gentle, cautious handling of these elements, which leads to a gentle, cautious climax, which tumbles into a gentle, cautious conclusion.
You get the sense that Jim Lehrer had an interesting idea for a story, then wrote it down with as little fuss and bluster as possible, and the result is "Blue Hearts", a soft-spoken and well-written spy story that entertained me without adding anything new or outstanding to the genre.
Story-wise, this isn't actually like that other one at all. Jim Lehrer didn't set out to create a convoluted labyrinth of puzzles and clues, but as the story centers on two retired CIA agents, there is an effectively used element of subterfuge and misdirection. The agents in question, however, are in their late 60s and haven't played the spy game in some years, so there is a noticable air of relaxation and nostalgia in the characters, even though we're dealing with such political thriller tropes as the Kennedy assassination, political scandal, and assassins-for-hire. There is a sort of gentle, cautious handling of these elements, which leads to a gentle, cautious climax, which tumbles into a gentle, cautious conclusion.
You get the sense that Jim Lehrer had an interesting idea for a story, then wrote it down with as little fuss and bluster as possible, and the result is "Blue Hearts", a soft-spoken and well-written spy story that entertained me without adding anything new or outstanding to the genre.
November 8, 2012
I loved this book. This is the first of Jim Lehrer's novels I've read and I just thoroughly enjoyed it. The characters, two old spies, were delightful and the plot was very clever. I certainly recommend it as a light-hearted almost-thriller.
October 15, 2024
This short (214pp.) spy novel two older CIA associates, Charlie and Bruce, who worked together early in their careers as analysts back in the 1960s Kennedy administration. It is now the 1990s. Charlie is retired to Virginia (isn't everybody?) and Bruce is the Secretary of State. Woah! Someone is trying to kill Charlie. Why? He starts investigating and the road seems to lead to Bruce. But why?
Jim Lehrer, the author, was well-known as a host on the original PBS Nightly News, then known as the McNeill/Lehrer Report. I loved it back then. I met Lehrer at a book fair and bought this book. He does have some great dialogue and the circular inquiry methods that spies famously exhibit. His writing is informed by the real global politics and leaders of 30-60 years ago. It's a short novel but it keeps you guessing. I recommend it for all the old Washington watchers and spook types.
Jim Lehrer, the author, was well-known as a host on the original PBS Nightly News, then known as the McNeill/Lehrer Report. I loved it back then. I met Lehrer at a book fair and bought this book. He does have some great dialogue and the circular inquiry methods that spies famously exhibit. His writing is informed by the real global politics and leaders of 30-60 years ago. It's a short novel but it keeps you guessing. I recommend it for all the old Washington watchers and spook types.
August 29, 2025
A great deal of attention paid to what these characters ate and drank and wore, much traveling around the south east U.S.A, and much too much of the two main ex-CIA men congratulating themselves about how smart they are--all to very little point. Bleh.
July 11, 2020
Interesting viewpoints.
March 5, 2022
This was an OK book. It would have been more interesting and suspenseful if the reader knew up front why Bruce wanted to kill Charlie.
July 20, 2022
Very interesting read about life as a CIA operative.
June 18, 2020
No one is going to walk away after reading this book and dislike it. It's fun. It's light without being brainless. There is an intelligent mix of spy thrillers, historic fiction, and 1980s nostalgia. Also I get the sense that Lehrer puts in a decent number of self references. There are two extended meditations on dress shirts, which I feel have to be the author writing his own feelings into the two characters. The best scene in the book is the cameo by James Jesus Angleton. He briefly sounds out some game theory and it is the heart of the novel. Nothing but love for Lehrer and this solid book.
May 27, 2016
This book was better than expected and was a quick read despite the chapters being long (they were broken up by narration and time period). My only complain is that it's a bit dated. The premise of the book is that two former CIA covert operatives, Bruce Conn Clark and Charlie Henderson, bump into each other while attending a former colleague's funeral, and they end up coming out of retirement because of a misunderstanding . It's a little entertaining to read about the thrill each of them experiences now that they are back to the "spy" life, and it's realistic that Charlie's wife is so fed up with him gallivanting around, back to his "old" life.
The misunderstanding revolves the men's involvement after Kennedy was shot. Because of their history in the CIA, Bruce and Charlie are chosen to be a small task force asked to give their feedback about whether or not Kennedy's assassination was ordered by the Soviets or not. They have just 12 hours, and they bond while reading notes, reports, and interviewing colleagues. A big question that arises while interviewing Angleton is whether something is so obvious that it's meant to misleading but true. They eventually decide that Russia may be to blame, but there's no real evidence to support it. It was interesting thinking about what conspiracy might be the underlying reason Kennedy was killed, but Lehrer makes no decision either way (although Castro is consistently offered up as an alternative).
The ending was good, though the twist wasn't as eventful as expected. I didn't really understand the reason why
I wonder if this book would have been appreciated more by someone who lived through and remembers that day vividly (like our generation's 9/11), rather than me who learned about it in Social Studies class 30+ years after it happened.
P.S. Having been to Kiawah Island a couple years ago, it was fun that part of the book ended up taking place there!
The misunderstanding revolves the men's involvement after Kennedy was shot. Because of their history in the CIA, Bruce and Charlie are chosen to be a small task force asked to give their feedback about whether or not Kennedy's assassination was ordered by the Soviets or not. They have just 12 hours, and they bond while reading notes, reports, and interviewing colleagues. A big question that arises while interviewing Angleton is whether something is so obvious that it's meant to misleading but true. They eventually decide that Russia may be to blame, but there's no real evidence to support it. It was interesting thinking about what conspiracy might be the underlying reason Kennedy was killed, but Lehrer makes no decision either way (although Castro is consistently offered up as an alternative).
The ending was good, though the twist wasn't as eventful as expected. I didn't really understand the reason why
I wonder if this book would have been appreciated more by someone who lived through and remembers that day vividly (like our generation's 9/11), rather than me who learned about it in Social Studies class 30+ years after it happened.
P.S. Having been to Kiawah Island a couple years ago, it was fun that part of the book ended up taking place there!
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February 19, 2008Lehrer, Jim
May 27, 2010
Very quick read! Not too much suspense.
October 30, 2014
Good story of ex-CIA, moves along.
Humorous comments.
Goes back to the Kennedy assassination - was there a Soviet connection?
Former Secretary of State a mole.
Humorous comments.
Goes back to the Kennedy assassination - was there a Soviet connection?
Former Secretary of State a mole.
August 21, 2015
Improbable situation and unrealistic characters. Quick read but not very satisfying or interesting.
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews