The Reluctant Assassin

by Lee Jackson

The cold war is in its twilight hour. But Soviet spymasters have one final plan to defeat America. "Splendid! Damned fine read. A real page-turner." —Joe Galloway, NYT Bestselling Author of We Were Soldiers Once...and Young After Eduardo “Atcho” Xiquez’s daughter is taken hostage by Russian operatives, the former West Point graduate is forced to become a KGB sleeper agent. If he resists, his daughter will be killed. His handlers have orchestrated Atcho’s rise into the elite social circles of Washington DC. There, he must navigate a labyrinth of conspiracy and betrayal. Spying for a nation he despises. All the while secretly working to turn the tables on his KGB masters. But when the KGB commands him to assassinate a head of state, he is forced to make an impossible choice: Save his daughter... Or ignite the next World War. From Wall Street Journal bestselling author Lee Jackson comes an expertly crafted espionage series perfect for fans of Daniel Silva, W.E.B. Griffin, and Ken Follett. ____________________________ Praise for THE RELUCTANT ASSASSIN: "Atcho is at his best when he's being Atcho—taking names and kicking ass. Highly enjoyable..." —Kirkus Reviews "...action-packed, riveting, adrenaline-pumping reading... Superb historical thriller!" —Viviane Crystal, Crystal Book Reviews ____________________________ What readers are saying about LEE JACKSON and THE RELUCTANT ASSASSIN: ★★★★★ "A great writer—he can fill Ludlum's shoes!"
★★★★★ "Absolutely wonderfully written! I highly recommend."
★★★★★ "I was sucked into the evolving plot lines...until I couldn't put this novel down. Get this book!"
★★★★★ "WOW! I am really glad to add another author to my must-read list of military, spy, techno-thriller genre."
★★★★★ "Excellent book. Well written and great facts woven into an historical fiction setting. The hero, Atcho, is a fascinating character."

Genres: Thriller

294 pages, Paperback

Published November 19, 2019

About the author

My Tagline: Lee Jackson Brings Heat To The Cold War. I write Historical Thriller Fiction - particularly surrounding the Cold War. Having lived in Morocco, Germany, Costa Rica, and of course in the United States; and, having been deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan for a combined 38 months, I've been up-close-and personal with many different cultures. I graduated from West Point and Boston University, resulting in a front row seat on many pivotal events. I live in Texas with my wife. My first novel, "Curse The Moon" was published on 10 December 2013. I publish under my own name, Lee Jackson.

Reviews

[Michael Slavin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Book 1 of the series.
This is a historical fiction that spans over 20 years. It starts with a young Cuban caught up in helping his country with a background to do it, being only the second graduate of West Point from Cuba at the time. He's caught, has extreme prison time in Cuba, but this leads to being manipulated by the Soviets, and a big ending.

What I liked:
-I don't usually read historical fiction, so that was fun.
-Living through the story a version of the situation in Cuba around the by of Pigs was interesting.
-The main characters' loyalty to his beliefs is amazing.
-Family first guided all of his actions.
-Took place in Cuba, Russia, and Washington.

What I didn't like:
-Nothing really, a solid story.

[Jkane · Rating 3 out of 5]

I feel like the description of this book was more than a little misleading, despite being technically accurate. The book has almost nothing to do with being a reluctant assassin. The first half of the book takes place in Cuba. Indeed, this novel should be described as a historical fiction novel, with the first half taking place around the bay of pigs. The second half comes when our protagonist is eventually able to leave Cuba for the US and the Russians' efforts to control our protagonist through threats. The involvement of the Russian agents is actually a minor factor in the book although it is certainly a catalyst for the climax of the story.

[Melissa Henwick · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fast-paced, high-stakes espionage thriller that hooks you from the first page and doesn’t let go.

The Reluctant Assassin hooked me from the start. Atcho is a compelling hero—torn between saving his daughter and stopping a global catastrophe. Lee Jackson delivers nonstop tension, smart twists, and just the right amount of heart. If you're into spy thrillers with real stakes, this one’s a must-read.

[Kevin Grigg · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really enjoyed this, an engaging thriller of agents and double agents.

[Christopher Armani · Rating 5 out of 5]

An thoughtful and well-written thriller.

[Jan Irons · Rating 4 out of 5]

Liked the Dunkirk series better but the premise in The Reluctant Assassin kept me turning pages especially since we spent a month in Cuba a few years ago.

[K. Leach · Rating 4 out of 5]

Book 1

[Dave · Rating 5 out of 5]

The incredible adventures of Atcho will keep you up late, reading. Complex, interesting, realistically behaving characters mated with an intense mix of action, intrigue and life. Highly recommended.