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You Can Run
A CIA analyst makes a split-second decision that endangers her country but saves her son--and now she must team up with an answer-hungry journalist she's not sure she can trust in this electrifying thriller from the New York Times bestselling author of Need to Know.
Nothing gets by Jill Bailey. As a CIA analyst, she's in charge of investigating and vetting new sources. Sources like FALCON, who's been on the fast-track to recruitment. He says he's a Syrian defense official attached to a covert biowarfare program--and with a global pandemic fresh in their minds, CIA officials are desperate to use him.
It's Jill's job to make sure he is who he claims to be, and that his case officers in the field haven't been duped--or coerced. But before she can get to work, she gets a call. One that's every parent's nightmare. We have your son. And to get him back, Jill does something she thought she'd never do.
As it turns out, she isn't the only one with questions about FALCON. Alex Charles, a journalist eager to break the next big story, begins to investigate an anonymous tip: an explosive claim about the CIA's hottest new source. This is the story that Alex has been waiting for. The tip--and a fierce determination to find the truth--leads Alex to Jill, who would rather remain hidden.
As the two begin to work together, they uncover a vast conspiracy that will force them to confront their loyalties to family and country. You Can Run is an edge-of-your-seat thriller that will have you asking: What would you do to save the ones you love?
Nothing gets by Jill Bailey. As a CIA analyst, she's in charge of investigating and vetting new sources. Sources like FALCON, who's been on the fast-track to recruitment. He says he's a Syrian defense official attached to a covert biowarfare program--and with a global pandemic fresh in their minds, CIA officials are desperate to use him.
It's Jill's job to make sure he is who he claims to be, and that his case officers in the field haven't been duped--or coerced. But before she can get to work, she gets a call. One that's every parent's nightmare. We have your son. And to get him back, Jill does something she thought she'd never do.
As it turns out, she isn't the only one with questions about FALCON. Alex Charles, a journalist eager to break the next big story, begins to investigate an anonymous tip: an explosive claim about the CIA's hottest new source. This is the story that Alex has been waiting for. The tip--and a fierce determination to find the truth--leads Alex to Jill, who would rather remain hidden.
As the two begin to work together, they uncover a vast conspiracy that will force them to confront their loyalties to family and country. You Can Run is an edge-of-your-seat thriller that will have you asking: What would you do to save the ones you love?
Audible Audio
First published August 31, 2021
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About the author
Karen Cleveland
4 books1,672 followersKaren Cleveland spent eight years as a CIA analyst, the last six in counterterrorism. She has master’s degrees from Trinity College Dublin, where she studied as a Fulbright Scholar, and from Harvard University. She lives in northern Virginia with her husband and two young kids.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 431 reviews
August 22, 2021
*4.5 stars *
Oh wow! Karen Cleveland certainly knows how to ratchet up the tension, and maintain it, and does so spectacularly in ‘You Can Run’!
CIA analyst Jill Bailey, makes a decision that any mother would make in order to keep her baby son Owen safe, but in doing so, she puts her country in danger from unknown dark sources- sources like FALCON.
Jill has to keep the secret of what she did four years earlier, because otherwise ‘they’ will kill Owen this time, and she now has a daughter to worry about too. After moving away to Florida, Jill and her family are getting on with their lives, though her secret is always at the back of her mind. However, when journalist Alex Charles contacts Jill, for some answers about what she’s discovered, they find themselves working together to uncover a traitor, an extremely dangerous individual who could bring catastrophe in his wake.
With a clever plot, a gripping storyline, and an amazing twist at the end, this is another winner for Karen Cleveland!
*Thank you to Netgalley and Canelo Books for an ARC. I have given an honest unbiased review in exchange *
Oh wow! Karen Cleveland certainly knows how to ratchet up the tension, and maintain it, and does so spectacularly in ‘You Can Run’!
CIA analyst Jill Bailey, makes a decision that any mother would make in order to keep her baby son Owen safe, but in doing so, she puts her country in danger from unknown dark sources- sources like FALCON.
Jill has to keep the secret of what she did four years earlier, because otherwise ‘they’ will kill Owen this time, and she now has a daughter to worry about too. After moving away to Florida, Jill and her family are getting on with their lives, though her secret is always at the back of her mind. However, when journalist Alex Charles contacts Jill, for some answers about what she’s discovered, they find themselves working together to uncover a traitor, an extremely dangerous individual who could bring catastrophe in his wake.
With a clever plot, a gripping storyline, and an amazing twist at the end, this is another winner for Karen Cleveland!
*Thank you to Netgalley and Canelo Books for an ARC. I have given an honest unbiased review in exchange *
June 29, 2021
Fun and fast-paced
A frantic story of CIA analyst Jill Bailey. One phone call sets her off on an intense, soul searching gamble that could put her family in danger. She is panic-stricken for most of the book. I sped through this one, absorbed in the plot.
Jill receives a cable that is the kind a reports officer like herself lives for! Her chance to vet a source, a crucial one, he is a Syrian defense official. She is chomping at the bit to participate in this covert operation. Later that day Jill receives a call from someone with a deep, robotic voice, somewhat like one you might hear in a horror flick. She is terrified!! And who wouldn't be! Are they watching her now?!
Pulse-pounding tale with espionage, a great protagonist (Jill) and investigative journalist (Alex), secrets and that ending!!! I'll never tell because they might come after me!
Thanks to the publisher for my advance copy ! OUT on August 31, 2021
A frantic story of CIA analyst Jill Bailey. One phone call sets her off on an intense, soul searching gamble that could put her family in danger. She is panic-stricken for most of the book. I sped through this one, absorbed in the plot.
Jill receives a cable that is the kind a reports officer like herself lives for! Her chance to vet a source, a crucial one, he is a Syrian defense official. She is chomping at the bit to participate in this covert operation. Later that day Jill receives a call from someone with a deep, robotic voice, somewhat like one you might hear in a horror flick. She is terrified!! And who wouldn't be! Are they watching her now?!
Pulse-pounding tale with espionage, a great protagonist (Jill) and investigative journalist (Alex), secrets and that ending!!! I'll never tell because they might come after me!
Thanks to the publisher for my advance copy ! OUT on August 31, 2021
October 21, 2021
You Can Run by Karen Cleveland (Author),
Devon Sorvari (Narrator), Mia Ellis (Narrator)
I've become a big fan of audiobooks but occasionally one will not sit well with me. I can't say how well I would have liked this book if I had read it instead of listening to it, but with the audiobook, the narration seemed to keep me from being able to focus on the story. I was able to buddy read this with friends who read the book and they loved it while I was grumping and groaning about the audio version. I felt like such a scrooge!
The story certainly was a dramatic one, involving kidnapping (of kids!), the CIA, spies, and more. But sometimes I think the narration of dramatic books can be better with less rather than more emoting. The narration seemed over top to me, the voice acting too emotional. And the two narrators voices were too much alike. Maybe to overcome that alikeness, one of the narrators used an almost robotic voice to narrate her main character. I was just too aware of the actual narrations to be able to focus on the story. I do think the ending of the story might be a bit silly because I hope that the powers that be aren't as incompetent as this story indicates, but sadly, I could be wrong.
Do read other reviews because I'm in the minority when it comes to enjoying this story. My buddy read friends loved it and most of the other reviews I've read give high ratings to the story. I can see room for a sequel for this book and if there is one, I'll read the book rather than listen to it.
Published August 31st 2021
Devon Sorvari (Narrator), Mia Ellis (Narrator)
I've become a big fan of audiobooks but occasionally one will not sit well with me. I can't say how well I would have liked this book if I had read it instead of listening to it, but with the audiobook, the narration seemed to keep me from being able to focus on the story. I was able to buddy read this with friends who read the book and they loved it while I was grumping and groaning about the audio version. I felt like such a scrooge!
The story certainly was a dramatic one, involving kidnapping (of kids!), the CIA, spies, and more. But sometimes I think the narration of dramatic books can be better with less rather than more emoting. The narration seemed over top to me, the voice acting too emotional. And the two narrators voices were too much alike. Maybe to overcome that alikeness, one of the narrators used an almost robotic voice to narrate her main character. I was just too aware of the actual narrations to be able to focus on the story. I do think the ending of the story might be a bit silly because I hope that the powers that be aren't as incompetent as this story indicates, but sadly, I could be wrong.
Do read other reviews because I'm in the minority when it comes to enjoying this story. My buddy read friends loved it and most of the other reviews I've read give high ratings to the story. I can see room for a sequel for this book and if there is one, I'll read the book rather than listen to it.
Published August 31st 2021
August 11, 2021
4-5 stars rounded up.
You can run .... but you can’t hide as CIA agent Jill Bailey learns as she’s caught between a rock and a hard place. Jill is given three minutes to verify a new source known as Falcon following the kidnapping of her baby son Owen by an unidentified group or individual. Falcon appears to be a Syrian Defence Official in Covent bio-warfare. What would any mother do? She approves as they demand and then she runs. Fast forward a few years and Jill and her family are now living in Florida, she has a new job and all seems well until journalist Alex Charles tracks her down, wanting to discuss Falcon......
I love a good political thriller and that’s exactly what this is! The plot feels realistic and it’s written with a confident air of authenticity. It’s fast, fast, fast of pace throughout, in fact the author hits 100mph from the word go and then accelerates like Lewis Hamilton navigating the twisty circuit of Nürburgring. It’s an emotional ride too as those involved in the conspiracy are ruthless enough to use children and that packs a punch to the gut. I love the way it’s written, at times the author uses short staccato sentences to match Jill’s panic and throat in the mouth fear. It’s claustrophobic too as who are these watchers who lack even a smidgeon of morality? I try to guess but I’m way off beam! I really like the Syrian element though it does dive meters deeper in this clever political mystery thriller. It’s scary stuff and it’s hard to imagine how Jill’s world becomes haunted by this and the strain of constantly looking over her shoulder to protect her family is unimaginable. The pace and tension ramps further once Alex ‘joins the party’ and it becomes a very dangerous race which makes for exciting reading. There are eye popping shocks, thrills, spills, the threat level rises sky high. The ending has an absolutely breathtaking twist - well played Karen Cleveland! 👏
Overall, this is a high octane well written novel with a believable plot and characters and I highly recommend to fans of the genre.
With thanks to NetGalley and especially to Canelo for the much appreciated arc in return for an honest review.
You can run .... but you can’t hide as CIA agent Jill Bailey learns as she’s caught between a rock and a hard place. Jill is given three minutes to verify a new source known as Falcon following the kidnapping of her baby son Owen by an unidentified group or individual. Falcon appears to be a Syrian Defence Official in Covent bio-warfare. What would any mother do? She approves as they demand and then she runs. Fast forward a few years and Jill and her family are now living in Florida, she has a new job and all seems well until journalist Alex Charles tracks her down, wanting to discuss Falcon......
I love a good political thriller and that’s exactly what this is! The plot feels realistic and it’s written with a confident air of authenticity. It’s fast, fast, fast of pace throughout, in fact the author hits 100mph from the word go and then accelerates like Lewis Hamilton navigating the twisty circuit of Nürburgring. It’s an emotional ride too as those involved in the conspiracy are ruthless enough to use children and that packs a punch to the gut. I love the way it’s written, at times the author uses short staccato sentences to match Jill’s panic and throat in the mouth fear. It’s claustrophobic too as who are these watchers who lack even a smidgeon of morality? I try to guess but I’m way off beam! I really like the Syrian element though it does dive meters deeper in this clever political mystery thriller. It’s scary stuff and it’s hard to imagine how Jill’s world becomes haunted by this and the strain of constantly looking over her shoulder to protect her family is unimaginable. The pace and tension ramps further once Alex ‘joins the party’ and it becomes a very dangerous race which makes for exciting reading. There are eye popping shocks, thrills, spills, the threat level rises sky high. The ending has an absolutely breathtaking twist - well played Karen Cleveland! 👏
Overall, this is a high octane well written novel with a believable plot and characters and I highly recommend to fans of the genre.
With thanks to NetGalley and especially to Canelo for the much appreciated arc in return for an honest review.
October 3, 2021
4.5 heart pounding stars
Karen Cleveland writes like she knows about the CIA, which she does, being a former CIA analyst! This fast-paced tale takes us into the life of Jill Bailey and shows that everyone has a price.
Jill works for the CIA and vets new intelligence sources. She’s just gotten a new request when she heads out for her usual lunch break to peek in on her new son on daycare cameras. She gets a chilling call that informs her that her son has been kidnapped. What would you do in this situation? Betray your country and do exactly what the caller tells you? Or go to the higher ups and put the life of your child on the line? Such a compelling scenario!
Flash forward four years and the book switches gears to a reporter, Alex, hot on the trail of a story fueled by an anonymous tipster about the very source that Jill approved. Soon Alex has tracked down Jill and the nightmares are about to begin again.
Who is behind all of this and can the two women get to the bottom of the story before it ends in violence?
It was fun to realize that I had read an earlier book (“Need to Know”) by this author and really liked it. This one is also a winner for me! And it made a great buddy read with Mary Beth.
Thank you to my local library for the copy of this one to read!!
Karen Cleveland writes like she knows about the CIA, which she does, being a former CIA analyst! This fast-paced tale takes us into the life of Jill Bailey and shows that everyone has a price.
Jill works for the CIA and vets new intelligence sources. She’s just gotten a new request when she heads out for her usual lunch break to peek in on her new son on daycare cameras. She gets a chilling call that informs her that her son has been kidnapped. What would you do in this situation? Betray your country and do exactly what the caller tells you? Or go to the higher ups and put the life of your child on the line? Such a compelling scenario!
Flash forward four years and the book switches gears to a reporter, Alex, hot on the trail of a story fueled by an anonymous tipster about the very source that Jill approved. Soon Alex has tracked down Jill and the nightmares are about to begin again.
Who is behind all of this and can the two women get to the bottom of the story before it ends in violence?
It was fun to realize that I had read an earlier book (“Need to Know”) by this author and really liked it. This one is also a winner for me! And it made a great buddy read with Mary Beth.
Thank you to my local library for the copy of this one to read!!
August 8, 2021
You can run … but you can’t hide.
Well that was a breath of fresh air - a spy novel that was plausible and realistic, i.e. NOT like James Bond! The fact that the author actually worked as a CIA counter terrorism analyst lends her a lot of credibility.
The book starts with a bang. Since having her 6 month old son Owen, former case officer in the field Jill Bailey has become a desk bound analyst. She eats her lunch in the car every day so she can see Owen via the childcare centre’s live feed (staff are not allowed to bring their own devices into the office). One day she cannot see him! But her phone rings and her world implodes. Owen has been kidnapped and all she has has to do is clear the latest potential CIA source in Syria, Falcon, without further checking.
She does what I imagine most mothers would do - she does as she is told. Owen is returned to childcare and she is further told to tell no one about the episode. Jill is torn, she wants to do the right thing but is afraid that further requests will come her way so she does the only thing she can think of to protect her family and her country - she resigns from the job she loves.
Five years later the family lives in Florida, Jill also has a daughter now and all is well. Until a journalist comes calling. The journalist is getting info from an anonymous tip line that the source, Falcon, is a fake. At first Jill doesn’t want to get involved but then she realises that if the journalist Alex (Alexandra) Charles can find her so can the people who threatened her children. It’s all started again - the threats, the warnings. Jill realises she has to work with Alex to find out who is behind it all.
The action really ramps up now as Alex and Jill work together to uncover the traitor and the truth and save her children and maybe prevent a war. I really enjoyed this book because it was so plausible. As a mother I can see why Jill did what she did. I can also understand Alex’s drive to get this story. These two characters, the main players, were so well developed and realistic sounding. Jill must fall back on some of her field training to prevail, or at the very least, to get her her children to safety. The poor little things. At the crucial moment, the 3 year old little girl calls out for her mummy. Oops!
And just when you think you know what is going on, the author has another excellent twist for you. This was a very enjoyable book and I’ll certainly be looking out for more from this author. Many thanks to Netgalley and Canelo Publishing for the much appreciated ARC which I reviewed voluntarily and honestly.
Well that was a breath of fresh air - a spy novel that was plausible and realistic, i.e. NOT like James Bond! The fact that the author actually worked as a CIA counter terrorism analyst lends her a lot of credibility.
The book starts with a bang. Since having her 6 month old son Owen, former case officer in the field Jill Bailey has become a desk bound analyst. She eats her lunch in the car every day so she can see Owen via the childcare centre’s live feed (staff are not allowed to bring their own devices into the office). One day she cannot see him! But her phone rings and her world implodes. Owen has been kidnapped and all she has has to do is clear the latest potential CIA source in Syria, Falcon, without further checking.
She does what I imagine most mothers would do - she does as she is told. Owen is returned to childcare and she is further told to tell no one about the episode. Jill is torn, she wants to do the right thing but is afraid that further requests will come her way so she does the only thing she can think of to protect her family and her country - she resigns from the job she loves.
Five years later the family lives in Florida, Jill also has a daughter now and all is well. Until a journalist comes calling. The journalist is getting info from an anonymous tip line that the source, Falcon, is a fake. At first Jill doesn’t want to get involved but then she realises that if the journalist Alex (Alexandra) Charles can find her so can the people who threatened her children. It’s all started again - the threats, the warnings. Jill realises she has to work with Alex to find out who is behind it all.
The action really ramps up now as Alex and Jill work together to uncover the traitor and the truth and save her children and maybe prevent a war. I really enjoyed this book because it was so plausible. As a mother I can see why Jill did what she did. I can also understand Alex’s drive to get this story. These two characters, the main players, were so well developed and realistic sounding. Jill must fall back on some of her field training to prevail, or at the very least, to get her her children to safety. The poor little things. At the crucial moment, the 3 year old little girl calls out for her mummy. Oops!
And just when you think you know what is going on, the author has another excellent twist for you. This was a very enjoyable book and I’ll certainly be looking out for more from this author. Many thanks to Netgalley and Canelo Publishing for the much appreciated ARC which I reviewed voluntarily and honestly.
June 28, 2024
As a former CIA counterterrorism analyst, this author brings a sense of authenticity to her story which kicks off from the nail-biting first page.
Readers are first introduced to Jill Bailey, a CIA analyst whose son is kidnapped and won’t be returned unless she vets a source named Falcon. And, if she ever breathes a word about this event, he will be killed. So, to save her son she quits her job, changes her name and convinces her husband to leave the state.
Only, when they settle in, she finds a note… YOU CAN RUN, BUT YOU CAN’T HIDE.
So, who did this to Jill? And, why?
For the next four years everything seems fine. Until she is contacted by an investigative journalist named Alex Charles who has been given her name by an unknown source about Falcon.
Will Jill finally open up about what happened? Will Alex be able to write the Pulitzer Prize winning story? Will Jill be able to right this terrible wrong she thrust upon the country when she allowed Falcon in?
When readers think they know everything, think again. Readers will experience quite the rollercoaster ride of twists and turns in the final third of the story, so hang on to your seat. But the biggest plot twists to come, will be revealed at the end. And the most likely question readers will be asking themselves will be…
“Did I see that one coming?”
4.5 stars rounded up.
Readers are first introduced to Jill Bailey, a CIA analyst whose son is kidnapped and won’t be returned unless she vets a source named Falcon. And, if she ever breathes a word about this event, he will be killed. So, to save her son she quits her job, changes her name and convinces her husband to leave the state.
Only, when they settle in, she finds a note… YOU CAN RUN, BUT YOU CAN’T HIDE.
So, who did this to Jill? And, why?
For the next four years everything seems fine. Until she is contacted by an investigative journalist named Alex Charles who has been given her name by an unknown source about Falcon.
Will Jill finally open up about what happened? Will Alex be able to write the Pulitzer Prize winning story? Will Jill be able to right this terrible wrong she thrust upon the country when she allowed Falcon in?
When readers think they know everything, think again. Readers will experience quite the rollercoaster ride of twists and turns in the final third of the story, so hang on to your seat. But the biggest plot twists to come, will be revealed at the end. And the most likely question readers will be asking themselves will be…
“Did I see that one coming?”
4.5 stars rounded up.
September 8, 2021
“The only thing that was truly a vulnerability. My family. That was how they got to me. Everyone has a price”.
It’s a normal routine day, Jill comes to her car with her personal tablet and lunch to watch her son at nursery. Then the unthinkable. Jill can feel the blood rushing to her head, heartbeat thundering in her chest, her hands shake and the world as she knows is about the change, because two things have happened. First her son has been kidnapped and secondly, the abductor is demanding that she approve an agency report. About Falcon, or Jill will “..never see Owen again”.
The people involved don’t want anything else and when the report is approved. Owen is returned and they seemingly want nothing else but why??. Nevertheless, feeling compromised, Jill takes the decision to resign from the CIA and build a new home for her family in Florida. But the chilling message remains vivid in her memory. “You can run … but you can’t hide”
Four years later, Jill is approached by journalist Alex Charles, who has access to intelligence suggesting corruption at the highest levels and Jill is somehow involved. As a hard nosed journalist, Alex presents Jill with an ultimatum, assist with the article, and uncover the truth or face exposure to the offences you have already committed. However, it soon becomes apparent that Jill herself is quite possibly a victim of corruption and manufactured intelligence, and so they form an unlikely partnership to uncover the truth behind the kidnapping, leaks, and Falcon, and “…with the ability to create intelligence, there is no telling what they (CIA) could do”.
I loved the book, it was fast paced, thrilling and I am delighted to say the ending was not predictable. There are a few twists, it felt edgy and gripping and for me a terrific page turner. Although, a great read there are a few things that stopped me giving it a 5-star review. First of all, I have to believe that an organisation as sophisticated as the CIA, would have procedures in place to assist employees with death threats, kidnapping etc.. to prevent their staff from being compromised that easily. Secondly, who would go it alone (even with 2 people) to investigate an organisation like the CIA of fabricating evidence that will threaten global relationships?. These parts were less believable and authentic but nevertheless a super book and well worth reading.
It’s a normal routine day, Jill comes to her car with her personal tablet and lunch to watch her son at nursery. Then the unthinkable. Jill can feel the blood rushing to her head, heartbeat thundering in her chest, her hands shake and the world as she knows is about the change, because two things have happened. First her son has been kidnapped and secondly, the abductor is demanding that she approve an agency report. About Falcon, or Jill will “..never see Owen again”.
The people involved don’t want anything else and when the report is approved. Owen is returned and they seemingly want nothing else but why??. Nevertheless, feeling compromised, Jill takes the decision to resign from the CIA and build a new home for her family in Florida. But the chilling message remains vivid in her memory. “You can run … but you can’t hide”
Four years later, Jill is approached by journalist Alex Charles, who has access to intelligence suggesting corruption at the highest levels and Jill is somehow involved. As a hard nosed journalist, Alex presents Jill with an ultimatum, assist with the article, and uncover the truth or face exposure to the offences you have already committed. However, it soon becomes apparent that Jill herself is quite possibly a victim of corruption and manufactured intelligence, and so they form an unlikely partnership to uncover the truth behind the kidnapping, leaks, and Falcon, and “…with the ability to create intelligence, there is no telling what they (CIA) could do”.
I loved the book, it was fast paced, thrilling and I am delighted to say the ending was not predictable. There are a few twists, it felt edgy and gripping and for me a terrific page turner. Although, a great read there are a few things that stopped me giving it a 5-star review. First of all, I have to believe that an organisation as sophisticated as the CIA, would have procedures in place to assist employees with death threats, kidnapping etc.. to prevent their staff from being compromised that easily. Secondly, who would go it alone (even with 2 people) to investigate an organisation like the CIA of fabricating evidence that will threaten global relationships?. These parts were less believable and authentic but nevertheless a super book and well worth reading.
April 25, 2022
This spy thriller by former CIA analyst Karen Cleveland was amazing! In YOU CAN RUN, CIA analyst Jill Bailey is in the middle of checking a potential new source in Syria when she receives as terrifying message. Her son has been taken and if she doesn’t do exactly as instructed, she’ll never see him again. The book is told in dual POV, the other one being Alex Charles, a reporter for the Washington Post who receives an explosive tip. When Alex and Jill team up, they quickly realize this conspiracy runs far deeper than they imagined. I LOVED the fast-paced writing style and twists that came with every chapter—all the way up to the end. This is the third Karen Cleveland spy thriller I’ve read, and they’ve all been fabulous. Every time I thought I had this one figured out, nope! She kept me guessing 😊. Recommended for lovers of spy thrillers!
June 21, 2021
Solid thriller! After a sluggish start, I really enjoyed this espionage story which is told from a completely different perspective. The action stories get the most credit but I enjoyed a glimpse behind the curtain at how spies get into the system.
The dramatic revelation at the end caused my opinion to move from a three-star to a four-star book! I would definitely be interested in a sequel and I recommend this book as a great summer beach read!
*Thanks so much to NetGalley and Random House Marketing for the advanced reader's copy in exchange for my honest review.
The dramatic revelation at the end caused my opinion to move from a three-star to a four-star book! I would definitely be interested in a sequel and I recommend this book as a great summer beach read!
*Thanks so much to NetGalley and Random House Marketing for the advanced reader's copy in exchange for my honest review.
September 6, 2021
Gosh that was a tense thriller! Karen Cleveland once again delivers a story that was hard to put aside filled with the terror of being a parent whose son was kidnapped in order to extract the capability of Jill Bailey, a CIA analyst to pass a certain agent up the ladder chain, giving him the ability to effect so much in Syria, a definite hot spot. What's a loving mother to do as she also realizes that this will not be the only thing that will be required of her to do. Her son is her only concern.
Without telling her husband of the peril they are all in, Julie convinces him to move, and as she does with Owen in tow, she is always looking behind her filled with worry that day will come when she is unable to run and hide. With the threat of next time we will kill your son, hanging in the balance, and a baby daughter, Jill thinks perhaps she can escape them and after four years in her current location, a new job teaching, she prays for the safety of her family.
However, the time comes when they will once again call upon her to perform for them. What can she do but when a reporter trips on to a possible story regarding the plant, code name The Falcon, Julie is once again caught in a web of intrigue and deceit. Can this mother save her children and most of all not betray her country.
A heart stopping ending added to this story and was one I didn't see coming. This author has never disappointed me
Thank you Karen Cleveland, Ballantine Books, and NetGalley for a copy of this riveting thriller published on August 31, 2021
Without telling her husband of the peril they are all in, Julie convinces him to move, and as she does with Owen in tow, she is always looking behind her filled with worry that day will come when she is unable to run and hide. With the threat of next time we will kill your son, hanging in the balance, and a baby daughter, Jill thinks perhaps she can escape them and after four years in her current location, a new job teaching, she prays for the safety of her family.
However, the time comes when they will once again call upon her to perform for them. What can she do but when a reporter trips on to a possible story regarding the plant, code name The Falcon, Julie is once again caught in a web of intrigue and deceit. Can this mother save her children and most of all not betray her country.
A heart stopping ending added to this story and was one I didn't see coming. This author has never disappointed me
Thank you Karen Cleveland, Ballantine Books, and NetGalley for a copy of this riveting thriller published on August 31, 2021
September 7, 2021
I received a free e-copy of You Can Run by Karen Cleveland from NetGalley for my honest review.
Jill is a CIA analyst that is based in Washington DC. Jill gets a phone call that her infant has been kidnapped. To get him back she is being asked to do something that she never imagined doing. She is also told she can't tell anyone. If she doesn't do it, she will never see her son again.
Jill does what she is told and then quits her job at the agency. She and her family relocate and all is well. Fast forward to four years later. Now Jill finds herself dragged back into it again along with Alex, an investigative reporter. A book filled wish suspense, intrigue and tension! An ending that you just won't see coming.
Jill is a CIA analyst that is based in Washington DC. Jill gets a phone call that her infant has been kidnapped. To get him back she is being asked to do something that she never imagined doing. She is also told she can't tell anyone. If she doesn't do it, she will never see her son again.
Jill does what she is told and then quits her job at the agency. She and her family relocate and all is well. Fast forward to four years later. Now Jill finds herself dragged back into it again along with Alex, an investigative reporter. A book filled wish suspense, intrigue and tension! An ending that you just won't see coming.
September 2, 2021
You Can Run starts with a wave of tension that doesn't ebb you until you've read the final word. Jill Bailey is an analyst for the CIA who receives a call on her lunch break that turns her world upside down and poses the question, "How far will you go to protect your family?"
Alex Charles is a journalist who is always looking for the next big story in hopes of winning a Pulitzer, and she thinks she's found it in Jill's past. Will she come out on top after her investigation puts her at risk?
This book is told through both Jill's and Alex's POV, which is a great way to see the story from both characters' eyes. As I said the tension builds from the first page. Cleveland, a former employee of the CIA, has given us a realistic spy thriller with heart. If this is your thing, you'll definitely enjoy this book!
Thank you to Random House, Ballantine Books, author Karen Cleveland, and NetGalley for gifting me a digital copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
Alex Charles is a journalist who is always looking for the next big story in hopes of winning a Pulitzer, and she thinks she's found it in Jill's past. Will she come out on top after her investigation puts her at risk?
This book is told through both Jill's and Alex's POV, which is a great way to see the story from both characters' eyes. As I said the tension builds from the first page. Cleveland, a former employee of the CIA, has given us a realistic spy thriller with heart. If this is your thing, you'll definitely enjoy this book!
Thank you to Random House, Ballantine Books, author Karen Cleveland, and NetGalley for gifting me a digital copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
August 20, 2021
Very much does as it says it will!
Jill ( CIA ) has a call that her son has been kidnapped and if she wants to see him again she has to do something,something quite small but basically could count as an act of treason…..but they have her son, she does as most if not all would do and hopes the implications lay uncovered
Which they do
For some years…
It is well told, frantic action, full on adventure and not a lame chapter/filler in it, it’s tense and charged and you get what you are expecting ( hoping for ) in a novel that start’s so brilliantly
My only tiny query would be after this happening in many films/books/scenarios do the Govt agencies not have a protocol for what to do if this happens?, even if not followed there surely has to be guidelines set out?
That aside it is a really good, enjoyable read with non over bearing characters, surprising for the kind of story and a fab 3 pronged ending, each part more WOAH than the last
9/10
5 Stars
Jill ( CIA ) has a call that her son has been kidnapped and if she wants to see him again she has to do something,something quite small but basically could count as an act of treason…..but they have her son, she does as most if not all would do and hopes the implications lay uncovered
Which they do
For some years…
It is well told, frantic action, full on adventure and not a lame chapter/filler in it, it’s tense and charged and you get what you are expecting ( hoping for ) in a novel that start’s so brilliantly
My only tiny query would be after this happening in many films/books/scenarios do the Govt agencies not have a protocol for what to do if this happens?, even if not followed there surely has to be guidelines set out?
That aside it is a really good, enjoyable read with non over bearing characters, surprising for the kind of story and a fab 3 pronged ending, each part more WOAH than the last
9/10
5 Stars
August 27, 2021
You Can Run is a tense American spy thriller by a new author to me, about a mother forced to choose between her country, and the life of her son. I’d seen some very positive reviews from reliable GR friends so requested it from NetGalley. My heart sank on starting it with the realisation that it’s written in present tense, but unfortunately abandonment is not an option with an ARC. I’m glad I did continue because it’s a decent yarn boosted by a clever ending.
Jill Bailey is a CIA reports officer who gave up field work to have a baby. One day she receives a terrifying threat - approve a new Syrian source, code-named Falcon, or she’ll never see her son again. She makes the only choice a mother can, then quits her job, moves her family to a different state and changes her name. Four years later she’s happy with their new life, until journalist Alex Charles tracks her down. Alex has received a tip-off that Falcon, who has been an invaluable source of intel about Syrian bioweapons, is not real, and will stop at nothing to get the story. Jill’s family is threatened once more, but this time, she’s done running.
Karen Cleveland is a former CIA analyst who delivers a credible plot about spy skulduggery with strong if not particularly likeable lead characters. It’s hard to argue with Jill’s choices, given the information available, while Alex reminded me why I hate journalists as MCs - they’ll sacrifice anyone in pursuit of the Pulitzer obsession. I did enjoy both characters’ progression as they realise their only hope is to work together.
It’s mostly well written although the line “I let out a breath I didn’t know I was holding” almost had me throwing my kindle across the room, it’s such a ridiculous cliche that seems to be recycled into every thriller just now. All the way through I was going to give this 3 stars but the epilogue made me bump it up to 4.
Thanks to NetGalley and Canelo for the ARC. I am posting this honest review voluntarily. You Can Run is published on August 31st.
Jill Bailey is a CIA reports officer who gave up field work to have a baby. One day she receives a terrifying threat - approve a new Syrian source, code-named Falcon, or she’ll never see her son again. She makes the only choice a mother can, then quits her job, moves her family to a different state and changes her name. Four years later she’s happy with their new life, until journalist Alex Charles tracks her down. Alex has received a tip-off that Falcon, who has been an invaluable source of intel about Syrian bioweapons, is not real, and will stop at nothing to get the story. Jill’s family is threatened once more, but this time, she’s done running.
Karen Cleveland is a former CIA analyst who delivers a credible plot about spy skulduggery with strong if not particularly likeable lead characters. It’s hard to argue with Jill’s choices, given the information available, while Alex reminded me why I hate journalists as MCs - they’ll sacrifice anyone in pursuit of the Pulitzer obsession. I did enjoy both characters’ progression as they realise their only hope is to work together.
It’s mostly well written although the line “I let out a breath I didn’t know I was holding” almost had me throwing my kindle across the room, it’s such a ridiculous cliche that seems to be recycled into every thriller just now. All the way through I was going to give this 3 stars but the epilogue made me bump it up to 4.
Thanks to NetGalley and Canelo for the ARC. I am posting this honest review voluntarily. You Can Run is published on August 31st.
August 5, 2021
A Story That Brilliantly Captures the Tension and Terror of a Kidnapping.
SUMMARY
“We have your son. Breathe a word of this to anyone, and you’ll never see your son again.” It’s every parent’s worst nightmare. For CIA analyst Jill Bailey it is the call that changed her life. To protect her son, she did exactly what the kidnappers told her to do. She approved the recruitment of a CIA intelligence asset without doing the required due diligence. It’s a decision that will haunt her for the rest of her life, but her son was returned unharmed. Terrorized, the next day she walked into the CIA and quit her job. She didn’t want the kidnappers to be able to compromise her like that again. For four years, she never told anyone, even her husband, what she had done. One day, in a grocery store produce aisle, everything changed.
Alex Charles is an investigative reporter with the Washington Post. She is working on a story about the Syrian biowarfare program and the source of U.S. intelligence information. An anonymous tip has revealed there is only one source of information relating to Syria. Was it the asset that Jill was forced to approve? Alex reaches out to Jill, who must decide if she could trust someone with her secret. To do so means putting her family at risk once again. What would you do to save your child’s life?
REVIEW
YOU CAN RUN is an immediately compelling story you would expect to be written by a CIA analyst. It’s heart-pounding and captivating. The first chapter grabs your attention and never lets you go.
Author Karen Cleveland’s writing brilliantly captures Jill’s tension and the terror., as a mother and a person placed in an impossible position. Her writing is descriptive, right, and perfectly paced. The story is told from both Jill and Alex’s perspectives, making it multidimensional. Both characters are courageous, thoughtful, and determined. Much like real life, this story is unpredictable and highly enjoyable.
Cleveland spent eight years as a CIA counterterrorism analyst. She is now a New York Times best-selling author of Need to Know (2018) and Keep You Close (2019)
Thanks to Netgalley for an advance reading copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Publisher Ballantine Books/Penguin Random House
Published August 31, 2021
Review www.bluestockingreviews.com
SUMMARY
“We have your son. Breathe a word of this to anyone, and you’ll never see your son again.” It’s every parent’s worst nightmare. For CIA analyst Jill Bailey it is the call that changed her life. To protect her son, she did exactly what the kidnappers told her to do. She approved the recruitment of a CIA intelligence asset without doing the required due diligence. It’s a decision that will haunt her for the rest of her life, but her son was returned unharmed. Terrorized, the next day she walked into the CIA and quit her job. She didn’t want the kidnappers to be able to compromise her like that again. For four years, she never told anyone, even her husband, what she had done. One day, in a grocery store produce aisle, everything changed.
Alex Charles is an investigative reporter with the Washington Post. She is working on a story about the Syrian biowarfare program and the source of U.S. intelligence information. An anonymous tip has revealed there is only one source of information relating to Syria. Was it the asset that Jill was forced to approve? Alex reaches out to Jill, who must decide if she could trust someone with her secret. To do so means putting her family at risk once again. What would you do to save your child’s life?
REVIEW
YOU CAN RUN is an immediately compelling story you would expect to be written by a CIA analyst. It’s heart-pounding and captivating. The first chapter grabs your attention and never lets you go.
Author Karen Cleveland’s writing brilliantly captures Jill’s tension and the terror., as a mother and a person placed in an impossible position. Her writing is descriptive, right, and perfectly paced. The story is told from both Jill and Alex’s perspectives, making it multidimensional. Both characters are courageous, thoughtful, and determined. Much like real life, this story is unpredictable and highly enjoyable.
Cleveland spent eight years as a CIA counterterrorism analyst. She is now a New York Times best-selling author of Need to Know (2018) and Keep You Close (2019)
Thanks to Netgalley for an advance reading copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Publisher Ballantine Books/Penguin Random House
Published August 31, 2021
Review www.bluestockingreviews.com
August 10, 2021
After reading Need to Know in 2018 and being very impressed, and reading Keep you Close in 2020 and being a bit underwhelmed, I'm happy Karen Cleveland is back with You Can Run.
This time a CIA-operative (Jill) and a journalist (Alex) work together to prevent a war that will start in a very unexpected place. It begins with the kidnapping of Jill's son but if she cannot prevent further developments, it will end with the death of millions.
Although Jill tries to run and doesn't want to be involved any further, for fear for the life of her child, Alex pushes forward with all that's in her because of the coveted Pulitzer prize ;-) that is to win with this story.
Two completely different people with different motives ending up working together very well. I think I would like to read another book about this couple. Minus the kidnapping of little children of course.
The ending was a big surprise and I had to read the final two chapters again because I could hardly believe my eyes.
Thanks to Netgalley for this review copy.
This time a CIA-operative (Jill) and a journalist (Alex) work together to prevent a war that will start in a very unexpected place. It begins with the kidnapping of Jill's son but if she cannot prevent further developments, it will end with the death of millions.
Although Jill tries to run and doesn't want to be involved any further, for fear for the life of her child, Alex pushes forward with all that's in her because of the coveted Pulitzer prize ;-) that is to win with this story.
Two completely different people with different motives ending up working together very well. I think I would like to read another book about this couple. Minus the kidnapping of little children of course.
The ending was a big surprise and I had to read the final two chapters again because I could hardly believe my eyes.
Thanks to Netgalley for this review copy.
August 31, 2021
You Can Run is Cleveland's third spy novel which is laden with tension and delicious twists. Nothing gets by Jill Bailey. As a CIA analyst, she's in charge of investigating and vetting potential new double agents. Sources like FALCON, who's been on the fast-track to recruitment. He says he's a Syrian defence official attached to a covert biowarfare program and with a global pandemic fresh in their minds, CIA officials are desperate to use him. It's Jill's job to make sure he is who he claims to be and that his case officers in the field haven't been duped or coerced. But before she can get to work, she gets a call in her office at the CIA Headquarters in Langley, Virginia. One that's every parent's nightmare. The person on the other end of the phone tells her that they have her baby son, Owen, who they are holding hostage. They inform her that to get him back she must approve agency documentation on FALCON. In a blind panic, she does this and receives her son back safe and unharmed, but she comes to the realisation that she has betrayed the oath in which she swore to defend America against enemies both foreign and domestic.
Knowing she has breached National Security from a position of trust, privilege and power, she swiftly resigns and persuades her husband to uproot and move to Fort Lauderdale, Florida where she and her family seek to live in obscurity. Four years later, a doggedly determined investigative journalist named Alex Charles has questions for her about the enigmatic FALCON, and this time Jill confronts the consequences of her decision when she realises that she may have run but she certainly cannot hide. This is a compulsive, enthralling and deeply dangerous piece of espionage by former CIA Analyst and bestselling author Karen Cleveland. She presents her beleaguered main protagonist, Jill, with an impossible choice in which she much choose between family or country and it was really something special. With her skilled appraisal of the moral compromises people are prepared to make in order to protect what they hold dear, she takes readers on a rollercoaster ride that races to an edge-of-your-seat finale. A thriller that is taut, moves at breakneck pace and features a truly satisfying knockout ending. Highly recommended.
Knowing she has breached National Security from a position of trust, privilege and power, she swiftly resigns and persuades her husband to uproot and move to Fort Lauderdale, Florida where she and her family seek to live in obscurity. Four years later, a doggedly determined investigative journalist named Alex Charles has questions for her about the enigmatic FALCON, and this time Jill confronts the consequences of her decision when she realises that she may have run but she certainly cannot hide. This is a compulsive, enthralling and deeply dangerous piece of espionage by former CIA Analyst and bestselling author Karen Cleveland. She presents her beleaguered main protagonist, Jill, with an impossible choice in which she much choose between family or country and it was really something special. With her skilled appraisal of the moral compromises people are prepared to make in order to protect what they hold dear, she takes readers on a rollercoaster ride that races to an edge-of-your-seat finale. A thriller that is taut, moves at breakneck pace and features a truly satisfying knockout ending. Highly recommended.
August 26, 2021
“We have your son.”
When vetting a new Syrian CIA source named Falcon, CIA reports officer Jill receives a phone call. The robotically altered voice threatens to kill her son if she does not sign off on Falcon’s clearance. She signs off and receives another threat if she breathes word of the breach. Jill feels no choice but to leaves her dream job and relocate her family. Amidst her packing boxes she finds a note that reads YOU CAN RUN, BUT YOU CAN’T HIDE.
A journalist named Alex has obtained intelligence on Falcon that could be a life changer for her career. Maybe a Pulitzer Prize? Alex tracks down Jill and the story ratchets into high gear. An addictive spy story told from two distinct perspectives. I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
When vetting a new Syrian CIA source named Falcon, CIA reports officer Jill receives a phone call. The robotically altered voice threatens to kill her son if she does not sign off on Falcon’s clearance. She signs off and receives another threat if she breathes word of the breach. Jill feels no choice but to leaves her dream job and relocate her family. Amidst her packing boxes she finds a note that reads YOU CAN RUN, BUT YOU CAN’T HIDE.
A journalist named Alex has obtained intelligence on Falcon that could be a life changer for her career. Maybe a Pulitzer Prize? Alex tracks down Jill and the story ratchets into high gear. An addictive spy story told from two distinct perspectives. I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
September 18, 2021
You Can Run
September 15, 2021
Book Review
You Can Run
Karen Cleveland
reviewed by Lou Jacobs
readersremains.com | Goodreads
“We have your son. Breathe a word of this to anyone and you’ll never see him again.” With this robotic voice proclamation Jill Bailey’s life will never be the same.
Jill is a senior CIA analyst whose job is vetting potential double agents, to ensure field agents haven’t been compromised or coerced into recruiting a foreign source. The mechanical voice instructs her to approve the report involving a Syrian defense official, attached to the covert biowarfare program, known by code name: Falcon. Jill does as she is told, and her son is returned to the daycare unharmed. She suspects she’s been compromised forever, and it’s a matter of time before “they” come at her again.
Realizing that she has compromised both family and country, she impulsively resigns her hard-earned position and career. She realizes that Falcon is most likely a “dangle;” a planted double agent from an adversarial country. Put in place to plant misinformation or obtain knowledge of our agents working in the field, leading to their elimination. Her husband, Drew Smith, is convinced by a vague argument to relocate their home and his legal career to Ft. Lauderdale, FL. He has followed her faithfully on several foreign postings when she was a field agent. An uncomfortable four years has passed, with her teaching part-time both Mandarin and Turkish, and giving birth to a beautiful girl, Mia. Drew even says one day over breakfast, “We’re acting like we’re on the run.” She has left nothing to chance and used every tactic she learned in CIA training. All to no avail. One day she receives a simple note, in block letters and black marker: “YOU CAN RUN, BUT YOU CAN’T HIDE.”
She senses and identifies a young black woman, late twenties, and quite statuesque with short black hair, who is following her in the grocery store. With her life unravelling, she is approached by this woman. She is an investigative journalist and wants to talk to her about Falcon. Alex Charles is eager to investigate a reliable tip regarding the CIA’s Syrian source. Not only to ferret out the truth, but also to break a blockbuster story and garner a Pulitzer for herself. This tipster tells Alex to find “Jill Bailey,” and everything will fall into place. Have the Syrians really developed a super strain of anthrax? One so lethal that it would kill ninety percent of those exposed. Who is Alex’s source and how is she privy to this inside intel?
Karen Cleveland weaves a complex and convoluted thriller that escalates inexorably with bursting tension and intrigue, as Jill and Alex eventually team-up to investigate who’s behind the insertion of this dangle , known as Falcon. They uncover a vast conspiracy that stretches into the depths of highly placed senior CIA officers. Only someone who has actually been a former CIA analyst, like Karen Cleveland, can provide the authenticity that exudes through every page. The ultimate reveal in the exciting denouement is chilling and decidedly unexpected … and without any breadcrumbs.
Thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing – Ballantine for providing an uncorrected proof of this gem, in exchange for an honest review.
Available on Amazon ..... Published at Mystery And Suspense Magazine .....
September 15, 2021
Book Review
You Can Run
Karen Cleveland
reviewed by Lou Jacobs
readersremains.com | Goodreads
“We have your son. Breathe a word of this to anyone and you’ll never see him again.” With this robotic voice proclamation Jill Bailey’s life will never be the same.
Jill is a senior CIA analyst whose job is vetting potential double agents, to ensure field agents haven’t been compromised or coerced into recruiting a foreign source. The mechanical voice instructs her to approve the report involving a Syrian defense official, attached to the covert biowarfare program, known by code name: Falcon. Jill does as she is told, and her son is returned to the daycare unharmed. She suspects she’s been compromised forever, and it’s a matter of time before “they” come at her again.
Realizing that she has compromised both family and country, she impulsively resigns her hard-earned position and career. She realizes that Falcon is most likely a “dangle;” a planted double agent from an adversarial country. Put in place to plant misinformation or obtain knowledge of our agents working in the field, leading to their elimination. Her husband, Drew Smith, is convinced by a vague argument to relocate their home and his legal career to Ft. Lauderdale, FL. He has followed her faithfully on several foreign postings when she was a field agent. An uncomfortable four years has passed, with her teaching part-time both Mandarin and Turkish, and giving birth to a beautiful girl, Mia. Drew even says one day over breakfast, “We’re acting like we’re on the run.” She has left nothing to chance and used every tactic she learned in CIA training. All to no avail. One day she receives a simple note, in block letters and black marker: “YOU CAN RUN, BUT YOU CAN’T HIDE.”
She senses and identifies a young black woman, late twenties, and quite statuesque with short black hair, who is following her in the grocery store. With her life unravelling, she is approached by this woman. She is an investigative journalist and wants to talk to her about Falcon. Alex Charles is eager to investigate a reliable tip regarding the CIA’s Syrian source. Not only to ferret out the truth, but also to break a blockbuster story and garner a Pulitzer for herself. This tipster tells Alex to find “Jill Bailey,” and everything will fall into place. Have the Syrians really developed a super strain of anthrax? One so lethal that it would kill ninety percent of those exposed. Who is Alex’s source and how is she privy to this inside intel?
Karen Cleveland weaves a complex and convoluted thriller that escalates inexorably with bursting tension and intrigue, as Jill and Alex eventually team-up to investigate who’s behind the insertion of this dangle , known as Falcon. They uncover a vast conspiracy that stretches into the depths of highly placed senior CIA officers. Only someone who has actually been a former CIA analyst, like Karen Cleveland, can provide the authenticity that exudes through every page. The ultimate reveal in the exciting denouement is chilling and decidedly unexpected … and without any breadcrumbs.
Thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing – Ballantine for providing an uncorrected proof of this gem, in exchange for an honest review.
Available on Amazon ..... Published at Mystery And Suspense Magazine .....
September 5, 2021
While I enjoyed her previous book, Need to Know, I found the writing in this one to be sub par. There is an overuse of italics that the author employs for emphasis on nearly every page. This forces the reader to try and feel things instead of the writing "speaking" for itself (i.e. good writing). It is akin to using all caps in an email to transmit anger. There is also a lot of the main character, Jill, asking herself interminable questions about what she should do next. And not telling her husband for four years about the traumatic episode at the beginning of the book (the best part), struck me as unrealistic and unnecessary. Another main female character, Alex, was interchangeable with Jill to me in the alternating 1st person chapters. Again, copious use of italicized words abounded in each of their parts. I could barely finish and even though there was a twist at the end, all I felt was relief that it was over. This book has garnered a lot of good reviews, so apparently I am an outlier here.
October 8, 2021
CIA analyst Jill Bailey needs to decide in 3 minutes: save her son or do what they ask. It is the right decision, is this ever going to end?
I felt the tension Jill was living in at that moment.
I have a question: in the tense moments, she brought the kids home and waited for her husband, how, in Gods name, the kids were so quiet? No questions, no arguing, just good kids. I mean, my kids are noisy no matter what I go through inside.
Thank you Netgalley for this action story.
I felt the tension Jill was living in at that moment.
I have a question: in the tense moments, she brought the kids home and waited for her husband, how, in Gods name, the kids were so quiet? No questions, no arguing, just good kids. I mean, my kids are noisy no matter what I go through inside.
Thank you Netgalley for this action story.
April 18, 2021
The beginning of this story was slow but when it picked up, WOW. Very twisted, intricate, and surprising ending. I am still in shock. I have to give this book a 4 as not many books manage to trick me
September 18, 2022
YOU CAN RUN is a suspenseful adrenaline rush! It is fast paced and held my interest throughout. It’s a mystery that confounds the reader from beginning to end. When the mystery is solved, the reader is satisfied with the denouement.
But wait! There is more to come! In the concluding pages, the author surprises her readers with a jaw-dropping twist that is sure to wow!
Spy games and espionage are intriguing, but it is the shocking, electrifying twist at the end of YOU CAN RUN that sets this novel apart from other works in this genre.
Clever plot! Enthralling storyline! Engaging characters! Thrilling climax! The electrifying twist in the denouement is the proverbial icing on the cake!!! It was SUPERB!
Thanks to the author, publisher and Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
But wait! There is more to come! In the concluding pages, the author surprises her readers with a jaw-dropping twist that is sure to wow!
Spy games and espionage are intriguing, but it is the shocking, electrifying twist at the end of YOU CAN RUN that sets this novel apart from other works in this genre.
Clever plot! Enthralling storyline! Engaging characters! Thrilling climax! The electrifying twist in the denouement is the proverbial icing on the cake!!! It was SUPERB!
Thanks to the author, publisher and Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
November 26, 2021
A trusted source suggested that I read YOU CAN RUN by KAREN CLEVELAND and so I did. The author has a Central Intelligence Agency (C.I.A.) background and it shows in the story line.
There are two major characters, both trying to act smart and forceful in the way they handle adversity. And there is plenty of that to go around. Jill Bailey Smith is a C.I.A. analyst charged with vetting new sources in foreign countries. Her husband Drew is an international contracts lawyer. They have a son age 4 and a daughter age 3. Alex Charles is a featured reporter for the Washington Post newspaper and is just beginning a divorce from Miles. Alex’s ultimate is to win a Pulitzer Prize for Journalism.
Early on, in the story, which takes place over a few years, Jill is asked to vet an asset in Syria who is a highly placed scientist in that country’s weaponized anthrax program. Before she can do so, her son is kidnapped from daycare. Jill gets a phone call that threatens his life if she DOES NOT vet the Syrian, codenamed “Falcon”. Given the choice of her son’s life or the asset, she does what most mothers would; she chooses her son and vets the asset.
Alex starts getting anonymous tips through a computer program that tie to Jill’s case. Jill decides that it is imperative that she leave the C.I.A. to protect her family. Drew, Jill and the kids move to southeast Florida. Eventually the two team up after both of Jill’s kids are kidnapped. The tip source of Alex does not want to meet or give answers to Alex’s many questions. The anonymous tipper finally makes a mistake that allows Jill and Alex to confront him/her in person.
When people in the chain of command involved in the vetting of “Falcon” begin to die, Jill and Alex become very worried that they or the kids might be next. Pulling out all stops, they trace the kidnappers to a remote setting in the Shenandoah Valley of western Virginia.
The story is fast paced with plenty of action. The end is a huge surprise and caught me completely off-guard. If you are a fan of spy stories, this is for you. If you like to read stories that could actually happen, this is for you. At some point in time, I would like to read the author’s two previous books as well. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.
GO! BUY! READ!
There are two major characters, both trying to act smart and forceful in the way they handle adversity. And there is plenty of that to go around. Jill Bailey Smith is a C.I.A. analyst charged with vetting new sources in foreign countries. Her husband Drew is an international contracts lawyer. They have a son age 4 and a daughter age 3. Alex Charles is a featured reporter for the Washington Post newspaper and is just beginning a divorce from Miles. Alex’s ultimate is to win a Pulitzer Prize for Journalism.
Early on, in the story, which takes place over a few years, Jill is asked to vet an asset in Syria who is a highly placed scientist in that country’s weaponized anthrax program. Before she can do so, her son is kidnapped from daycare. Jill gets a phone call that threatens his life if she DOES NOT vet the Syrian, codenamed “Falcon”. Given the choice of her son’s life or the asset, she does what most mothers would; she chooses her son and vets the asset.
Alex starts getting anonymous tips through a computer program that tie to Jill’s case. Jill decides that it is imperative that she leave the C.I.A. to protect her family. Drew, Jill and the kids move to southeast Florida. Eventually the two team up after both of Jill’s kids are kidnapped. The tip source of Alex does not want to meet or give answers to Alex’s many questions. The anonymous tipper finally makes a mistake that allows Jill and Alex to confront him/her in person.
When people in the chain of command involved in the vetting of “Falcon” begin to die, Jill and Alex become very worried that they or the kids might be next. Pulling out all stops, they trace the kidnappers to a remote setting in the Shenandoah Valley of western Virginia.
The story is fast paced with plenty of action. The end is a huge surprise and caught me completely off-guard. If you are a fan of spy stories, this is for you. If you like to read stories that could actually happen, this is for you. At some point in time, I would like to read the author’s two previous books as well. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.
GO! BUY! READ!
January 20, 2022
BOOK REVIEW
🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
You Can Run by Karen Cleveland
This audiobook was incredible and put a new author on my radar!
People summed it up perfectly:
"[A] turbo-charged thriller [with] a final mind-blowing twist."--People
#youcanrun #karencleveland #audiobookreview #awesomethriller #justfinishedreading #bookstagrammer #coloradoreader #thrillerlover #bookrecommendation
🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
You Can Run by Karen Cleveland
This audiobook was incredible and put a new author on my radar!
People summed it up perfectly:
"[A] turbo-charged thriller [with] a final mind-blowing twist."--People
#youcanrun #karencleveland #audiobookreview #awesomethriller #justfinishedreading #bookstagrammer #coloradoreader #thrillerlover #bookrecommendation
Read
July 13, 2021I read one of Karen Cleveland's previous books. It gripped me from the start and never let me go until the end.
This one was somewhat less gripping, though the initial situation was, if anything, more intense: how would you feel if you were a CIA analyst and a new mother, and you got a call that someone had your baby son?
Jill Bailey is in that situation. She does what she has to to save her kid. Four years later, of course that situation comes back to bite her in the butt. She teams up with investigative reporter Alex, and the cat-and-rat game is on.
I found Jill somewhat less engaging than I had the previous heroine, and ditto her situation. I think it was those four years, during which she never even tried to let someone know what had happened.
That said, the story was absorbing and the twist at the end breathtaking.
Copy provided by NetGalley
This one was somewhat less gripping, though the initial situation was, if anything, more intense: how would you feel if you were a CIA analyst and a new mother, and you got a call that someone had your baby son?
Jill Bailey is in that situation. She does what she has to to save her kid. Four years later, of course that situation comes back to bite her in the butt. She teams up with investigative reporter Alex, and the cat-and-rat game is on.
I found Jill somewhat less engaging than I had the previous heroine, and ditto her situation. I think it was those four years, during which she never even tried to let someone know what had happened.
That said, the story was absorbing and the twist at the end breathtaking.
Copy provided by NetGalley
September 11, 2021
Twisty Rethink Required
Review of the Random House Audio audiobook edition released simultaneously with the Ballantine Books hardcover (August 2021)
I enjoyed Karen Cleveland's two previous espionage thrillers Need to Know (2018) and Keep You Close (2019), so listening to her latest, You Can Run (2021), was an instinctive pick. In retrospect, Need to Know stands out more in my mind, especially for its twist ending which forced you to reconsider everything that had gone on before it. In fact, Cleveland pulled off the rather fantastic extra brain-bending squeeze of the "single-final-word" twist, which I can't remember any other author doing previously.
So even going into You Can Run I was expecting some sort of twist ending to come, and was watching closely for hints along the way. Cleveland still managed to surprise me in the end. The thing was that the twist wasn't perhaps quite as satisfactory as her previous ones. It left me feeling somewhat baffled as to what had happened previously and whether there had been any conspiracy at all or whether it was a manufactured one (or you could say a conspiracy to manufacture a false conspiracy). Saying much more would be a spoiler though, so I'll be interested in reading other reviews to see what they thought. This didn't quite merit an Unsatisfactory Ending Alert ™, but it flirted with it.
Basically, CIA analyst Jill Bailey is blackmailed with threats to her family and relaxes her vetting process for a new espionage source as a result. Rather than allow herself to be blackmailed further, she quits her job and moves her family away. Things come back to haunt her when investigative journalist Alex Charles receives an anonymous tip putting her on the trail of the possible breach of security. Bailey and Charles are forced to team up in order to uncover the heart of the conspiracy, which puts both of them and their families in danger. What they discover and what is 'real' may not necessarily be the same thing.
The narration performances in this audiobook edition by Devon Sorvari (as CIA analyst Jill Bailey) and Mia Ellis (as journalist Alex (Alexandra) Charles) were fine. The chapters mostly alternated between the two roles/voices.
Review of the Random House Audio audiobook edition released simultaneously with the Ballantine Books hardcover (August 2021)
I enjoyed Karen Cleveland's two previous espionage thrillers Need to Know (2018) and Keep You Close (2019), so listening to her latest, You Can Run (2021), was an instinctive pick. In retrospect, Need to Know stands out more in my mind, especially for its twist ending which forced you to reconsider everything that had gone on before it. In fact, Cleveland pulled off the rather fantastic extra brain-bending squeeze of the "single-final-word" twist, which I can't remember any other author doing previously.
So even going into You Can Run I was expecting some sort of twist ending to come, and was watching closely for hints along the way. Cleveland still managed to surprise me in the end. The thing was that the twist wasn't perhaps quite as satisfactory as her previous ones. It left me feeling somewhat baffled as to what had happened previously and whether there had been any conspiracy at all or whether it was a manufactured one (or you could say a conspiracy to manufacture a false conspiracy). Saying much more would be a spoiler though, so I'll be interested in reading other reviews to see what they thought. This didn't quite merit an Unsatisfactory Ending Alert ™, but it flirted with it.
Basically, CIA analyst Jill Bailey is blackmailed with threats to her family and relaxes her vetting process for a new espionage source as a result. Rather than allow herself to be blackmailed further, she quits her job and moves her family away. Things come back to haunt her when investigative journalist Alex Charles receives an anonymous tip putting her on the trail of the possible breach of security. Bailey and Charles are forced to team up in order to uncover the heart of the conspiracy, which puts both of them and their families in danger. What they discover and what is 'real' may not necessarily be the same thing.
The narration performances in this audiobook edition by Devon Sorvari (as CIA analyst Jill Bailey) and Mia Ellis (as journalist Alex (Alexandra) Charles) were fine. The chapters mostly alternated between the two roles/voices.
August 5, 2025
"Losing everything changes you."
Jill Bailey, married to Drew, mother of two young children, is a CIA analyst who is responsible for vetting new intel sources. The new recruit, Falcon, is set to become a prize catch for the agency as he has information about Syria's plan to use anthrax as a bio weapon. Before she can do her due diligence and pass him up the chain, she gets a phone call at work. Someone has kidnapped her son and they are asking her to betray her country by doing just this one "small" thing. She's desperate and she does it.
Alex Charles is a reporter for the Washington Post and gets an anonymous tip that she can use to catapult her career with a Pulitzer if she can run it down. Her search leads her to Jill and they begin to investigate the claims and find the truth. NO SPOILERS.
This was another fast-paced espionage thriller from an author whose previous books thoroughly hooked me. Karen Cleveland writes about what she knows as she spent 8 years working for the CIA and it shows. Told in alternating points of view between Jill and Alex, the characters come alive and this becomes more than a spy story. Two determined women who have a lot to lose but who love their country and feel a deep responsibility to find those responsible for this conspiracy. Another great conclusion leaves the door open for another book, perhaps a sequel. This, however, is a standalone and you don't need to have read the other two books.
All three of these novels beg to be adapted into miniseries and I am still waiting for Need to Know to go into production. Thank you to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for this e-book ARC to read, review, and recommend.
Jill Bailey, married to Drew, mother of two young children, is a CIA analyst who is responsible for vetting new intel sources. The new recruit, Falcon, is set to become a prize catch for the agency as he has information about Syria's plan to use anthrax as a bio weapon. Before she can do her due diligence and pass him up the chain, she gets a phone call at work. Someone has kidnapped her son and they are asking her to betray her country by doing just this one "small" thing. She's desperate and she does it.
Alex Charles is a reporter for the Washington Post and gets an anonymous tip that she can use to catapult her career with a Pulitzer if she can run it down. Her search leads her to Jill and they begin to investigate the claims and find the truth. NO SPOILERS.
This was another fast-paced espionage thriller from an author whose previous books thoroughly hooked me. Karen Cleveland writes about what she knows as she spent 8 years working for the CIA and it shows. Told in alternating points of view between Jill and Alex, the characters come alive and this becomes more than a spy story. Two determined women who have a lot to lose but who love their country and feel a deep responsibility to find those responsible for this conspiracy. Another great conclusion leaves the door open for another book, perhaps a sequel. This, however, is a standalone and you don't need to have read the other two books.
All three of these novels beg to be adapted into miniseries and I am still waiting for Need to Know to go into production. Thank you to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for this e-book ARC to read, review, and recommend.
September 9, 2021
2.25 stars
"We have your son. It's the call that's every parent's nightmare. And for CIA analyst Jill Bailey, it's the call that changes everything."
One of the things that makes a mystery/thriller gripping and enjoyable is when the main character makes decisions and takes actions that are plausible and believable. When these choices seems so out of the realm of what a reader might do, we lose trust in the character and interest in the story. This was more action filler than riveting storyline. I don't feel pivotal moments of the plot should take place in the epilogue of a book.
"We have your son. It's the call that's every parent's nightmare. And for CIA analyst Jill Bailey, it's the call that changes everything."
One of the things that makes a mystery/thriller gripping and enjoyable is when the main character makes decisions and takes actions that are plausible and believable. When these choices seems so out of the realm of what a reader might do, we lose trust in the character and interest in the story. This was more action filler than riveting storyline. I don't feel pivotal moments of the plot should take place in the epilogue of a book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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