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Kirk McGarvey #12
Dance with the Dragon
The CIA is on edge. All signs indicate that something is coming at the United States. Perhaps another 9/11, maybe bigger. The body of CIA agent Louis Updegraf ends up on the steps of the US Embassy in Mexico. His last operation was to tap into the communications of the Chinese Embassy, but there is no record of why. He appeared to be freelancing and the Agency must scramble to get a clue as to what he was after.
Kirk McGarvey, serving as a visiting professor at the University of Florida, is once again longing for the action of the field. So when his old friend Otto Rencke asks him to help figure out the connection between China and the murdered agent, it takes almost no effort to get McGarvey up and running.
The only informant they can find is an enigmatic Iranian belly dancer--the dark and lovely Shahrzad Shadmand. But her story changes with the wind, and her knowledge of McGarvey's past is uncanny. Kirk McGarvey must unravel her shattered mind to get to something that might resemble the truth.
Kirk McGarvey, serving as a visiting professor at the University of Florida, is once again longing for the action of the field. So when his old friend Otto Rencke asks him to help figure out the connection between China and the murdered agent, it takes almost no effort to get McGarvey up and running.
The only informant they can find is an enigmatic Iranian belly dancer--the dark and lovely Shahrzad Shadmand. But her story changes with the wind, and her knowledge of McGarvey's past is uncanny. Kirk McGarvey must unravel her shattered mind to get to something that might resemble the truth.
384 pages, Hardcover
First published September 18, 2007
33 people are currently reading
193 people want to read
About the author
David Hagberg
80 books137 followersaka David Bannerman, Sean Flannery, David James, Robert Pell, Eric Ramsey
David Hagberg is a former Air Force cryptographer who has traveled extensively in Europe, the Arctic, and the Caribbean and has spoken at CIA functions. He has published more than twenty novels of suspense, including the bestselling High Flight, Assassin, and Joshua's Hammer.
http://us.macmillan.com/author/davidh...
David Hagberg is a former Air Force cryptographer who has traveled extensively in Europe, the Arctic, and the Caribbean and has spoken at CIA functions. He has published more than twenty novels of suspense, including the bestselling High Flight, Assassin, and Joshua's Hammer.
http://us.macmillan.com/author/davidh...
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
February 2, 2018
Hard one to rate. Well-written and reasonably engaging, but the innuendo got rather graphic (largely due to the plot line) and there was copious swearing. I probably will not read more of the series.
October 27, 2018
This is my second story in the Kirk McGarvey series. It was entertaining spy action story. McGarvey is not the most likeable character throughout the story, but the conclusion redeems him in some way.
August 25, 2017
Not the best of of these books. Pretty far fetched (I hope)
April 20, 2024
Another tale of a mission that is put into the hands of a lone male who is the only person that can save the world.
September 26, 2022
This book was a disappointment for me.
Very little action.
Mostly conversations that didn't seem to amount to much and the dialog was not as good as previous novels, felt stilted at times.
It looks like this is the lead-in to the next crisis, but this could have been done in less then 100 pages of that book.
Very little action.
Mostly conversations that didn't seem to amount to much and the dialog was not as good as previous novels, felt stilted at times.
It looks like this is the lead-in to the next crisis, but this could have been done in less then 100 pages of that book.
December 31, 2008
DAVID HAGBERG has published more than seventy novels of suspense, including the bestselling JOSHUA'S HAMMER, SOLDIER of GOD, and ALLAH'S SCORPIION.
Former Air Force cryptographer David Hagberg is a bestselling author of international thrillers who has a knack for creating fiction that becomes fact. In THE WHITE HOUSE he predicted North Korea’s development of nuclear weapons and intercontinental ballistic missiles. In JOSHUA’S HAMMER he foresaw the 9/11 attack on the United States by bin Laden and his al-Quaeda, in DESERT FIRE Saddam Hussein’s nuclear ambitions, in HIGH FLIGHT the downing of airliners as a method of terrorism on a massive scale. Born and raised in Duluth, Minnesota, David Hagberg joined the Air Force right out of high School where he was trained as a cryptographer, stationed in Greenland above the Arctic Circle and in Germany where he helped construct the (then) world’s largest crypto center on the planet. He attended the University of Maryland, Overseas Division and the University of Wisconsin studying physics, mathematics and philosophy. But he learned to write as a cub reporter on the Duluth Herald & News-Tribune and later as a news desk editor for the Associated Press. His first novel TWISTER was published in 1975 by Dell, and since that time he has published more than 70 novels of suspense in a career that includes a nomination for The American Book Award, three nominations for the Mystery Writers of America Edgar Allan Poe Award and three Mystery Scene best American Mystery awards. Taken from the Official David Hagberg web site at www.david-hagberg.com
Now for my review For “Dance with the Dragon,”
A Non Stop Thriller
David Hagberg is as good as it gets. Dance with the Dragon is by far one of the best action-adventure thrillers to come along in years. Every chapter is action packed and keeps you guessing right to the end.
In the opening scene, there is a murder of a CIA agent in Mexico. As Hagberg works the plot, his dialog, narrative and description are riveting. David Hagberg's retired CIA director Kirk McGarvey gets pulled into this murder only to find that each woman involved in the case has a dark past with sub plots that he must snake his way through. It’s a fast read, as you will be racing to turn the pages to see what’s behind this cruel Chinese general and his spy game. From the opening to the last chapter you keep wondering how it will all come together...and it does! It just better not be true!
This is Hagberg’s 10th thriller featuring ex-CIA director Kirk McGarvey, and his next in the McGarvey series is due late fall, early winter of 08.
Former Air Force cryptographer David Hagberg is a bestselling author of international thrillers who has a knack for creating fiction that becomes fact. In THE WHITE HOUSE he predicted North Korea’s development of nuclear weapons and intercontinental ballistic missiles. In JOSHUA’S HAMMER he foresaw the 9/11 attack on the United States by bin Laden and his al-Quaeda, in DESERT FIRE Saddam Hussein’s nuclear ambitions, in HIGH FLIGHT the downing of airliners as a method of terrorism on a massive scale. Born and raised in Duluth, Minnesota, David Hagberg joined the Air Force right out of high School where he was trained as a cryptographer, stationed in Greenland above the Arctic Circle and in Germany where he helped construct the (then) world’s largest crypto center on the planet. He attended the University of Maryland, Overseas Division and the University of Wisconsin studying physics, mathematics and philosophy. But he learned to write as a cub reporter on the Duluth Herald & News-Tribune and later as a news desk editor for the Associated Press. His first novel TWISTER was published in 1975 by Dell, and since that time he has published more than 70 novels of suspense in a career that includes a nomination for The American Book Award, three nominations for the Mystery Writers of America Edgar Allan Poe Award and three Mystery Scene best American Mystery awards. Taken from the Official David Hagberg web site at www.david-hagberg.com
Now for my review For “Dance with the Dragon,”
A Non Stop Thriller
David Hagberg is as good as it gets. Dance with the Dragon is by far one of the best action-adventure thrillers to come along in years. Every chapter is action packed and keeps you guessing right to the end.
In the opening scene, there is a murder of a CIA agent in Mexico. As Hagberg works the plot, his dialog, narrative and description are riveting. David Hagberg's retired CIA director Kirk McGarvey gets pulled into this murder only to find that each woman involved in the case has a dark past with sub plots that he must snake his way through. It’s a fast read, as you will be racing to turn the pages to see what’s behind this cruel Chinese general and his spy game. From the opening to the last chapter you keep wondering how it will all come together...and it does! It just better not be true!
This is Hagberg’s 10th thriller featuring ex-CIA director Kirk McGarvey, and his next in the McGarvey series is due late fall, early winter of 08.
June 6, 2016
Dance with the Dragon is a riveting, exciting mystery involving the CIA and Kirk McGarvey, the Chinese, the Mexicans, the Iranians, and 2 strange, young women. The only thing that prevented me from calling this Hagberg's best McGarvey novel yet, was the ending. After reading through over 375 pages of intrigue, the reasons for WHY had not been answered. Then, in the final chapter of the book, everything became clear...this something had never even been hinted at throughout the novel (other than the fact that a mysterious person, perhaps an Iranian, had been noticed in company with a Chinese ex-general), Without having read the next McGarvey novel, my guess would be that this frightening discovery will become the basis of McGarvey #13.
Still, in all, I loved this Hagberg novel. If you liked reading Vince Flynn's Mitch Rapp novels, you will love reading David Hagberg's Kirk McGarvey novels.
Still, in all, I loved this Hagberg novel. If you liked reading Vince Flynn's Mitch Rapp novels, you will love reading David Hagberg's Kirk McGarvey novels.
February 28, 2010
I didn't enjoy this book as much as some of his earlier books. There wasn;t enough action in this one. There was too much telling of the story by some of the characters in flashbacks rather then real time action. The ending also sort of left you hanging with the thought that the next book would continue the story.
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April 24, 2008very good, in my opinion.
August 24, 2008
I thought this book sucked. Nothing ever really happened in it. I was hoping for a Tom Clancy/Vince Flynn type of novel, but this book was really lame. I couldn't wait to be done with it.
February 5, 2009
Not as exciting as I would have liked.
September 25, 2009
Hagberg writes, if you are a thriller fan...so that you might as well just stay up and finish it once you start it!
October 3, 2011
I've followed the Kirk McGarvey series. This was a good story. But I find that the things McGarvey does are a little unbelievable. Oh well, so what, after all it is fiction.
February 23, 2014
Kirk McGarvey on the trail of a rogue Chinese General doing mischief in Mexico...enough twists and turns to be worthy of le Carre or Greene...god, decent spy read!
August 18, 2012
Nancy 5 stars; Ron 4.5 stars
September 12, 2013
A good CIA thriller set in Sarasota, Florida, CIA headquarters in Langley, Virginia, New York City, and Mexico City.
June 6, 2014
spy novels aren't my favorite, but I enjoy a good tale.
June 4, 2015
Great story but the ending was a little disappointing considering the characters and their brashness. Nicely tied together the locations and characters.
May 12, 2016
Not as good as the rest.
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June 13, 2011If you like his other books you will like this one, too!
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews