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Charles Jenkins #2
L'Exfiltration (Charles Jenkins t. 2)
Autor bestseller do New York Times.
Mais de 6 milhões de livros vendidos.
Quarenta anos depois de deixar a CIA, o ex-agente secreto Charles Jenkins encontra-se numa encruzilhada: aos 64 anos, tem uma empresa de segurança privada à beira da falência e está em risco de perder a casa, e a sua mulher encontra-se à espera de um novo bebé.
É então que o seu ex-chefe da CIA lhe aparece à porta e lhe propõe uma missão arriscada: viajar secretamente para Moscovo e localizar a pessoa que eles suspeitam estar a aniquilar agentes de uma célula de espionagem americana conhecida como «as sete irmãs».
Desesperado por dinheiro, Jenkins aceita a missão e segue para a capital russa. Mas quando localiza o cérebro por detrás dos homicídios — a chamada «oitava irmã» — percebe que ela não é quem ele pensava. Na realidade, ninguém o é, neste jogo de espiões mortal.
Perseguido por um implacável agente dos serviços secretos russos, Jenkins concebe um ousado plano de fuga através do mar Negro, mas em pouco tempo descobre que foi abandonado pela agência para a qual opera. Com a família e a liberdade em risco, Jenkins terá de lutar pela vida… contra o seu próprio país.
Mais de 6 milhões de livros vendidos.
Quarenta anos depois de deixar a CIA, o ex-agente secreto Charles Jenkins encontra-se numa encruzilhada: aos 64 anos, tem uma empresa de segurança privada à beira da falência e está em risco de perder a casa, e a sua mulher encontra-se à espera de um novo bebé.
É então que o seu ex-chefe da CIA lhe aparece à porta e lhe propõe uma missão arriscada: viajar secretamente para Moscovo e localizar a pessoa que eles suspeitam estar a aniquilar agentes de uma célula de espionagem americana conhecida como «as sete irmãs».
Desesperado por dinheiro, Jenkins aceita a missão e segue para a capital russa. Mas quando localiza o cérebro por detrás dos homicídios — a chamada «oitava irmã» — percebe que ela não é quem ele pensava. Na realidade, ninguém o é, neste jogo de espiões mortal.
Perseguido por um implacável agente dos serviços secretos russos, Jenkins concebe um ousado plano de fuga através do mar Negro, mas em pouco tempo descobre que foi abandonado pela agência para a qual opera. Com a família e a liberdade em risco, Jenkins terá de lutar pela vida… contra o seu próprio país.
509 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 22, 2020
4643 people are currently reading
4944 people want to read
About the author
Robert Dugoni
75 books32.8k followersRobert Dugoni is the critically acclaimed New York Times, and #1 Amazon bestselling author of the Tracy Crosswhite police series set in Seattle, which has sold more than 11 million books worldwide. He is also the author of The Charles Jenkins espionage series, the David Sloane legal thriller series, and The Keera Duggan legal thriller series. He has written several stand-alone novels including the historical novels A Killing on the Hill and Hold Strong, as well as the suspense novel The 7th Canon, and Damage Control. He has written the literary novels, The Extraordinary Life of Sam Hell - one of Newsweek Magazine's Best Books of All-Time and Suspense Magazine’s 2018 Book of the Year, for which Dugoni’s narration won an AudioFile Earphones Award. He has also written the critically acclaimed novel, The World Played Chess; as well as the nonfiction exposé The Cyanide Canary, a Washington Post Best Book of the Year. His novels have been optioned for movies and television series. Dugoni is the recipient of the Nancy Pearl Award for Fiction and a four-time winner of the Friends of Mystery Spotted Owl Award for best novel set in the Pacific Northwest. He has also been a finalist for many other awards including the International Thriller Award, the Harper Lee Prize for Legal Fiction, the Silver Falchion Award for mystery, and the Mystery Writers of America Edgar Award.
Robert Dugoni’s books are sold in more than thirty-five countries and have been translated into more than thirty languages.
Visit his website at www.robertdugoni.com, and follow him on twitter @robertdugoni and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/AuthorRobertDugoni
Robert Dugoni’s books are sold in more than thirty-five countries and have been translated into more than thirty languages.
Visit his website at www.robertdugoni.com, and follow him on twitter @robertdugoni and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/AuthorRobertDugoni
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 920 reviews
March 19, 2020
This is book two in the Charles Jenkins series and its back to Moscow!
More espionage, blackmail, and scary Russian agents.
Charles Jenkins is back and on a new mission. I read The Eighth Sister (book one in the series) and couldn't wait to see what his next move would be. This could be a stand-alone as it does give background information in the first few chapters, but I would recommend reading the first book (its good).
When Charles learns that things may not have been as they seemed when he left Russia, he decides to go back to Russia to try to save someone close to his heart. But is she even alive? He knows he must find out.
What a great spy story! Kept me guessing and rooting for the good guys! There is also a pilot character, Studebaker who was "hulla" crazy and added humor. And wow, what an ending!
Recommend to fans of spy thrillers, international shell games and characters you'll be completely invested in.
Thanks so much to NG/ Thomas and Mercer for an advanced review copy. OUT October 2020, but the first book in the series in available now. The acknowledgements mention that these two books in this series have been sold and will be a major television series! Yay!
More espionage, blackmail, and scary Russian agents.
Charles Jenkins is back and on a new mission. I read The Eighth Sister (book one in the series) and couldn't wait to see what his next move would be. This could be a stand-alone as it does give background information in the first few chapters, but I would recommend reading the first book (its good).
When Charles learns that things may not have been as they seemed when he left Russia, he decides to go back to Russia to try to save someone close to his heart. But is she even alive? He knows he must find out.
Tension builds as each chapter flies by and there were moments I wanted to close my eyes! Panicked at what was about to happen. It reads like a fast paced, action-packed movie.The suspense was anxiety filled and had me holding my breath and saying, "oh no, oh no, oh no...." Those moments when the chase is on and you feel like you are in on it.
What a great spy story! Kept me guessing and rooting for the good guys! There is also a pilot character, Studebaker who was "hulla" crazy and added humor. And wow, what an ending!
Recommend to fans of spy thrillers, international shell games and characters you'll be completely invested in.
Thanks so much to NG/ Thomas and Mercer for an advanced review copy. OUT October 2020, but the first book in the series in available now. The acknowledgements mention that these two books in this series have been sold and will be a major television series! Yay!
September 22, 2020
Charles Jenkins is back in book two of the series. A former CIA spy, he has survived being tried for treason after being betrayed by his county. He is enjoying a quiet life with his wife and two children when he is approached with a mission he cannot turn down - rescuing Paulina Ponomayova, a woman who risked her life to get his out of Russia alive. But by accepting the mission, he must return to Russia, face an old and new nemesis and once again be away from his family.
Anyone who has read a Robert Dugoni book knows of his attention to detail. His ability to create interesting and well-rounded characters with intriguing back stories. I am not a big spy thriller reader, but he has sucked me in with this series. Like the first book in the series, The Eighth Sister, this book is full of suspense, intrigue and even a magic trick!
I enjoyed Charles Jenkins scenes with his old nemesis, Viktor Federov. Their interactions were fun, and yet like Jenkins, I never knew if Federov could be trusted. One thing you can trust, is that this is a riveting, beautifully written and compelling spy thriller which keeps the intensity and delivers on thrills.
Another solid book by Dugoni! This was a riveting spy thriller with heart!
Thank you to Thomas & Mercer and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
Anyone who has read a Robert Dugoni book knows of his attention to detail. His ability to create interesting and well-rounded characters with intriguing back stories. I am not a big spy thriller reader, but he has sucked me in with this series. Like the first book in the series, The Eighth Sister, this book is full of suspense, intrigue and even a magic trick!
I enjoyed Charles Jenkins scenes with his old nemesis, Viktor Federov. Their interactions were fun, and yet like Jenkins, I never knew if Federov could be trusted. One thing you can trust, is that this is a riveting, beautifully written and compelling spy thriller which keeps the intensity and delivers on thrills.
Another solid book by Dugoni! This was a riveting spy thriller with heart!
Thank you to Thomas & Mercer and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
August 27, 2020
I am usually not a fan of spy thrillers, but I had really enjoyed The Eighth Sister. So, I was thrilled that Dugoni had written a second book in the series.
Charles Jenkins is at home recovering. He’s been found not guilty of espionage but needless to say, he’s still holding a grudge against the CIA. But when an agent comes calling, asking for help to extract Paulina Ponomayova, the Russian who saved Jenkins in the first book, he agrees. The job seems hopeless - Paulina is in the Lefortovo prison.
This story goes a mile a minute. The reader hardly has a chance to catch their breath from one suspenseful scene to the next. Efimov is the perfect villain, his whole career riding on catching Jenkins and Ponomayova, because who wants to be the one to tell Vladimir you’ve failed?
The book is filled with other fabulous characters, several larger than life, with a variety of different motivations.
In the author’s note, Dugoni details the conversations he had with his experts, always wondering if a solution “ was beyond the realm of fiction.” Some may stretch, but they all read as plausible. I’ve read that the first book has been picked up for a possible tv series. We can only hope they move forward with both books.
This does not work as a standalone. You need to have read The Eighth Sister for the complete back story. I’m glad that the ending seems to leave open the possibility for a third book.
My thanks to netgalley and Thomas & Mercer for an advance copy of this book.
Charles Jenkins is at home recovering. He’s been found not guilty of espionage but needless to say, he’s still holding a grudge against the CIA. But when an agent comes calling, asking for help to extract Paulina Ponomayova, the Russian who saved Jenkins in the first book, he agrees. The job seems hopeless - Paulina is in the Lefortovo prison.
This story goes a mile a minute. The reader hardly has a chance to catch their breath from one suspenseful scene to the next. Efimov is the perfect villain, his whole career riding on catching Jenkins and Ponomayova, because who wants to be the one to tell Vladimir you’ve failed?
The book is filled with other fabulous characters, several larger than life, with a variety of different motivations.
In the author’s note, Dugoni details the conversations he had with his experts, always wondering if a solution “ was beyond the realm of fiction.” Some may stretch, but they all read as plausible. I’ve read that the first book has been picked up for a possible tv series. We can only hope they move forward with both books.
This does not work as a standalone. You need to have read The Eighth Sister for the complete back story. I’m glad that the ending seems to leave open the possibility for a third book.
My thanks to netgalley and Thomas & Mercer for an advance copy of this book.
November 12, 2020
First and foremost, a large thank you to NetGalley, Robert Dugoni, and. Thomas & Mercer for providing me with a copy of this publication, which allows me to provide you with an unbiased review.
Showcasing his abilities outside of police procedurals, Robert Dugoni returns to add another layer to one of his wonderful standalone novels. Thrilling readers throughout this piece of espionage, Dugoni shows that he can craft sensational characters and keep the plot moving along, even behind enemy lines.
After his gruelling experience in Russia, Charles Jenkins has no interest in returning. His family is priority #1 and, with a new baby, he does not want to risk upsetting his wife. When a CIA operative approaches him, Jenkins is not interested in the message.
The Agency is still wondering about their Seven Sisters project, more specifically the Russian CIA operative who helped Jenkins while he was there. Paulina Ponomayova sacrificed her safety to ensure that Jenkins made it out and, if she is still alive, the Agency wants to know about it. Jenkins gives this some thought, wondering if he might be able to extract Paulina and save her as she did for him. A long chat with his wife leads them to understand the need for one final sacrifice.
As Jenkins is placed in the region, he will have to make his way on Russian soil and work his magic. Keen to show off his skills, Jenkins boldly enters the country and drops numerous breadcrumbs regarding his presence, which raises many red flags with the FSB, Russia’s Security Agency. As Jenkins seeks to lure them to what he is doing, he touches base with Viktor Federov, the FSB agent whose failure to apprehend Jenkins the first time left him in major trouble. While Federov is leery at first, he soon realises that Jenkins is seeking to redeem them both for troubles their respective countries placed at their feet. They devise a plan to locate Paulina and try to get her out of the country as quickly as possible.
After making contact and playing a little sleight of hand, the mission to leave the country begins. This is surely more difficult, as the FSB are everywhere and Jenkins has made himself persona non grata already, particularly to Adam Efimov, who is tasked with locating Jenkins and bringing him in. As Jenkins, Federov, and Ponomavova try to flee Moscow, it will be a fight to the end to get to safety. With the Russian winter upon them, any misstep could cost them their lives in the cold, even before Efimov puts bullet lodges into their skulls.
A chilling spy thriller that I had not expected from Robert Dugoni. This is one novel sure to receive much attention for the foreseeable future. Recommended to those who enjoy Dugoni’s work, as well as the reader who finds modern espionage to their liking.
I have been a fan of Robert Dugoni’s work for a while, which usually focuses on legal or police matters. However, this novel has all the elements of a new genre for the author, something he seems to have mastered as well. The attention to detail is evident throughout and the reader is sure to feel as though they are right there, with the ever-developing plot.
Charles Jenkins takes centre stage again, though he is slightly more reticent to toss himself into the middle of a dangerous situation. Burnt by his own government, Jenkins wants nothing to do with helping the Agency, but as soon as Paulina Ponomayova‘s name comes up, he knows that he must help. The reader can see some of the emotional connections Jenkins has made in this second novel, though he remains highly work-focussed for much of the book. There is some character development, surely, but the intricate details of his plan hatching steal much of the limelight in this piece. Jenkins does a formidable job, even when faced with adversity, keeping the story moving throughout.
A handful of great secondary characters help depict the clash, particularly within Russia. Dugoni’s detail when forming these characters works so well and the reality of the situation becomes apparent throughout, which serves to permit the reader to feel a part of the action. One cannot read this book and not feel that Adam Efimov played a key antagonist role, depicting both the traditional Russian and one whose new connections with the current regime have helped him climb the proverbial ladder.
The story began strong and kept getting better. I cannot say enough about Dugoni’s ability to cobble together something so air-tight and yet not forget to inject some needed humour throughout. A modern Cold War thriller for sure, which had the elements of reality sewn into its plot. Using great dialogue and multiple languages kept the reader feeling as though they were standing beside the characters and living each moment. True, I must rely on Dugoni to have used proper lingo and phraseology, but I will leave linguistic nitpicking to others, as I surely felt this added a wonderful flavour to the overall piece.
While I do love the Tracy Crosswhite series, this was a wonderful break and shows me that Robert Dugoni’s versatility is surely something to earn him an even larger fan base. Plus, the cliffhanger ending leaves things open for a trilogy, should everyone want to play along.
Kudos, Mr. Dugoni, for another wonderful book. You never cease to impress and I cannot wait to see what else you have up your sleeve.
Be sure to check for my review, first posted on Mystery and Suspense, as well as a number of other insightful comments by other reviewers.
https://www.mysteryandsuspense.com/re...
Love/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/
A Book for All Seasons, a different sort of Book Challenge: https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/...
Showcasing his abilities outside of police procedurals, Robert Dugoni returns to add another layer to one of his wonderful standalone novels. Thrilling readers throughout this piece of espionage, Dugoni shows that he can craft sensational characters and keep the plot moving along, even behind enemy lines.
After his gruelling experience in Russia, Charles Jenkins has no interest in returning. His family is priority #1 and, with a new baby, he does not want to risk upsetting his wife. When a CIA operative approaches him, Jenkins is not interested in the message.
The Agency is still wondering about their Seven Sisters project, more specifically the Russian CIA operative who helped Jenkins while he was there. Paulina Ponomayova sacrificed her safety to ensure that Jenkins made it out and, if she is still alive, the Agency wants to know about it. Jenkins gives this some thought, wondering if he might be able to extract Paulina and save her as she did for him. A long chat with his wife leads them to understand the need for one final sacrifice.
As Jenkins is placed in the region, he will have to make his way on Russian soil and work his magic. Keen to show off his skills, Jenkins boldly enters the country and drops numerous breadcrumbs regarding his presence, which raises many red flags with the FSB, Russia’s Security Agency. As Jenkins seeks to lure them to what he is doing, he touches base with Viktor Federov, the FSB agent whose failure to apprehend Jenkins the first time left him in major trouble. While Federov is leery at first, he soon realises that Jenkins is seeking to redeem them both for troubles their respective countries placed at their feet. They devise a plan to locate Paulina and try to get her out of the country as quickly as possible.
After making contact and playing a little sleight of hand, the mission to leave the country begins. This is surely more difficult, as the FSB are everywhere and Jenkins has made himself persona non grata already, particularly to Adam Efimov, who is tasked with locating Jenkins and bringing him in. As Jenkins, Federov, and Ponomavova try to flee Moscow, it will be a fight to the end to get to safety. With the Russian winter upon them, any misstep could cost them their lives in the cold, even before Efimov puts bullet lodges into their skulls.
A chilling spy thriller that I had not expected from Robert Dugoni. This is one novel sure to receive much attention for the foreseeable future. Recommended to those who enjoy Dugoni’s work, as well as the reader who finds modern espionage to their liking.
I have been a fan of Robert Dugoni’s work for a while, which usually focuses on legal or police matters. However, this novel has all the elements of a new genre for the author, something he seems to have mastered as well. The attention to detail is evident throughout and the reader is sure to feel as though they are right there, with the ever-developing plot.
Charles Jenkins takes centre stage again, though he is slightly more reticent to toss himself into the middle of a dangerous situation. Burnt by his own government, Jenkins wants nothing to do with helping the Agency, but as soon as Paulina Ponomayova‘s name comes up, he knows that he must help. The reader can see some of the emotional connections Jenkins has made in this second novel, though he remains highly work-focussed for much of the book. There is some character development, surely, but the intricate details of his plan hatching steal much of the limelight in this piece. Jenkins does a formidable job, even when faced with adversity, keeping the story moving throughout.
A handful of great secondary characters help depict the clash, particularly within Russia. Dugoni’s detail when forming these characters works so well and the reality of the situation becomes apparent throughout, which serves to permit the reader to feel a part of the action. One cannot read this book and not feel that Adam Efimov played a key antagonist role, depicting both the traditional Russian and one whose new connections with the current regime have helped him climb the proverbial ladder.
The story began strong and kept getting better. I cannot say enough about Dugoni’s ability to cobble together something so air-tight and yet not forget to inject some needed humour throughout. A modern Cold War thriller for sure, which had the elements of reality sewn into its plot. Using great dialogue and multiple languages kept the reader feeling as though they were standing beside the characters and living each moment. True, I must rely on Dugoni to have used proper lingo and phraseology, but I will leave linguistic nitpicking to others, as I surely felt this added a wonderful flavour to the overall piece.
While I do love the Tracy Crosswhite series, this was a wonderful break and shows me that Robert Dugoni’s versatility is surely something to earn him an even larger fan base. Plus, the cliffhanger ending leaves things open for a trilogy, should everyone want to play along.
Kudos, Mr. Dugoni, for another wonderful book. You never cease to impress and I cannot wait to see what else you have up your sleeve.
Be sure to check for my review, first posted on Mystery and Suspense, as well as a number of other insightful comments by other reviewers.
https://www.mysteryandsuspense.com/re...
Love/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/
A Book for All Seasons, a different sort of Book Challenge: https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/...
August 26, 2020
This is a terrific follow up to The Eighth Sister!
Ex-CIA agent Charles Jenkins is back at his farm, recovering from his trip to Russia the previous year for the CIA (I do recommend reading The Eighth Sister to get to know the characters and the background). That Charlie managed to escape with his life was thanks to Paulina Ponomayova, a CIA agent who acted as decoy for the Russian intelligence (FSB) agent relentlessly hunting him down and was believed to have died doing so. Now Charlie has been told that Paulina didn't die and is now being held and tortured in Moscow's ex-KGB prison, Lefortovo. Paulina knows the names of the four remaining seven sisters, women agents deep undercover in Russia and the FSB are determined to get them out of her. Despite the extreme unlikelihood and inherent danger of being able to help a prisoner escape from such a high security prison, the CIA want Charlie to go back to Russia and do just that.
This was definitely a high tension and gripping read, as Charlie attempts to stay one step ahead of Efimov, the ruthless FSB agent hunting him down. Both Charlie and Efimov are masters of espionage deploying all their intelligence, experience and skills to predict what the other will be doing. While Charlie is not without local assistance, with some great characters helping to organise multiple escape routes and diversions, Efimov uses all the facilities of surveillance available in modern Russia. At times the suspense became too much and I had to remember to stop holding my breath. Highly recommended for fans of spy thrillers!
With thanks to Thomas and Mercer and Netgalley for a digital copy to read.
Ex-CIA agent Charles Jenkins is back at his farm, recovering from his trip to Russia the previous year for the CIA (I do recommend reading The Eighth Sister to get to know the characters and the background). That Charlie managed to escape with his life was thanks to Paulina Ponomayova, a CIA agent who acted as decoy for the Russian intelligence (FSB) agent relentlessly hunting him down and was believed to have died doing so. Now Charlie has been told that Paulina didn't die and is now being held and tortured in Moscow's ex-KGB prison, Lefortovo. Paulina knows the names of the four remaining seven sisters, women agents deep undercover in Russia and the FSB are determined to get them out of her. Despite the extreme unlikelihood and inherent danger of being able to help a prisoner escape from such a high security prison, the CIA want Charlie to go back to Russia and do just that.
This was definitely a high tension and gripping read, as Charlie attempts to stay one step ahead of Efimov, the ruthless FSB agent hunting him down. Both Charlie and Efimov are masters of espionage deploying all their intelligence, experience and skills to predict what the other will be doing. While Charlie is not without local assistance, with some great characters helping to organise multiple escape routes and diversions, Efimov uses all the facilities of surveillance available in modern Russia. At times the suspense became too much and I had to remember to stop holding my breath. Highly recommended for fans of spy thrillers!
With thanks to Thomas and Mercer and Netgalley for a digital copy to read.
January 5, 2022
4.5 stars
Would you ever want to go back to a place where you knew your life was in constant peril, where the fate that awaited you at best was prison and at worst prison accompanied by torture, suffering, and misery? Would you ever want to work once again for a place that prosecuted you falsely for espionage and treason? Most of us would definitely decline this “opportunity”, but not Charles.
What would entice Charles back into the deadly business of spying, leaving his loving wife and two children, leaving a life of retirement, leaving a life where he was exonerated of his supposed crimes?
For Charles, there was no question to do so when he learned of the possibility that his friend and the women who previously saved him might be alive. Paulina Ponomayova, had years ago provided the way for Charles to escape Russia, literally sacrificing herself, and if she is still alive, Charles owes her a debt he feels he needs to repay. If alive, Paulina would be held in the heinous prison called Lefortovo, a virtual hell hole on earth.
Returning to Russia, Charles meets up with his former nemesis, Viktor Federov. Viktor, maltreated by the Russian government, is enlisted, and in a twist of fate, joins in helping Charles free Paulina, a task that has insurmountable odds of not succeeding. In essence two former enemies become united in what once had seemed an impossibility.
The game is on to free Paulina and the stakes are ever so high as one vindictive ruthless Russian agent pursues Charles and seems to be always anticipating Charles’s next move. Who will win this cat and mouse game where death seems to be the only option?
If you enjoy stories that never let up on the thrills and suspense factors, pick this one up. It keeps getting better as every page is turned and your breathe is held as Charles races to save not only Paulina, but also his own life that hangs in the balance at every turn in the road.
Thank you to Robert Dugoni, Thomas & Mercer, and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this electrifying book due out September 22, 2020.
Would you ever want to go back to a place where you knew your life was in constant peril, where the fate that awaited you at best was prison and at worst prison accompanied by torture, suffering, and misery? Would you ever want to work once again for a place that prosecuted you falsely for espionage and treason? Most of us would definitely decline this “opportunity”, but not Charles.
What would entice Charles back into the deadly business of spying, leaving his loving wife and two children, leaving a life of retirement, leaving a life where he was exonerated of his supposed crimes?
For Charles, there was no question to do so when he learned of the possibility that his friend and the women who previously saved him might be alive. Paulina Ponomayova, had years ago provided the way for Charles to escape Russia, literally sacrificing herself, and if she is still alive, Charles owes her a debt he feels he needs to repay. If alive, Paulina would be held in the heinous prison called Lefortovo, a virtual hell hole on earth.
Returning to Russia, Charles meets up with his former nemesis, Viktor Federov. Viktor, maltreated by the Russian government, is enlisted, and in a twist of fate, joins in helping Charles free Paulina, a task that has insurmountable odds of not succeeding. In essence two former enemies become united in what once had seemed an impossibility.
The game is on to free Paulina and the stakes are ever so high as one vindictive ruthless Russian agent pursues Charles and seems to be always anticipating Charles’s next move. Who will win this cat and mouse game where death seems to be the only option?
If you enjoy stories that never let up on the thrills and suspense factors, pick this one up. It keeps getting better as every page is turned and your breathe is held as Charles races to save not only Paulina, but also his own life that hangs in the balance at every turn in the road.
Thank you to Robert Dugoni, Thomas & Mercer, and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this electrifying book due out September 22, 2020.
December 18, 2021
If you thought Charles Jenkins would have learned his lesson about staying retired and keeping well away from the CIA you would be wrong. In this second book, despite having been betrayed by them and nearly ending up in prison, and despite having a lovely family with a new baby, he is off again, back to Russia and into the jaws of death.
I guess we have to admire his loyalty to Paulina, the agent who was willing to give up her life to help him flee from the country in the first book. He does demonstrate a huge amount of skill as a spy in The Last Agent. The initial stages, when he plays his first trick at the bank, his ducking and weaving to mislead his trackers and to get away is masterful.
It was all very well written and intriguing. I am looking forward to finding out more about the sisters in the final book in the trilogy.
I guess we have to admire his loyalty to Paulina, the agent who was willing to give up her life to help him flee from the country in the first book. He does demonstrate a huge amount of skill as a spy in The Last Agent. The initial stages, when he plays his first trick at the bank, his ducking and weaving to mislead his trackers and to get away is masterful.
It was all very well written and intriguing. I am looking forward to finding out more about the sisters in the final book in the trilogy.
February 18, 2022
3.5 ☆
Meanwhile in the state of Washington, it is again a winter of discontent for Charles Jenkins. After the near ruinous events of the previous year, Jenkins has had enough of duplicitous spy games. In The Last Agent, he's back at his farm and still resolving matters related to CJ Security, the family business he runs with his wife Alex.
In an ominous deja vu, CIA officer Matt Lemore, who looks like a kid fresh out of college, surprises Jenkins at his home. Lemore specializes in Russia and Eastern Europe and he's tracking down rumors about a high-value inmate being held in the infamous Lefortovo prison in Moscow. Whispers about this mysterious female began shortly after the CIA had lost contact with one of their key assets placed within the Russian government. Curiously, this all coincided with the timing of Jenkins' presence in Moscow.
Could this prisoner possibly be Paulina Ponomayova, the woman who had sacrificed herself to enable Jenkins' escape from Russia? Jenkins knows that Ponomayova's actions were crucial and he acknowledged her role by giving his new baby girl Paulina as a middle name. Jenkins believed that Ponomayova had died last year but with Lemore's intel, Jenkins can't let the question go. The Last Agent is the investigation and against-all-odds rescue Jenkins pursues to pay off a deep moral debt.
Because Dugoni included sufficient background, this can be read as a standalone. I recommend reading the two novels in their proper sequence, however, for maximum emotional impact. The Last Agent is entertaining but I didn't find it as gripping as its predecessor. I just couldn't readily accept the major decisions and behavior from a couple of characters that were necessary to advance the plot. I was also distracted by several major deus ex machina incidents and minor plot inconsistencies . Sometimes having a memory for details can be counterproductive when reading fiction. 😙
This is otherwise another suspenseful cat-and-mouse hunt; albeit one in which the tension didn't build until the middle of the novel. I did enjoy the tradecraft, especially as the protagonists had to dodge detection by the FSB's facial recognition software and Moscow's extensive CCTV network. Dugoni had again created another uber villain--Adam Efimov who has a very high position within the FSB hierarchy. The best supporting character is the crazy "Hot Rod" pilot.
#1 The Eighth Sister almost 4 ☆
#3 The Silent Sisters 4 ☆
Men rushed into her hospital room and yanked her from the bed without uttering a single word. They slid a black bag over her head and cuffed her wrists behind her back. Her stay in the hospital had come to an end, as she knew it eventually would...
She had existed in a fog, on the edge of pain, kept alive for one reason--to be interrogated.
Then she would be executed.
He pulled the hood from her head. ... He looked at her from beneath a brow that extended well over dark, lifeless eyes. His jaw was scarred with crude stitch lines, another over his right eye, a third across the bridge of his nose, which looked to have been broken, perhaps more than once, and poorly fixed. ... from his practiced demeanor and his weathered appearance, she suspected he had once been KGB.
Meanwhile in the state of Washington, it is again a winter of discontent for Charles Jenkins. After the near ruinous events of the previous year, Jenkins has had enough of duplicitous spy games. In The Last Agent, he's back at his farm and still resolving matters related to CJ Security, the family business he runs with his wife Alex.
In an ominous deja vu, CIA officer Matt Lemore, who looks like a kid fresh out of college, surprises Jenkins at his home. Lemore specializes in Russia and Eastern Europe and he's tracking down rumors about a high-value inmate being held in the infamous Lefortovo prison in Moscow. Whispers about this mysterious female began shortly after the CIA had lost contact with one of their key assets placed within the Russian government. Curiously, this all coincided with the timing of Jenkins' presence in Moscow.
Could this prisoner possibly be Paulina Ponomayova, the woman who had sacrificed herself to enable Jenkins' escape from Russia? Jenkins knows that Ponomayova's actions were crucial and he acknowledged her role by giving his new baby girl Paulina as a middle name. Jenkins believed that Ponomayova had died last year but with Lemore's intel, Jenkins can't let the question go. The Last Agent is the investigation and against-all-odds rescue Jenkins pursues to pay off a deep moral debt.
Because Dugoni included sufficient background, this can be read as a standalone. I recommend reading the two novels in their proper sequence, however, for maximum emotional impact. The Last Agent is entertaining but I didn't find it as gripping as its predecessor. I just couldn't readily accept the major decisions and behavior from a couple of characters that were necessary to advance the plot. I was also distracted by several major deus ex machina incidents and minor plot inconsistencies . Sometimes having a memory for details can be counterproductive when reading fiction. 😙
This is otherwise another suspenseful cat-and-mouse hunt; albeit one in which the tension didn't build until the middle of the novel. I did enjoy the tradecraft, especially as the protagonists had to dodge detection by the FSB's facial recognition software and Moscow's extensive CCTV network. Dugoni had again created another uber villain--Adam Efimov who has a very high position within the FSB hierarchy. The best supporting character is the crazy "Hot Rod" pilot.
#1 The Eighth Sister almost 4 ☆
#3 The Silent Sisters 4 ☆
April 18, 2023
Charles Jenkins has been out of the CIA for many years after they undermined him in Mexico. He was, however, uniquely equipped for an assignment in Russia in the first book of this series. Once again, in the second, they have asked him to undertake a very dangerous assignment in Russia using his guilt as an inducement.
He is tasked with exfilling (I have no idea if that's the correct term) two long-term agents - women who are the last remaining of the ¨Seven Sisters,¨ a group who were, for the most part, raised in Russia and have dedicated their lives to gathering intelligence for the US government. They are both in their sixties and quite ready to end their extremely dangerous, nerve-racking, long-term assignments.
Jenkins, being the patriotic kinda guy that he is, agrees to undertake the very dangerous assignment. In fact, an additional contributor to the danger is revealed to him just before he leaves; He has been placed on a kill list by the Russian government, so it is more important than ever that he not be noticed by the Russian authorities including their thousands of CCTV cameras, huge network of operatives who have been made aware of his presence on the kill list or the colleagues of the ladies to be exfilled since they both work in high-level positions of the Russian security apparatus.
Jenkins will need the best of disguises since he is a 6'5¨ tall black man - perhaps the only one in Russia. Leaving his wife and young children in Seattle, he goes to Russia to undertake this assignment. He is equipped with a disguise kit after being trained on how to use it and he has a bit of on-the-ground support. Some things go well while others go quite badly. For example, shortly after he arrives he witnesses the killing of a son of a very high-level Russian crime boss which they believe he committed. Well, what else could go wrong? Several things in fact and he ultimately gets help from two exceptionally unusual sources.
Dugoni does a decent job of creating an exciting, semi-believable, well-paced, and engaging plot that is not particularly unique. The characters are, for the most part, well-created and nearly believable. But really, a 6'5¨ black man disguised so well that he blends in an almost totally white country? Dugoni writes well and that is one of the book's saving graces.
So, not a bad book - 3.57239 stars rounded up to four. An espionage adventure recommended to those for whom complete plausibility is not essential as long as the book is interesting and doesn't exceed the bounds of realism by too large a margin.
Finito
He is tasked with exfilling (I have no idea if that's the correct term) two long-term agents - women who are the last remaining of the ¨Seven Sisters,¨ a group who were, for the most part, raised in Russia and have dedicated their lives to gathering intelligence for the US government. They are both in their sixties and quite ready to end their extremely dangerous, nerve-racking, long-term assignments.
Jenkins, being the patriotic kinda guy that he is, agrees to undertake the very dangerous assignment. In fact, an additional contributor to the danger is revealed to him just before he leaves; He has been placed on a kill list by the Russian government, so it is more important than ever that he not be noticed by the Russian authorities including their thousands of CCTV cameras, huge network of operatives who have been made aware of his presence on the kill list or the colleagues of the ladies to be exfilled since they both work in high-level positions of the Russian security apparatus.
Jenkins will need the best of disguises since he is a 6'5¨ tall black man - perhaps the only one in Russia. Leaving his wife and young children in Seattle, he goes to Russia to undertake this assignment. He is equipped with a disguise kit after being trained on how to use it and he has a bit of on-the-ground support. Some things go well while others go quite badly. For example, shortly after he arrives he witnesses the killing of a son of a very high-level Russian crime boss which they believe he committed. Well, what else could go wrong? Several things in fact and he ultimately gets help from two exceptionally unusual sources.
Dugoni does a decent job of creating an exciting, semi-believable, well-paced, and engaging plot that is not particularly unique. The characters are, for the most part, well-created and nearly believable. But really, a 6'5¨ black man disguised so well that he blends in an almost totally white country? Dugoni writes well and that is one of the book's saving graces.
So, not a bad book - 3.57239 stars rounded up to four. An espionage adventure recommended to those for whom complete plausibility is not essential as long as the book is interesting and doesn't exceed the bounds of realism by too large a margin.
Finito
February 26, 2020
A great espionage story often pits spy 🕵️♀️ versus spy 🕵️♂️, matching wit for wit, often like a chess game. Each move, no matter how brilliantly conceived, is countered with yet another brilliant move. Modern surveillance equipment, traffic cameras, financial transaction monitoring, and game theory programs change the way its played, have the players up their game, but the rules remain the same. It’s a match of wits. Whoever is quickest to the solution survived to fight another day.
“The Last Agent” is book two in the series and does not require the first book as a prerequisite. Nevertheless, it continues where the first book (the Eighth Sister) left off. Jenkins is back at home outside Seattle with his family, bitter at how the Agency disposed of him when it was convenient. But word is that Paulina, who saved his life and after whom his daughter was named, survived the car crash and is entombed deep in an interrogation chamber in the basement of a Russian prison. Jenkins is called out if retirement to effect the impossible: a rescue deep in the heart of Moscow.
There is a slow build up as Jenkins sneaks his way into Russia and alerts the one Russian agent who might be convinced to help him. From there, it’s making the impossible happen, getting Paulina out if Russian prison and to safety without maybe causing World War 3.
The slow methodical buildup pays off big time with the hold-your-breath and pray cat and mouse game as Jenkins and his allies ferret a way out against all odds. Once you get to this part, you are not going to want to put it down.
“The Last Agent” is book two in the series and does not require the first book as a prerequisite. Nevertheless, it continues where the first book (the Eighth Sister) left off. Jenkins is back at home outside Seattle with his family, bitter at how the Agency disposed of him when it was convenient. But word is that Paulina, who saved his life and after whom his daughter was named, survived the car crash and is entombed deep in an interrogation chamber in the basement of a Russian prison. Jenkins is called out if retirement to effect the impossible: a rescue deep in the heart of Moscow.
There is a slow build up as Jenkins sneaks his way into Russia and alerts the one Russian agent who might be convinced to help him. From there, it’s making the impossible happen, getting Paulina out if Russian prison and to safety without maybe causing World War 3.
The slow methodical buildup pays off big time with the hold-your-breath and pray cat and mouse game as Jenkins and his allies ferret a way out against all odds. Once you get to this part, you are not going to want to put it down.
March 20, 2022
There's too much senselessness before this gets tided up and too late. 3 of 10 stars
October 22, 2025
Mr. Dugoni is a prolific author, with many characters developed through his many books.
But…This book can be read as a stand-alone.
Although…It appears to follow the events of his book, “The Eighth Sister.” I didn’t read that one, and didn’t feel I needed to, to get the full essence of this storyline.
Dugoni has created a “super-hero” in his character, Charles Jenkins, a healthy specimen in his early 60’s, but with an energy that gives readers the sense that 60 is the new 40.
And… Even if the story takes us down a been-here-before jail break plotline, Dugoni’s plotting and character development are exquisitely written.
So…If you are searching for an intense, compelling, international spy thriller, with lots of action and espionage, this one is fast-moving, page-turning and unflinching.
Now…Will we see more of Charles Jenkins in another story? Let’s just say, the author opens the door for more.
But…This book can be read as a stand-alone.
Although…It appears to follow the events of his book, “The Eighth Sister.” I didn’t read that one, and didn’t feel I needed to, to get the full essence of this storyline.
Dugoni has created a “super-hero” in his character, Charles Jenkins, a healthy specimen in his early 60’s, but with an energy that gives readers the sense that 60 is the new 40.
And… Even if the story takes us down a been-here-before jail break plotline, Dugoni’s plotting and character development are exquisitely written.
So…If you are searching for an intense, compelling, international spy thriller, with lots of action and espionage, this one is fast-moving, page-turning and unflinching.
Now…Will we see more of Charles Jenkins in another story? Let’s just say, the author opens the door for more.
April 3, 2022
Charles Jenkins thought he was done with the CIA and spying for good following the events in The Eighth Sister. Betrayed by his country, tried for treason and having escaped from Russia only thanks to the help of Paulina Ponomayova he is happy to stay retired and be with his family. Then he is approached by a young CIA agent, Matt Lemore. At first they are ready to go toe to toe despite their age difference but then Lemore informs Charlie that Paulina may still be alive and in Moscow’s infamous Lefortovo Prison. She saved him now he must go back to save her ... if she is indeed still alive.
To do this he will have to return to Russia and there is only one person he can turn to for help. Viktor Federov, the former FSB agent, who chased him across Russia in The Eighth Sister. But can Federov be trusted? To enlist his assistance Charlie will need to use a lure that will appeal to Federov. Money. And Charlie knows of a couple of accounts in a Russian bank where he can get it.
Federov lost his job with the FSB after his failed attempt to stop Charlie but Charlie has a new formidable foe in Adam Efimov, who has his own quest. Efimov is likened to Captain Ahab and Charlie is his Moby Dick. He is relentless in his pursuit. His career and his future depend on capturing Charlie.
This is a real page turner. A cat and mouse game but it is no game. Lives are at stake as Efimov pursues Charlie across Russia and Efimov has the FSB, local police, and Coast Guard at his beck and call. Charlie is virtually alone. Can he get Paulina out of Lefortovo and Russia while being pursued by the ruthless and brutal Efimov who will stop at nothing?
To do this he will have to return to Russia and there is only one person he can turn to for help. Viktor Federov, the former FSB agent, who chased him across Russia in The Eighth Sister. But can Federov be trusted? To enlist his assistance Charlie will need to use a lure that will appeal to Federov. Money. And Charlie knows of a couple of accounts in a Russian bank where he can get it.
Federov lost his job with the FSB after his failed attempt to stop Charlie but Charlie has a new formidable foe in Adam Efimov, who has his own quest. Efimov is likened to Captain Ahab and Charlie is his Moby Dick. He is relentless in his pursuit. His career and his future depend on capturing Charlie.
This is a real page turner. A cat and mouse game but it is no game. Lives are at stake as Efimov pursues Charlie across Russia and Efimov has the FSB, local police, and Coast Guard at his beck and call. Charlie is virtually alone. Can he get Paulina out of Lefortovo and Russia while being pursued by the ruthless and brutal Efimov who will stop at nothing?
May 31, 2020
MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE. I could hear the music from that late 60s-early 70s TV spy series in my head throughout my entire reading of Robert Dugoni’s new Charles Jenkins thriller, The Last Agent. Jenkins’ mission, should he choose to accept it, is to get into back into Russia, find out whether a prisoner the Russians are holding is the asset Paulina Ponomayova, and smuggle her out of Lefortovo and into the US for debriefing. Piece of cake, right?
Jenkins has reasons to refuse. He has a family, wife Alex, son CJ, and a new baby daughter Lizzie. He has just been acquitted of espionage after his government threw him under the bus. Now the Agency has the nerve to come asking for his help. If it were anyone else, Jenkins would likely decline, but Paulina Ponomayova saved his life. His baby girl is named for her: Elizabeth Paulina Jenkins. He believed Ponomayova to be dead, but now, if she is alive, he must try to get her out because he owes her. Alex understands this, but the decision weighs heavily on Charlie.
Sending Jenkins to Russia as an undercover agent is no small task. Literally not small. Jenkins is a six foot-five-inch tall African American man, which makes him stand out in Moscow. So he must rely upon his experience and his contacts, plus the resources and backing of the CIA to maintain his cover. To whom does he turn when he arrives? His old nemesis, Viktor Federov. It was fascinating to watch their rivalry transform into an uneasy partnership, with neither totally trusting the other, but rather cooperating because the other options are unacceptable.
With Federov assisting Jenkins in attempting to learn if Paulina is indeed the prisoner inside the notorious prison, a new, extremely dangerous foe, Adam Efimov leads the hunt. Efimov claims to have ties to Putin himself and knows if he does not get the information they need from Ponomayova, his head will roll. So he pulls no punches when it comes to pursing Charlie Jenkins. He will stop at nothing to prevent him from letting her escape from Russia, even if it means endangering lives of his men or innocent civilians.
This is a brilliantly conceived story. Once I got the hang of who was who with all the Russian names, I just sat back and enjoyed the ride. “Enjoy” has different meanings at different times. This was not like your walk in the park or a ride the merry-go-round. This was like, I don’t know, pick your favorite bumpy ride. At times, I held my breath. At times, I gripped my Kindle tightly and wanted to shut my eyes. A few times, I even chuckled, like when the pilot, Rod Studebaker broke out into song, “Come on baby, light my fire” as he was flying his nervous passengers through a particularly rough patch in a snowstorm. “Hot Rod” was quite a memorable character.
Federov turns out to be memorable, if not rather sad at times. He’s basically a lonely man, and he seems to respect Jenkins. I liked Matt Lemore, and I hope to see him again in future books. The good news is that it seems quite likely that there will be at least one more book to follow this one as the mystery of the “Seven Sisters” isn’t quite wrapped up. If it’s anything like The Last Agent, I may need to stock up on vodka before I read that one!
Highly recommended. You’ll want to read The Eighth Sister before reading this one so that the characters and events make sense. And it's a great read!
My thanks to NetGalley, Thomas & Mercer, and the author for this ARC copy. My views and comments are my own.
5 stars
Jenkins has reasons to refuse. He has a family, wife Alex, son CJ, and a new baby daughter Lizzie. He has just been acquitted of espionage after his government threw him under the bus. Now the Agency has the nerve to come asking for his help. If it were anyone else, Jenkins would likely decline, but Paulina Ponomayova saved his life. His baby girl is named for her: Elizabeth Paulina Jenkins. He believed Ponomayova to be dead, but now, if she is alive, he must try to get her out because he owes her. Alex understands this, but the decision weighs heavily on Charlie.
Sending Jenkins to Russia as an undercover agent is no small task. Literally not small. Jenkins is a six foot-five-inch tall African American man, which makes him stand out in Moscow. So he must rely upon his experience and his contacts, plus the resources and backing of the CIA to maintain his cover. To whom does he turn when he arrives? His old nemesis, Viktor Federov. It was fascinating to watch their rivalry transform into an uneasy partnership, with neither totally trusting the other, but rather cooperating because the other options are unacceptable.
With Federov assisting Jenkins in attempting to learn if Paulina is indeed the prisoner inside the notorious prison, a new, extremely dangerous foe, Adam Efimov leads the hunt. Efimov claims to have ties to Putin himself and knows if he does not get the information they need from Ponomayova, his head will roll. So he pulls no punches when it comes to pursing Charlie Jenkins. He will stop at nothing to prevent him from letting her escape from Russia, even if it means endangering lives of his men or innocent civilians.
This is a brilliantly conceived story. Once I got the hang of who was who with all the Russian names, I just sat back and enjoyed the ride. “Enjoy” has different meanings at different times. This was not like your walk in the park or a ride the merry-go-round. This was like, I don’t know, pick your favorite bumpy ride. At times, I held my breath. At times, I gripped my Kindle tightly and wanted to shut my eyes. A few times, I even chuckled, like when the pilot, Rod Studebaker broke out into song, “Come on baby, light my fire” as he was flying his nervous passengers through a particularly rough patch in a snowstorm. “Hot Rod” was quite a memorable character.
Federov turns out to be memorable, if not rather sad at times. He’s basically a lonely man, and he seems to respect Jenkins. I liked Matt Lemore, and I hope to see him again in future books. The good news is that it seems quite likely that there will be at least one more book to follow this one as the mystery of the “Seven Sisters” isn’t quite wrapped up. If it’s anything like The Last Agent, I may need to stock up on vodka before I read that one!
Highly recommended. You’ll want to read The Eighth Sister before reading this one so that the characters and events make sense. And it's a great read!
My thanks to NetGalley, Thomas & Mercer, and the author for this ARC copy. My views and comments are my own.
5 stars
April 25, 2020
Thank you to Net Galley,the publishers and the author for an ARC copy for review, and apologies for the delay.
Firstly I have read some of the Tracy Crosswhite books, but I personally loved this character and book more, here we have Charles Jenkins.
Net Galley, the publishers gave me the second book in the series, I had not read the first, but the author explains so much and so well in this second book I understood this book fully and the history of the first.
An American operative in Russia is on the run for his life in a thriller of heart-stopping betrayal and international intrigue by the New York Times bestselling author of The Eighth Sister.
Betrayed by his own country and tried for treason, former spy Charles Jenkins survived an undercover Russian operation gone wrong. Exonerated, bitter, and safe, the retired family man is through with duplicitous spy games. Then he learns of a woman isolated in Moscow’s notorious Lefortovo Prison.
If it’s Paulina Ponomayova, the agent who sacrificed her life to save his, Jenkins can’t leave her behind. But there’s no guarantee it’s her. Or proof Paulina is still alive. To find out, Jenkins must return to Russia. Next move: blackmail Viktor Federov, a former Russian officer with his own ax to grind, into helping him infiltrate Lefortovo. The enemy who once pursued Jenkins across three continents is now the only man Jenkins can trust.
Every step of the way—from Moscow to Scandinavia to the open ocean—they’re hunted by a brutal Russian agent on a killer quest of his own. Out of loyalty to Paulina—dead or alive—Jenkins is putting everyone’s life on the line for a new mission that could be his last.
This was an action packed thriller, action, crime, espionage the tension builds as each chapter flies by and there were moments I wanted to close my eyes! Panicked at what was about to happen, I felt all the time this would make a great film.
Great characters,all the way through you could not be sure who Charles could trust, who was helping, who wasn't and throughout he was literally steps ahead.
The pace, the strength of the story, the characters, the tension, also how tired I am do justice to how good this book was, late nights yes... Tired.. yes!
Five stars.
Firstly I have read some of the Tracy Crosswhite books, but I personally loved this character and book more, here we have Charles Jenkins.
Net Galley, the publishers gave me the second book in the series, I had not read the first, but the author explains so much and so well in this second book I understood this book fully and the history of the first.
An American operative in Russia is on the run for his life in a thriller of heart-stopping betrayal and international intrigue by the New York Times bestselling author of The Eighth Sister.
Betrayed by his own country and tried for treason, former spy Charles Jenkins survived an undercover Russian operation gone wrong. Exonerated, bitter, and safe, the retired family man is through with duplicitous spy games. Then he learns of a woman isolated in Moscow’s notorious Lefortovo Prison.
If it’s Paulina Ponomayova, the agent who sacrificed her life to save his, Jenkins can’t leave her behind. But there’s no guarantee it’s her. Or proof Paulina is still alive. To find out, Jenkins must return to Russia. Next move: blackmail Viktor Federov, a former Russian officer with his own ax to grind, into helping him infiltrate Lefortovo. The enemy who once pursued Jenkins across three continents is now the only man Jenkins can trust.
Every step of the way—from Moscow to Scandinavia to the open ocean—they’re hunted by a brutal Russian agent on a killer quest of his own. Out of loyalty to Paulina—dead or alive—Jenkins is putting everyone’s life on the line for a new mission that could be his last.
This was an action packed thriller, action, crime, espionage the tension builds as each chapter flies by and there were moments I wanted to close my eyes! Panicked at what was about to happen, I felt all the time this would make a great film.
Great characters,all the way through you could not be sure who Charles could trust, who was helping, who wasn't and throughout he was literally steps ahead.
The pace, the strength of the story, the characters, the tension, also how tired I am do justice to how good this book was, late nights yes... Tired.. yes!
Five stars.
September 25, 2020
Dugoni’s second offering featuring the former CIA operative Charles Jenkins has Jenkins returning to Russia in order to rescue Paulina Ponomayova, the woman instrumental in ensuring Jenkins escape from Russia in Dugoni’s first offering, The Eighth Sister. Jenkins had assumed that Paulina was dead, but the CIA was given snippets of information that she was being held in Moscow’s Lefortovo Prison. Jenkins feels obligated to try and rescue her, putting himself in enormous danger. Dugoni presents another harrowing tale in this spy thriller series. Enjoy!
March 21, 2022
Check out all my reviews at: https://www.avonnalovesgenres.com
THE LAST AGENT (Charles Jenkins Book #2) by Robert Dugoni is the second book in this action-packed, edge-of-your-seat trilogy featuring a retired CIA agent. I feel these books are best read in order.
In the first book Charles Jenkins survived an operation gone wrong in Russia only to return to be tried for treason. After being exonerated, he learns that the woman who helped him escape Russia and gave her life for his, may be alive and being tortured in the notorious Lefortovo Prison.
To find out if Paulina Ponomayova is still alive and imprisoned, Charles must return to Russia and once again deal with former FSB officer, Viktor Fedorov. From the moment the Russian government finds out Charles is back in Russia, they assign an assassin to take care of the problem. The chase is on to find Paulina and get her out of Russia all while not knowing who they can really trust.
This book moves at the speed of light from one twist to another. The author’s writing makes you feel as though you are right there in the middle of the action with all the main characters. Charles is a fully fleshed, idealistic protagonist and that makes Efimov a perfect foil. An intriguing plot, twist and turns that do not stop and a surprise revelation make this a wonderful spy espionage read.
I am looking forward to the next book and to finding out more about the Seven Sisters. This is a trilogy that will keep you turning the pages.
THE LAST AGENT (Charles Jenkins Book #2) by Robert Dugoni is the second book in this action-packed, edge-of-your-seat trilogy featuring a retired CIA agent. I feel these books are best read in order.
In the first book Charles Jenkins survived an operation gone wrong in Russia only to return to be tried for treason. After being exonerated, he learns that the woman who helped him escape Russia and gave her life for his, may be alive and being tortured in the notorious Lefortovo Prison.
To find out if Paulina Ponomayova is still alive and imprisoned, Charles must return to Russia and once again deal with former FSB officer, Viktor Fedorov. From the moment the Russian government finds out Charles is back in Russia, they assign an assassin to take care of the problem. The chase is on to find Paulina and get her out of Russia all while not knowing who they can really trust.
This book moves at the speed of light from one twist to another. The author’s writing makes you feel as though you are right there in the middle of the action with all the main characters. Charles is a fully fleshed, idealistic protagonist and that makes Efimov a perfect foil. An intriguing plot, twist and turns that do not stop and a surprise revelation make this a wonderful spy espionage read.
I am looking forward to the next book and to finding out more about the Seven Sisters. This is a trilogy that will keep you turning the pages.
August 28, 2020
I loved The Eighth Sister(to be honest Ive loved all the Dugoni books Ive read)and so was really looking forward to this follow up and it didnt disappoint.
Charles Jenkins is called back to Russia as all is not as it seems when he left it the last time. He goes back on a potential rescue mission and meets an old foe who may or may not turn into a friend.
Spies, government secrets, double agents, false identities, intelligence, counter intelligence!! Like The Eighth Sister, despite being set in present day it has a real Cold War feel to it.
Dugoni as always is a great story teller. Despite there being plenty of Russian characters with unfamiliar names, it was easy to keep track of all the characters, a sign that they are very well written .
The story is a mixture of thriller, spy novel and road movie. Its beautifully plotted and told. About half way through the tension rises to near unbearable levels and remains so for the rest of the story. It really was exhilarating.
This works as a stand alone but does reference the first book a lot and I would advise reading that first to get the full enjoyment of the book, as much for the characters as they story.
Both books are a great read. Dugoni knocks it out of the park again. His consistency in storytelling in different genres is to be hugely admired.
Many thanks to Netgalley, Thomas And Mercer and Robert Dugoni for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Charles Jenkins is called back to Russia as all is not as it seems when he left it the last time. He goes back on a potential rescue mission and meets an old foe who may or may not turn into a friend.
Spies, government secrets, double agents, false identities, intelligence, counter intelligence!! Like The Eighth Sister, despite being set in present day it has a real Cold War feel to it.
Dugoni as always is a great story teller. Despite there being plenty of Russian characters with unfamiliar names, it was easy to keep track of all the characters, a sign that they are very well written .
The story is a mixture of thriller, spy novel and road movie. Its beautifully plotted and told. About half way through the tension rises to near unbearable levels and remains so for the rest of the story. It really was exhilarating.
This works as a stand alone but does reference the first book a lot and I would advise reading that first to get the full enjoyment of the book, as much for the characters as they story.
Both books are a great read. Dugoni knocks it out of the park again. His consistency in storytelling in different genres is to be hugely admired.
Many thanks to Netgalley, Thomas And Mercer and Robert Dugoni for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
March 12, 2023
*4.5 stars rounded up. I've enjoyed spy novels since I was a teenager and gobbled down all the James Bond books. This second novel in Dugoni's Charles Jenkins series is one of the best in the genre. When Charles Jenkins learns that his friend and fellow CIA operative, Paulina Ponomayova, is still alive and being held in the Russian prison, Lubyanka, he knows he owes her his life and must return the favor.
Once the FSB learns Jenkins is back in Russia, the chess game begins, with Jenkins and agent Adam Efimov matching wits. No matter what Jenkins does, Efimov is only a few steps behind. All this makes for some spine-tingling, edge-of-your-seat reading, perfect for a rainy Sunday afternoon.
I actually received an arc of this thriller three years back but let it slip through the cracks of my reading list. Now I'm playing catch up and can't wait to read book #3 in this series: The Silent Sisters. My review is voluntary and the opinions expressed are my own.
Once the FSB learns Jenkins is back in Russia, the chess game begins, with Jenkins and agent Adam Efimov matching wits. No matter what Jenkins does, Efimov is only a few steps behind. All this makes for some spine-tingling, edge-of-your-seat reading, perfect for a rainy Sunday afternoon.
I actually received an arc of this thriller three years back but let it slip through the cracks of my reading list. Now I'm playing catch up and can't wait to read book #3 in this series: The Silent Sisters. My review is voluntary and the opinions expressed are my own.
May 7, 2020
The Last Agent by author Robert Dugoni is the second book in the Charles Jenkins Series
A Thriller espionage series
Charles Jenkins is an American operative who spent time in Russia the first time we were introduced to him.
The pace starts off fast pretty early on in this book, and continues the adrenaline driven race until the end
He is back in Russia to see if Paulina Ponomayova is still alive. She is the agent who sacrificed her life to save him in the first book of the series -The Eighth Sister
A very enjoyable style of writing, with another great storyline
Looking forward to more from this author in the future
Thank you to GoodReads, Author Robert Dugoni, and Thomas & Mercer for my advanced copy to review, in exchange for my opinions!
#TheLastAgent #NetGalley
A Thriller espionage series
Charles Jenkins is an American operative who spent time in Russia the first time we were introduced to him.
The pace starts off fast pretty early on in this book, and continues the adrenaline driven race until the end
He is back in Russia to see if Paulina Ponomayova is still alive. She is the agent who sacrificed her life to save him in the first book of the series -The Eighth Sister
A very enjoyable style of writing, with another great storyline
Looking forward to more from this author in the future
Thank you to GoodReads, Author Robert Dugoni, and Thomas & Mercer for my advanced copy to review, in exchange for my opinions!
#TheLastAgent #NetGalley
September 15, 2020
Charles Jenkins #2
Charles Jenkins is a man of principle. He wants to be left alone to raise his children. You have to earn his trust and he will react quickly if he feels threatened.
When Charles hears that the Russian woman, Paulina, who helped him escape is in trouble he knows he has to help her. But will returning to Russia be a suicide mission? From Moscow to Scandinavia they are being hunted by a brutal Russian agent who is on his own killer quest.
This book follows on from where the last book left off. We are taken on a roller coaster ride through double agents, spies, villains, heroes and counterintelligence. It's a race against time for Charles and Paulina to get out of Russia. The story is multilayered and complex. Everything that happened in this book was believable. This is a well plotted suspense thriller that's full of twists. I do recommend that you read the first book in the series The Eigth Sister before you start reading this book.
I would like to thank #NetGalley #ThomasMercer and the author #RobertDugoni for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Charles Jenkins is a man of principle. He wants to be left alone to raise his children. You have to earn his trust and he will react quickly if he feels threatened.
When Charles hears that the Russian woman, Paulina, who helped him escape is in trouble he knows he has to help her. But will returning to Russia be a suicide mission? From Moscow to Scandinavia they are being hunted by a brutal Russian agent who is on his own killer quest.
This book follows on from where the last book left off. We are taken on a roller coaster ride through double agents, spies, villains, heroes and counterintelligence. It's a race against time for Charles and Paulina to get out of Russia. The story is multilayered and complex. Everything that happened in this book was believable. This is a well plotted suspense thriller that's full of twists. I do recommend that you read the first book in the series The Eigth Sister before you start reading this book.
I would like to thank #NetGalley #ThomasMercer and the author #RobertDugoni for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.
January 11, 2023
Dugoni is a master at writing non-stop high tension action ... this time he portrays an extended chase with numerous turns and surprises ... it boggles the mind that all of this could actually happen, but so what, the story is so good.
September 22, 2020
The Last Agent is the second instalment in the Charles Jenkins espionage series and it managed to surpass all my expectations in terms of how gripping it was. Retired American spy and CIA asset Charles Jenkins, having been cleared of treason charges brought by the CIA, is back at home on his farm near Seattle with his family recovering from his ordeal in Russia the previous year; it had been touch and go whether he would make it out alive and ever see his wife and two children again.
But when he catches wind of some bad news - Russian spy and double-agent for the CIA Paulina Ponomayova is seemingly being held in Moscow’s Lefortovo Prison - he feels he has to do something to get her out of there as she had once saved his life and so the dangerous rescue mission begins. Charles has no reason to trust the agent bringing the news and he's aware his previous employer could be setting him up knowing he would feel he owed a debt of gratitude to Paulina. In order to try to exfiltrate her, Charles enlists the help of former FSB officer Viktor Federov who actually pursued him across Europe and Russia in The Eighth Sister and was shunned by his government for failing to catch him. But can Viktor be trusted and can they successfully smuggle Paulina out of the country?
The author masterfully recreates the fear and alarm surrounding the frosty relationship between Soviet Russia and The West during the Cold War era. The clandestine activity, espionage, disinformation/propaganda and topics pertaining to that era are woven into the very core of this story. It's thrilling, addictive and one heck of a wild ride, and it's clear once again Dugoni knows how to give readers exactly what they crave. If you enjoy books with a strong, relatable hero and danger lurking around every corner with a superb series of twisty surprises and ample misdirection then you'll have as much of a fun, entertaining time as I did throughout this novel. I am already eagerly anticipating the next instalment to be reacquainted with Charles for hopefully another nail-biting adventure. An absolute must-read for thriller fans. Highly recommended. Many thanks to Thomas & Mercer for an ARC.
But when he catches wind of some bad news - Russian spy and double-agent for the CIA Paulina Ponomayova is seemingly being held in Moscow’s Lefortovo Prison - he feels he has to do something to get her out of there as she had once saved his life and so the dangerous rescue mission begins. Charles has no reason to trust the agent bringing the news and he's aware his previous employer could be setting him up knowing he would feel he owed a debt of gratitude to Paulina. In order to try to exfiltrate her, Charles enlists the help of former FSB officer Viktor Federov who actually pursued him across Europe and Russia in The Eighth Sister and was shunned by his government for failing to catch him. But can Viktor be trusted and can they successfully smuggle Paulina out of the country?
The author masterfully recreates the fear and alarm surrounding the frosty relationship between Soviet Russia and The West during the Cold War era. The clandestine activity, espionage, disinformation/propaganda and topics pertaining to that era are woven into the very core of this story. It's thrilling, addictive and one heck of a wild ride, and it's clear once again Dugoni knows how to give readers exactly what they crave. If you enjoy books with a strong, relatable hero and danger lurking around every corner with a superb series of twisty surprises and ample misdirection then you'll have as much of a fun, entertaining time as I did throughout this novel. I am already eagerly anticipating the next instalment to be reacquainted with Charles for hopefully another nail-biting adventure. An absolute must-read for thriller fans. Highly recommended. Many thanks to Thomas & Mercer for an ARC.
September 15, 2020
Charles Jenkins #2
Charles Jenkins is a man of principle. He wants to be left alone to raise his children. You have to earn his trust and he will quickly react if he feels threatened.
When Charles hears that the Russian woman, Paulina, who helped him escape is in trouble, he knows he has to find and help her. But will returning to Russia be a suicide mission? From Moscow to Scandinavia they are being hunted by a brutal Russian agent who is on his own killer quest.
This book follows on from where the last book left off. We are taken on a roller coaster ride through double agents, spies, villains, heroes and counterintelligence. It's a race against time for Charles and Paulina to get out of Russia. The story is multilayered and complex. Everything that happened in this book was believable. This is a well plotted suspense thriller that's full of twists. I do recommend that you read the first book in this series The Eigth Sister before you reading this book.
Charles Jenkins is a man of principle. He wants to be left alone to raise his children. You have to earn his trust and he will quickly react if he feels threatened.
When Charles hears that the Russian woman, Paulina, who helped him escape is in trouble, he knows he has to find and help her. But will returning to Russia be a suicide mission? From Moscow to Scandinavia they are being hunted by a brutal Russian agent who is on his own killer quest.
This book follows on from where the last book left off. We are taken on a roller coaster ride through double agents, spies, villains, heroes and counterintelligence. It's a race against time for Charles and Paulina to get out of Russia. The story is multilayered and complex. Everything that happened in this book was believable. This is a well plotted suspense thriller that's full of twists. I do recommend that you read the first book in this series The Eigth Sister before you reading this book.
August 26, 2021
Another terrific Dugoni thriller. Note that this book cannot be read as a stand alone. You have to read the Eighth Sister first for this novel to make any sense.
January 23, 2022
The Last Agent is the second book in the Charles Jenkins series by American author, Robert Dugoni. Some months after Charlie has been acquitted from the charge of espionage, CIA agent Matt Lemore turns up at his home, wanting to talk about Russia. Already burned by the Agency, Charlie vehemently rejects any dialogue, but a statement intrigues him: “We all know you got screwed.”
Lemore reveals that recent information suggests a certain female inmate of the notorious Lefortovo prison in Moscow is quite possibly the woman who sacrificed herself so Charlie could escape the clutches of the FSB, Paulina Pomonaya. If that’s so, Charlie cannot abandon her to the whims of the Russian Security Service, but even going to Moscow himself will not guarantee confirmation of her identity, Her rescue will be an almost impossible mission.
For that, Charlie will need the ex-FSB agent who chased him across Russia, Turkey and into Greece, Viktor Federov. Finding Federov would be a challenge for most, but Charlie concocts a scheme that will get Federov’s attention and, hopefully, ensure his assistance.
What follows is a journey back into Russia via Turkey, where Charlie first visits a Swiss bank and does something that will give him leverage over Federov but also alerts the FSB of his presence. And there are FSB agents who are very keen to capture him. But with Federov in tow, Charlie manages to elude them, and together they work a ruse to get the information they need.
Before the final, dramatic climax in the tunnels below Oslo, there is a prison break and then a trek across Russia that involves disguises, multiple decoys employed in shell games, train journeys, slogging through snow, snowmobiles, an air chase, a close call with polonium-210 and numerous narrow escapes.
The audacity and execution of Charlie’s plan offer multiple occasions for jaw-dropping amazement and laughing out loud. Charlie proves himself clever and resourceful, even moreso when he has the support of the CIA. Dugoni gives his characters entertaining dialogue and doesn’t require the reader to don their disbelief suspenders too often.
While there is some recap, this is a series that is much more enjoyable if read in order. The final chapter hints at another return to Russia, no doubt to be covered in the third book, The Silent Sisters. Addictive spy drama.
Lemore reveals that recent information suggests a certain female inmate of the notorious Lefortovo prison in Moscow is quite possibly the woman who sacrificed herself so Charlie could escape the clutches of the FSB, Paulina Pomonaya. If that’s so, Charlie cannot abandon her to the whims of the Russian Security Service, but even going to Moscow himself will not guarantee confirmation of her identity, Her rescue will be an almost impossible mission.
For that, Charlie will need the ex-FSB agent who chased him across Russia, Turkey and into Greece, Viktor Federov. Finding Federov would be a challenge for most, but Charlie concocts a scheme that will get Federov’s attention and, hopefully, ensure his assistance.
What follows is a journey back into Russia via Turkey, where Charlie first visits a Swiss bank and does something that will give him leverage over Federov but also alerts the FSB of his presence. And there are FSB agents who are very keen to capture him. But with Federov in tow, Charlie manages to elude them, and together they work a ruse to get the information they need.
Before the final, dramatic climax in the tunnels below Oslo, there is a prison break and then a trek across Russia that involves disguises, multiple decoys employed in shell games, train journeys, slogging through snow, snowmobiles, an air chase, a close call with polonium-210 and numerous narrow escapes.
The audacity and execution of Charlie’s plan offer multiple occasions for jaw-dropping amazement and laughing out loud. Charlie proves himself clever and resourceful, even moreso when he has the support of the CIA. Dugoni gives his characters entertaining dialogue and doesn’t require the reader to don their disbelief suspenders too often.
While there is some recap, this is a series that is much more enjoyable if read in order. The final chapter hints at another return to Russia, no doubt to be covered in the third book, The Silent Sisters. Addictive spy drama.
September 22, 2020
Now that’s more like it! The Last Agent is the second book in the Charlie Jenkins spy series; I was rather lukewarm about the first one - The Eighth Sister, but this one was much more exciting and the hero definitely more appealing this time round. I think you do get enough backstory to read this without having read the first instalment, although there are several recurring characters and Jenkins’ character and motivations will make more sense if you do.
A year after his daring escape from Russia and being acquitted of a treason charge, Charlie is happily back on his farm with his family - but the CIA are not done with him. Paulina Ponomayova, the Russian Double Agent who has apparently sacrificed her life to get him out, is not actually dead, and is being held in the fearsome Moscow prison, so Charlie is persuaded to go back to Russia to try and rescue her. To do this, he will need help from an unlikely source - his former pursuer, disgraced FSB officer Viktor Federenko - but this time he has an even more determined enemy on his tail, who will stop at nothing to prevent Paulina and her secrets from getting away.
I think that what made the biggest difference for me between these books was in the first one, Charlie is almost always on the back foot - betrayed, captured, tortured, chased, then forsaken once more my his own government. While his endurance and survival are heroic, I suppose, he spends most of the Eighth Sister as the victim. This one turns that around, and I loved that during the whole prolonged adventure, he’s always one step ahead of the bad guys, using all his spy skills and intuition to get away time after time, and even when he does end up in deep trouble, he is helped rather than double-crossed by the most unlikely characters. I loved the tension in the relationship with Viktor, and also the touching reunion with Paulina, and the introduction of awesome fearless pilot Hot Rod! Efimov is a great borderline-psychotic villain - an implacable Terminator-like hunter, obsessed with regaining the approval of President Putin no matter how.
Dugoni is a fabulous writer and brings all the chase scenes vividly to life - planes, trains and automobiles are only the start of it! I’m excited to read in the afterword that the books are being turned into a TV series, and hope they can do this justice - I could picture Laurence Fishburne in the lead role. The ending leaves things open for at least one more book, which is great too.
My thanks to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for the ARC which allowed me to give an honest review. The Last Agent is published today.
A year after his daring escape from Russia and being acquitted of a treason charge, Charlie is happily back on his farm with his family - but the CIA are not done with him. Paulina Ponomayova, the Russian Double Agent who has apparently sacrificed her life to get him out, is not actually dead, and is being held in the fearsome Moscow prison, so Charlie is persuaded to go back to Russia to try and rescue her. To do this, he will need help from an unlikely source - his former pursuer, disgraced FSB officer Viktor Federenko - but this time he has an even more determined enemy on his tail, who will stop at nothing to prevent Paulina and her secrets from getting away.
I think that what made the biggest difference for me between these books was in the first one, Charlie is almost always on the back foot - betrayed, captured, tortured, chased, then forsaken once more my his own government. While his endurance and survival are heroic, I suppose, he spends most of the Eighth Sister as the victim. This one turns that around, and I loved that during the whole prolonged adventure, he’s always one step ahead of the bad guys, using all his spy skills and intuition to get away time after time, and even when he does end up in deep trouble, he is helped rather than double-crossed by the most unlikely characters. I loved the tension in the relationship with Viktor, and also the touching reunion with Paulina, and the introduction of awesome fearless pilot Hot Rod! Efimov is a great borderline-psychotic villain - an implacable Terminator-like hunter, obsessed with regaining the approval of President Putin no matter how.
Dugoni is a fabulous writer and brings all the chase scenes vividly to life - planes, trains and automobiles are only the start of it! I’m excited to read in the afterword that the books are being turned into a TV series, and hope they can do this justice - I could picture Laurence Fishburne in the lead role. The ending leaves things open for at least one more book, which is great too.
My thanks to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for the ARC which allowed me to give an honest review. The Last Agent is published today.
September 27, 2021
This is the 2nd book in the Charles Jenkins series by author Robert Dugoni.
The book follows on from the first book ‘The Eighth Sister’ with Charles Jenkins recovering from his exploits and hoping that his life will go back to normal. After being falsely accused of treason following the betrayal of his country, Jenkins is happy to be back with his family.
The problem is Paulina Ponomayova the double agent who saved his life is now a prisoner in a Moscow Prison and Jenkins feels compelled to return the favour by rescuing her. Jenkins joins forces with former FSB agent Viktor Federov to attempt the near impossible task of trying to release Paulina. If he can manage this incredibly difficult task he will still be faced with trying to get her out of Russia.
This is another exciting spy thriller, again well written, good plot and believable characters that are interesting. In this second novel the main character Charles Jenkins is further developed and sits well for another novel.
The book follows on from the first book ‘The Eighth Sister’ with Charles Jenkins recovering from his exploits and hoping that his life will go back to normal. After being falsely accused of treason following the betrayal of his country, Jenkins is happy to be back with his family.
The problem is Paulina Ponomayova the double agent who saved his life is now a prisoner in a Moscow Prison and Jenkins feels compelled to return the favour by rescuing her. Jenkins joins forces with former FSB agent Viktor Federov to attempt the near impossible task of trying to release Paulina. If he can manage this incredibly difficult task he will still be faced with trying to get her out of Russia.
This is another exciting spy thriller, again well written, good plot and believable characters that are interesting. In this second novel the main character Charles Jenkins is further developed and sits well for another novel.
August 26, 2020
Chalk up another winner in this series - after reading the first, The Eighth Sister, I couldn't wait to get my hands on the next one. And it certainly didn't disappoint. I'm not a very "excitable" reader, really - and I'm always pretty sure an author won't put his or her series star six feet under. But the closer I got to the end of former spy Charles Jenkins' adventures getting into and out of Russia, the tighter I held my Kindle and the closer to falling off the edge of my seat.
Charlie, now married with two children - the daughter named after Paulina Ponomayova, an agent who sacrificed her life to save his in the previous book - isn't exactly happy with his former life. His own country betrayed him and even put him on trial for treason, so he owes nothing. But then, an agent from the CIA's Clandestine Services pays Charlie a visit - telling him that a woman believed to be Paulina is alive - but probably not well - in one of Moscow's nastiest prisons.
After the way he's been treated, Charlie has no confidence that the agent bringing the news is telling the truth; he could be setting Charlie up for a fall that could be permanent. There's also no proof that the imprisoned woman is Paulina, although clues strongly suggest that is the case. In any event, the agent plays to Charlie's indebtedness to Paulina as he tries to convince him to return to Russia, determine whether or not the woman is his old friend and, if she is, get her out of the prison, out of Russia and safe in the United States.
It's quite a tall order, and even Charlie isn't sure he's up to the task. His wife Alex isn't thrilled with the thought of such a dangerous mission, but she acknowledges that her husband is with her only because of Paulina's efforts. So off he goes, and the nonstop adventure begins - starting with a surreptitious and almost disastrous venture to Russian soil. First up is identifying the woman; for help with that, he must find a former Russian officer who once was Charlie's nemesis.
It is here that I must stop; otherwise, I'd give away too much. Suffice it to say Charlie's adventure only gets more fast-paced and frightening as the chapters zip along to an exciting end - one that leaves the door open for the next adventure. I'm more than ready - and until then, I thank the publisher, via NetGalley, for allowing me to read and review an advance copy of this one.
Charlie, now married with two children - the daughter named after Paulina Ponomayova, an agent who sacrificed her life to save his in the previous book - isn't exactly happy with his former life. His own country betrayed him and even put him on trial for treason, so he owes nothing. But then, an agent from the CIA's Clandestine Services pays Charlie a visit - telling him that a woman believed to be Paulina is alive - but probably not well - in one of Moscow's nastiest prisons.
After the way he's been treated, Charlie has no confidence that the agent bringing the news is telling the truth; he could be setting Charlie up for a fall that could be permanent. There's also no proof that the imprisoned woman is Paulina, although clues strongly suggest that is the case. In any event, the agent plays to Charlie's indebtedness to Paulina as he tries to convince him to return to Russia, determine whether or not the woman is his old friend and, if she is, get her out of the prison, out of Russia and safe in the United States.
It's quite a tall order, and even Charlie isn't sure he's up to the task. His wife Alex isn't thrilled with the thought of such a dangerous mission, but she acknowledges that her husband is with her only because of Paulina's efforts. So off he goes, and the nonstop adventure begins - starting with a surreptitious and almost disastrous venture to Russian soil. First up is identifying the woman; for help with that, he must find a former Russian officer who once was Charlie's nemesis.
It is here that I must stop; otherwise, I'd give away too much. Suffice it to say Charlie's adventure only gets more fast-paced and frightening as the chapters zip along to an exciting end - one that leaves the door open for the next adventure. I'm more than ready - and until then, I thank the publisher, via NetGalley, for allowing me to read and review an advance copy of this one.
February 18, 2022
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC of The Last Agent in exchange for an honest review.
Background is absolutely, positively necessary for understanding The Last Agent. I must emphasize that The Last agent is not a stand alone; it is the sequel to The Eight Sister. The first 33% of the book was spent trying to clarify what happened in the first book and understand how it plays in this new installment!
In The Eighth Sister, 40 years after leaving the CIA, Charles Jenkins, is living in Washington. Due to financial problems, he agrees to be reactivated when his former CIA station chief, Carl Emerson approaches him. He is sent to Moscow, tasked with finding the woman responsible for the elimination of three of seven Russian women known as the Seven Sisters, who were chosen from dissident parents and trained from birth to infiltrate Russian institutions and provide the United States with valuable intelligence. Charles must identify this assassin, the Eighth Sister, so the CIA can take action before the remaining four agents are harmed. He quickly discovers that the Eighth Sister is not as Carl portrayed. Someone has set both her and Charles up, putting both in grave danger.
The aforementioned is the backstory which would have been VERY helpful in knowing as the prelude to The Last Agent. Having said that, The Last Agent is intensely gripping and exceptionally exciting and nerve- wracking.... a true edge of the seat spy thriller! Crosses, double crosses, and the suspense of not knowing who is trustworthy is intriguing! The cat and mouse hide and seek escapade leading up to the climax is positively riveting! Thoroughly satisfying, including the denouement, which is well thought out and well developed ( compared to rushed and hurried “thrown together” conclusions which are all too often the case in some recently read novels).
Kudos to Mr. Dugoni on developing another likable protagonist in Charles Jenkins after his widely successful Tracey Crosswhite protagonist in his previous series! For full enjoyment, read the prequel, The Eighth Sister before undertaking The Last Agent! You won’t be disappointed if you want a thrilling Russian spy thriller! It is superb!
Background is absolutely, positively necessary for understanding The Last Agent. I must emphasize that The Last agent is not a stand alone; it is the sequel to The Eight Sister. The first 33% of the book was spent trying to clarify what happened in the first book and understand how it plays in this new installment!
In The Eighth Sister, 40 years after leaving the CIA, Charles Jenkins, is living in Washington. Due to financial problems, he agrees to be reactivated when his former CIA station chief, Carl Emerson approaches him. He is sent to Moscow, tasked with finding the woman responsible for the elimination of three of seven Russian women known as the Seven Sisters, who were chosen from dissident parents and trained from birth to infiltrate Russian institutions and provide the United States with valuable intelligence. Charles must identify this assassin, the Eighth Sister, so the CIA can take action before the remaining four agents are harmed. He quickly discovers that the Eighth Sister is not as Carl portrayed. Someone has set both her and Charles up, putting both in grave danger.
The aforementioned is the backstory which would have been VERY helpful in knowing as the prelude to The Last Agent. Having said that, The Last Agent is intensely gripping and exceptionally exciting and nerve- wracking.... a true edge of the seat spy thriller! Crosses, double crosses, and the suspense of not knowing who is trustworthy is intriguing! The cat and mouse hide and seek escapade leading up to the climax is positively riveting! Thoroughly satisfying, including the denouement, which is well thought out and well developed ( compared to rushed and hurried “thrown together” conclusions which are all too often the case in some recently read novels).
Kudos to Mr. Dugoni on developing another likable protagonist in Charles Jenkins after his widely successful Tracey Crosswhite protagonist in his previous series! For full enjoyment, read the prequel, The Eighth Sister before undertaking The Last Agent! You won’t be disappointed if you want a thrilling Russian spy thriller! It is superb!
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