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Kirk McGarvey #14
The Cabal
In Washington, CIA operative Todd Van Buren meets with a Washington Post investigative reporter who has uncovered strong evidence that a powerful lobbyist has formed a shadowy group called the Friday Club, a cabal whose members include high-ranking men inside the a White House adviser, a three star general at the Pentagon, deputy secretaries at the State Department, Homeland Security, the FBI and even the CIA. That afternoon Van Buren, son-in-law of the legendary spy Kirk McGarvey, is brutally gunned down because of what he’s been told. The same evening the reporter and his family are killed, all traces of the shadow group erased. A grief stricken McGarvey is drawn into the most far-reaching and bizarre investigation of his career, the stakes of which could destabilize the U.S. government, and shake the foundations of the world financial order.
352 pages, Hardcover
First published July 6, 2010
24 people are currently reading
594 people want to read
About the author
David Hagberg
80 books137 followersaka David Bannerman, Sean Flannery, David James, Robert Pell, Eric Ramsey
David Hagberg is a former Air Force cryptographer who has traveled extensively in Europe, the Arctic, and the Caribbean and has spoken at CIA functions. He has published more than twenty novels of suspense, including the bestselling High Flight, Assassin, and Joshua's Hammer.
http://us.macmillan.com/author/davidh...
David Hagberg is a former Air Force cryptographer who has traveled extensively in Europe, the Arctic, and the Caribbean and has spoken at CIA functions. He has published more than twenty novels of suspense, including the bestselling High Flight, Assassin, and Joshua's Hammer.
http://us.macmillan.com/author/davidh...
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 49 reviews
May 24, 2016
Publisher Tom Doherty ought to be ashamed of itself. Five typographical errors in 352 pages in an era with spell-checking is disgraceful. In any case, ex-CIA Director Kirk McGarvey is drawn into a major conspiracy when his family comes to harm. Shady government contractors are working for the Friday Club, whose agenda is really unclear until the very end of the novel. Otto Rencke continues to provide critical support for his buddy. Pulp fiction, and of course, McGarvey remains invincible. On to Book #15 for me.
January 2, 2018
My first book of 2018.
This book kept me on the edge of my seat with all the action and adventure. To think it's book #14... looks like I will need to go back and catch the series from the beginning. It kept me up late into the night- because at the end of each chapter was a cliffhanger- begging me to read more.
What's this book all about? Intrigue, suspense, drama and action-action-action. McGarvey is a retired boss of the CIA and without telling you too much, his son-in-law gets murdered along with a Washington Post reporter over what the reporter dug up about a secret Washington DC "cabal" that plans to manipulate world events to their financial gain.
Want to know more? You'll need to read the book.
This book kept me on the edge of my seat with all the action and adventure. To think it's book #14... looks like I will need to go back and catch the series from the beginning. It kept me up late into the night- because at the end of each chapter was a cliffhanger- begging me to read more.
What's this book all about? Intrigue, suspense, drama and action-action-action. McGarvey is a retired boss of the CIA and without telling you too much, his son-in-law gets murdered along with a Washington Post reporter over what the reporter dug up about a secret Washington DC "cabal" that plans to manipulate world events to their financial gain.
Want to know more? You'll need to read the book.
July 27, 2010
The newest novel from David Hagberg picks up right where The Expediter leaves off and burns a trail that is totally hot and scorching. The story line from the inside cover of the novel tells us that McGarvey’s son-in-law, Todd Van Buren, is meeting with a reporter he knew from college. The reporter friend has info on a group that calls themselves The Friday Club. The reporter gives Todd a disk with info on it at a restaurant where they meet, and soon the two are killed.
McGarvey of course is set to find out who offed his son-in –law and how it ties in The Friday Club and the events of the last few novels. Hagberg is in rare form with The Cabal. This is a must read if you are a fan and have followed Kirk McGarvey this far in his journey. If this is your first Hagberg novel, hold on. The ride is swift and the action just. No spoilers will be given here, but let the bad guys fall where they may. I love the characters Hagberg has created in this series and they are all present and accounted for in this novel. This for me was full throttle Hagberg, holding nothing back in his lean mean machine in Kirk McGarvey. But Giovanni how do you really feel? I have had the pleasure of late to read some really good novels in this genre in the last two to three weeks and this is right there with the best of them.
Truth, Justice & the American Way the McGarvey way is an excellent read that is hard to put down. The Cabal takes no prisoners literally and figuratively. Hagberg takes McGarvey to the zenith and back with this one, honest injun. Be prepared to have some curves thrown at you, to gasp in surprise and wonder why and how he did that. The Cabal is a gut wrenching, fast paced force of a novel. Whether you are a huge fan like me, or a first time Hagberg reader, you are in for a treat. What is your favorite McGarvey novel?
What are you reading today? Check us out and become our friend on Facebook. Go to Goodreads and become our friend there and suggest books for us to read and post on. You can also follow us on Twitter, Book Blogs, and also look for our posts on Amazon , Barnes and Nobles and the Bucks County Library System. Did you know you can shop directly on Amazon by clicking the Gelati’s Store Tab on our blog? Thanks for stopping by today; we will see you tomorrow. Have a great day.
McGarvey of course is set to find out who offed his son-in –law and how it ties in The Friday Club and the events of the last few novels. Hagberg is in rare form with The Cabal. This is a must read if you are a fan and have followed Kirk McGarvey this far in his journey. If this is your first Hagberg novel, hold on. The ride is swift and the action just. No spoilers will be given here, but let the bad guys fall where they may. I love the characters Hagberg has created in this series and they are all present and accounted for in this novel. This for me was full throttle Hagberg, holding nothing back in his lean mean machine in Kirk McGarvey. But Giovanni how do you really feel? I have had the pleasure of late to read some really good novels in this genre in the last two to three weeks and this is right there with the best of them.
Truth, Justice & the American Way the McGarvey way is an excellent read that is hard to put down. The Cabal takes no prisoners literally and figuratively. Hagberg takes McGarvey to the zenith and back with this one, honest injun. Be prepared to have some curves thrown at you, to gasp in surprise and wonder why and how he did that. The Cabal is a gut wrenching, fast paced force of a novel. Whether you are a huge fan like me, or a first time Hagberg reader, you are in for a treat. What is your favorite McGarvey novel?
What are you reading today? Check us out and become our friend on Facebook. Go to Goodreads and become our friend there and suggest books for us to read and post on. You can also follow us on Twitter, Book Blogs, and also look for our posts on Amazon , Barnes and Nobles and the Bucks County Library System. Did you know you can shop directly on Amazon by clicking the Gelati’s Store Tab on our blog? Thanks for stopping by today; we will see you tomorrow. Have a great day.
July 2, 2015
I rarely read pulp (this was a first Hagberg book for me) and at first I was quite excited about The Cabal because it's well written and seemed to involve a complex mystery implicating shady government, big business, international intrigue, spy/counterspy stories, etc.
However, it became clear quickly enough that this book is NOT a mystery, NOT a detective/agent/spy novel in any way: it is simply a "chase" book, in which we follow the protagonist as he (1) chases the bad guys and (2) is being chased himself by both bad guys and govt. The suspense is built solely on the basis that the protagonist is hunted and he must do all his work/chasing under the radar of the CIA. There is absolutely NO actual solving of a crime/puzzle, NO intellectual joy to be had from determining what the mystery is and how it all fits together, only mindless numbing reading about McGarvey hiding, running, and killing people.
The actual plot, about a conspiracy involving a shady company, is so sparse it could have filled 20 or 30 pages at most, and all of it came from random information dumps (i.e. finding a computer disk) and not actual sleuthing/spying. At the end it supposedly comes together once McGarvey talks it out with the main guy, though this part is HIGHLY unbelievable/flawed: what, I'm supposed to believe that talking for 2 minutes with the main, ultimate bad guy, without actually gathering up any proof or critical info, somehow was the "key" that allowed all the bad people to get arrested? More like, McGarvey had progressively gone through (and mostly killed) all leaders at lower levels, and finally, there's no one left to kill/talk to. So the plot had to end, pathetically.
However, it became clear quickly enough that this book is NOT a mystery, NOT a detective/agent/spy novel in any way: it is simply a "chase" book, in which we follow the protagonist as he (1) chases the bad guys and (2) is being chased himself by both bad guys and govt. The suspense is built solely on the basis that the protagonist is hunted and he must do all his work/chasing under the radar of the CIA. There is absolutely NO actual solving of a crime/puzzle, NO intellectual joy to be had from determining what the mystery is and how it all fits together, only mindless numbing reading about McGarvey hiding, running, and killing people.
The actual plot, about a conspiracy involving a shady company, is so sparse it could have filled 20 or 30 pages at most, and all of it came from random information dumps (i.e. finding a computer disk) and not actual sleuthing/spying. At the end it supposedly comes together once McGarvey talks it out with the main guy, though this part is HIGHLY unbelievable/flawed: what, I'm supposed to believe that talking for 2 minutes with the main, ultimate bad guy, without actually gathering up any proof or critical info, somehow was the "key" that allowed all the bad people to get arrested? More like, McGarvey had progressively gone through (and mostly killed) all leaders at lower levels, and finally, there's no one left to kill/talk to. So the plot had to end, pathetically.
September 28, 2024
My first Hagberg book, and I have to say I'm hooked. A shadowy group called the Friday Club, formed by power figures for all the major governmental agencies, goes on a killing spree to keep their secrets hidden.
June 8, 2013
One of those rogue-intelligence-agent-combats-shadow-government thrillers. Admittedly, these don't make any sense to me, because rich people are doing so well with the regular governments, I don't know why they'd bother with another. But I'm willing to suspend this disbelief for a good read.
At a line level, this is written better than most such books, and I did care about the main character, but it has one glaring problem in structure. There are three points of view: hero's, hit men's,and the head bad guy. Problem is, the third of the book that's the head bad guy's is totally unnecessary. It almost always entails the hit man's phone call that explains what he just did in the scene or two bad guy leaders telling each other what the main character just did in his scene. So it goes:
Hit guy: I'm detonating a bomb
Good guy: I'm watching a bomb go off
Bad leader guy, on phone, in equally as long scene: Did you plant the bomb? And it went off? Good. Did our opponent get hurt? No? Well, go do the next thing.
Hit guy: I'm doing the next thing.
Rinse and repeat.
I can think of no fictional reason for this. I can think of a real-world reason:
Editor: Author, your 100,000 word thriller is due May 1.
Author: You bet! (Thinks, uh oh, I only have 60,000 words of idea.)
Wife: Hey, honey, who was that on the phone? Your editor? How many words do you have written? Mmm- hmm, and how many do you need? Well, why not add several sections, much like my dialog right to this point, in which you repeat everything two or three times?
In a way, I cannot blame the author, because I understand editors think thrillers need to be 100,000 words. I would remind them, if I could, of the wonderful Parker novels, 50,000 word page-turners that are still in print (in some cases) 50 years later. And I'd say to them, "quit making stupid arbitrary rules like that--you are shooting yourself in the wallet."
Anyway, good enough so that I read to the end.
At a line level, this is written better than most such books, and I did care about the main character, but it has one glaring problem in structure. There are three points of view: hero's, hit men's,and the head bad guy. Problem is, the third of the book that's the head bad guy's is totally unnecessary. It almost always entails the hit man's phone call that explains what he just did in the scene or two bad guy leaders telling each other what the main character just did in his scene. So it goes:
Hit guy: I'm detonating a bomb
Good guy: I'm watching a bomb go off
Bad leader guy, on phone, in equally as long scene: Did you plant the bomb? And it went off? Good. Did our opponent get hurt? No? Well, go do the next thing.
Hit guy: I'm doing the next thing.
Rinse and repeat.
I can think of no fictional reason for this. I can think of a real-world reason:
Editor: Author, your 100,000 word thriller is due May 1.
Author: You bet! (Thinks, uh oh, I only have 60,000 words of idea.)
Wife: Hey, honey, who was that on the phone? Your editor? How many words do you have written? Mmm- hmm, and how many do you need? Well, why not add several sections, much like my dialog right to this point, in which you repeat everything two or three times?
In a way, I cannot blame the author, because I understand editors think thrillers need to be 100,000 words. I would remind them, if I could, of the wonderful Parker novels, 50,000 word page-turners that are still in print (in some cases) 50 years later. And I'd say to them, "quit making stupid arbitrary rules like that--you are shooting yourself in the wallet."
Anyway, good enough so that I read to the end.
September 12, 2015
I don’t get it. How come our author think all of us have such a low I.Q. His hero is traveling on a secret mission, on a route laid out and prepared by his friend, which is high computer geek and works alone. Yet the “enemy” knows his exact flight number. His exact false name under the false passport.
Well the only one that can forward that information to the “enemy” is our dear author.
And our hero. …
He is a real superman. Nevertheless, it is not clear how he becomes accused of treason. But who cares He too knows everything. Never failed. A boring character.
The book is full of action, and can be great to those who never try to look for a minimum logic and common sense.
I read 50% of the book, leafing through the next 25%, and threw it away.
Well the only one that can forward that information to the “enemy” is our dear author.
And our hero. …
He is a real superman. Nevertheless, it is not clear how he becomes accused of treason. But who cares He too knows everything. Never failed. A boring character.
The book is full of action, and can be great to those who never try to look for a minimum logic and common sense.
I read 50% of the book, leafing through the next 25%, and threw it away.
August 10, 2011
I didn't realize this book had been published in 2010 and read then next book in the Kirk McGarvey series. It referred to some pretty horrendous events in this book that I had to read. It was a very sad book due tothe deaths of some very key people. Typical McGarvey action that ends up with McGarvey on top. Really enjoy David Hagbergs writing and the Kirk McGarvey series. If you want to get into these books, start from the beginning with "Without Honor" and read each succeeding book. There are now 15 in the Kirk McGarvey series.
May 24, 2012
Harberg, the author, has obviously been around the suspense writing block. His writing is crisp, and in the reader’s face, detailing the woundedness and extreme competence of Kirk McGarvey, retired director of the CIA. His son in law, daughter and wife are murdered by a secret highly connected organization that seems to be aiming to get the US in a nuclear war with China. It is pretty generic, and Harberg keeps talking about a conspiracy in Mexico City and Pyongyang, as if that will keep the reader going. I have to say though, it is a bit of a snooze
March 7, 2011
Excellent book. A good mix between fiction and current facts...
December 6, 2022
Wow, this one was crazy!
Terrible things happen, and the way Mac responds is my only problem with The Cabal, but Mac still saves the day.
A solid page-turner with great flow and nearly non-stop action.
And, with one of Hagberg's awesome trademarks, the ending demands you read the next book in the series.
Terrible things happen, and the way Mac responds is my only problem with The Cabal, but Mac still saves the day.
A solid page-turner with great flow and nearly non-stop action.
And, with one of Hagberg's awesome trademarks, the ending demands you read the next book in the series.
October 2, 2017
Ex CIA Director, Kirk McGarvey is drawn into a fight for his life in this fast paced thrill fest. The plot, oh the plot indeed, prophetic? Definitely gives the reader food for thought in light of current world affairs.
November 3, 2017
Written strong but not my thing. My significant other got me this when I asked for Cabal for my birthday. It's the wrong book but I gave it a chance.
June 18, 2018
Skimmed middle. Quite violent. Felt like I was missing something but now I see that this is book #14 with this character. Didn’t really care for it but had to finish it - now 12:40am.
February 12, 2019
This is the first book by. David Hagberg I have read I really enjoyed it it held my interest the hole way thru .I plan on reading his other books
April 23, 2020
Lots of intrigue that keeps your interest; but never real intense to me.
Want to read
July 19, 2020elibrary
July 1, 2016
David Hagberg's Kirk McGarvey novels have become a habit-forming read. They are timely, suspenseful, mostly realistic, and frightening stories of espionage.
In The Cabal, Kirk is determined to solve the mysteries that took place in Mexico and in No. Korea in Hagberg's previous two novels. Here, a secret group of government insiders are plotting something devious involving China and Taiwan. How is this plot connected to the events that took place in Mexico and No. Korea (in the previous novels)? What role will the new US President (who is no friend of the CIA) play?
Kirk once again teams up with his CIA friend Otto to solve the mystery.
Although The Cabal is a 'stand-alone' novel, it would certainly help the reader understand this complicated plot by having read Hagberg's earlier novels. Just as in Flynn's Mitch Rapp novels, past exploits of McGarvey are brought up in each novel and continue to play a role.
The Cabal is yet another exciting, terrifying story of intrigue involving the CIA and enemies of the US, both domestic and foreign.
In The Cabal, Kirk is determined to solve the mysteries that took place in Mexico and in No. Korea in Hagberg's previous two novels. Here, a secret group of government insiders are plotting something devious involving China and Taiwan. How is this plot connected to the events that took place in Mexico and No. Korea (in the previous novels)? What role will the new US President (who is no friend of the CIA) play?
Kirk once again teams up with his CIA friend Otto to solve the mystery.
Although The Cabal is a 'stand-alone' novel, it would certainly help the reader understand this complicated plot by having read Hagberg's earlier novels. Just as in Flynn's Mitch Rapp novels, past exploits of McGarvey are brought up in each novel and continue to play a role.
The Cabal is yet another exciting, terrifying story of intrigue involving the CIA and enemies of the US, both domestic and foreign.
September 22, 2010
I won this book in a give away and have never read any of the other books in the series so it was hard for me to come in so late in the game. All in all it was a good book that kept me interested in what was going on. It starts out with a bang and keeps moving through the entire book. I guess my main problem was that I am not emotionally connected with Kirk as a character so I was not as impacted by the things that happen in the book. Don't get me wrong, I liked the book and would probably read others in the series, but coming in mid-stream made it hard for me to connect and that made it difficult for me to fully engross myself in the world.
August 27, 2010
Kirk McGarvey, former CIA Director, son Todd Van Buren is murdered because a group of individuals believed he got too close to the truth about the so called missing nukes from Mexico, and China's connection to the entire fiasco. McGarvey struggles with psychological trauma like none he faced, (his wife and daughter are killed by an IED meant for him) before even when he dealt with a best friend mole inside the agency and staying alive as he climbs the pyramid of the Friday Club hierarchy. I was disappointed in Hagberg killing of major characters, but, unfortunately it worked in the end.
November 27, 2014
OUTSTANDING! My first Hagberg book and it was great. Now I have to go to the first of the Kirk McGarvey series and start. I also have to refrain from getting the next book after THE CABAL to find out who the stranger was waiting for McGarvey on the dock..
Found out that Hagberg has been writing since 1970's and has written under several pen names as well. He also was involved in at least 1 of the Terminator stories..
I am really looking forward to reading him again... and it looks like he will keep me busy for a while
Found out that Hagberg has been writing since 1970's and has written under several pen names as well. He also was involved in at least 1 of the Terminator stories..
I am really looking forward to reading him again... and it looks like he will keep me busy for a while
November 3, 2015
The name is fitting to the story. A shadowy group called the Friday Club is working hard behind the scenes in Washington D.C. To direct national policy with a goal of making the United States the unquestioned economic superpower in the world. But a well respected, longtime CIA operative is determined to bring their shadowy workings to light, but at a staggering personal cost. Mostly a story of revenge, by several parties, at least some of whom are willing to accept collateral damage as a part of conducting their business. Into my brain candy category.
February 23, 2014
First, the good...it was a thriller and had a page-turner plot. But, the character was one of those "super" operatives who could do most everything by himself against all odds. Not believable. I also absolutely hated the use of "honest injun"--which was in the dialog of one character over and over again. It wasn't needed as part of that character's personality or development, so what was the point? For a book written in 2010, Hagberg should know better.
September 22, 2014
This was a good read. It involves a father-in-law's quest to find out who gunned down his son in law and the lengths those that murdered him will go to covert the truth. as others have said in reviews, McGreavey at times seemed like a "James Bond" type characters by getting himself out of some rather unbelievable situations, but he was on a quest for the truth and had to find some rather shady character within and without the US Government to, finally, discover the truth.
June 25, 2010
Received this books as a first reads unedited copy. Quite a page turner--never know what is going to happen next or where. Riveting! And frightening in light of current world economic situation and the seeming ascendence of Chinese control of our economy. Thought provoking with an ending that promises more to come in this series. Will have to read the first two installments in preparation!
September 21, 2011
Should we trust contractors? Are some using their position and skills to forward their own agenda? Former CIA Director and Cold War spy McGarvey has been called out by a circle of Washington insiders doing their own thing and letting the chips fall where they may. But with McGarvey in a cold rage and the support of his computer sidekick can he be stopped?
July 30, 2012
Retired CIA spy Kirk McGarvey is drawn back to DC when his son-in-law is gunned down and is soon in a race to uncover a high-level conspiracy before a nasty plot unfolds. The body count rises as he gets closer to his quarry, involving a side trip to Bagdad and worries about China getting provoked. A fun ride despite limited nutrition, but someone has to take up Ludlam's mantle.
November 14, 2012
This is the latest book in the Kirk McGarvey series. I have really enjoyed everyone of them. However, I was really shocked when I read who was assassinated and blown-up in this book. I found myself really rooting for McGarvey to get his revenge against the "bad guys". It turned out to be a real page-turner. And there was a hook on the last page for the next book in the series.
October 25, 2010
This is one in a series of books by David Hagberg with Kirk McGarvy as the leading character. Retired from the CIA, Kirk comes back to take the lead in finding killers who are threatening the security of the USA - he is drawn in by tragic events and is helped in his quest by old friends.
February 25, 2011
I love Hagberg and this McGarvey book was no different from the rest. A great fast paced read with all of the characters I have grown to love. I can't wait for the next one... I sense a love connection between McGarvey and Pete, what do you think?
Displaying 1 - 30 of 49 reviews