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When this sleek, high-tech thriller opens in 2017, undercover agents, Carlos and Vikram, are in danger and fearing for their lives. Then Vikram is killed by a member of illegal arms dealer Duc Nguyen’s crew, forcing Carlos to delete any trace linking them and to disappear. The story then jumps into the near future, six years later in 2023, where retired spy Petra and former international terrorist and assassin, Kasem, live together in an uncertain relationship in Japan. Kasem’s dark past and Petra’s reluctance to accept the idea of marriage hinder them. But the arrival of Carlos is an unexpected distraction, and they reluctantly agree to help his dangerous mission to stop Nguyen. With a five-man team, their operation is to break into Nguyen’s inner circle to retrieve his coded ledger and his illegal arms. It is a globetrotting mission that leads them to London and eventually Madagascar, where they face high stakes, redemption, and possible death.
Guha proves herself with this third installment of the Ahriman series and a strong, female lead. Hers is a well-rounded novel that comes alive with her engaging plot and prose, placing her comfortably in a genre dominated by the likes of Tom Clancy, Robert Ludlum, and John le Carré. Guha exerts careful control of the characters and her story, infusing it with humor and a touch of romance while offering a sensitive look at our pasts and the complexities of international relations. Her main characters are portrayed as realistic and human, painted on the page with emotions, flaws, and their own convoluted histories. It is a fast-paced read that is powered by non-stop action and a taut, emotional narrative, elevating the story beyond the usual hijinks of the genre novels. It is sure to entertain and please spy thriller fans.
RECOMMENDED by the US Review