The Past Shapes The Future

     Mark Sava should know by now that when things seem to be going well that something will come along to change that. He’s married with a newborn daughter. His business is running smoothly or as smooth as a spy for hire business can. That is until one of his employees dies.

Mayland’s fourth and seemingly final novel in the Mark Sava Spy Novel series, Death of a Spy follows Sava as he tries to unravel the mystery surrounding his employee’s death. A painting by a woman from his past is found at the scene. Who put it there and why sends him on the most perilous adventure of his life.

Readers get to see another side of Sava that is so unexpected next to his tough CIA operative persona. He must temporarily drop back into spy mode to find the connection between the painting and a much deeper plot. Things do not go well, and he is in a fight for his life.

I hope that this is not the end, but I fear that it is. I will miss Sava and all the regulars.

5 out of 5 stars.

Whose Child Is It?

Mark Sava has been kicked out of Azerbaijan – permanently. He currently resided in Kyrgyzstan with his girlfriend, Daria Buckingham. Both are former CIA operatives. Daria has left the spy world for more altruistic endeavors. While Mark is now working for Central Asian Information Networks (CAIN), a spy for hire corporation. In an ordinary world the orphanage that Daria works for would not be involved in a covert spy op. But, Mark’s world is far from ordinary.

Mayland’s third novel in the Mark Sava Spy series, Spy for Hire puts a two-year-old orphan in the middle of a power struggle from Kyrgyzstan to India and to Bahrain. Like any good mystery there are several twists and false leads that keep you guessing until the very end.

CAIN is the starting point and the owner, Bruce Holtz had decided not to tell Mark. Not knowing whom to trust he calls in John Decker to protect the child until things are sorted out. The players use Mark’s past against him. All he wants to do is right by the child.

4 out of 5 stars.

They Want Him Dead

Mark Sava is a former CIA station chief retired in Baku, Azerbaijan where he teaches college. His life was rather peaceful. That is until an assassin attempts to kill him while he is tutoring the son of a high-ranking member of society. With his known past, the government of Azeri kicks him out of the country permanently. Before he can leave he receives photos he believes came from his friend John Decker. The CIA wants him back in the USA. But, Sava feels he must find Decker first. Who wants Sava killed and why? What does Decker’s disappearance have to do with it?

Mayland’s second novel in the Mark Sava Spy series, The Leveling is full of intrigue and espionage. From the dark underworld of the Middle East Sava and his former girlfriend, Daria Buckingham search for answers and Decker. Add the Chinese to the mix and the region is set for war.

If you love spy novels The Leveling will not disappoint. It will keep you guessing until the very end. The fast-paced action is almost nerve-wracking. Trust is a commodity easily bought and then resold.

5 out of 5 stars.

Amazing Variety of Authors and Genres

What a wonderful way to experience new authors! Support the hurricane disaster victims by purchasing this book. You will receive 25 full-length novels for one low price. Not one cent goes to the authors, the publishers, or anyone else involved in producing this package. All proceeds and I do mean ALL go to the relief efforts.

Some of the best-selling authors include Steven Konkoly, A.R. Shaw, Tom Abrahams, and Franklin Horton. There is a wide variety of genres, such as political thrillers, apocalyptic, spy/black ops, and prepper fiction. You couldn’t ask for a better way to sample a wide variety of well-written works.

It would take too long to review all 25 books. I have read several and published written reviews of them individually. These are all 4 and 5-star winners. You won’t be disappointed and you will be supporting a noble cause.

It Died A Painful Death

Henry Stein is living a life of lies, of secrets, of regrets. Before him now is the toughest decision he has ever faced. He must choose between Israel where he currently lives and has served in the military or England where he was born and raised and became a member of MI6.

Latz’s novel, I Am Not a Traitor, is an international spy thriller. The pace is very slow. It starts with Henry imprisoned suspected of treason against Israel. And, it drags on from there. There is no predictability with the story as I lost interest by chapter 13.

The writing is good. It’s the storytelling that is painful. The first 10 chapters are of him being interrogated repeatedly. Very little is revealed during this time. It had potential.

2 out of 5 stars.

I received this book for free from the author. This in no way affected my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

A Book To Die For

Isabel Reed stays up throughout the night to finish a manuscript for a new book called The Accident by Anonymous, a tell-all biography of a power mogul in the news industry. As a literary agent she sees the risks and the rewards that could come from the publication of the information contained therein.

Pavone’s second spy thriller novel, The Accident, is every bit as gripping as his first with the exception few exceptions. Once you get past the first seven or eight chapters it is non-stop, hard-packed action. It brings back Hayden Gray, the CIA operative from Pavone’s first novel, The Expats. It is Gray’s mission to see that the manuscript is destroyed and never published. And, of course, this operation is off the books (pun intended).

The identity and relationships of the author of The Accident are teased out a little at a time throughout the entire book. The story follows him as he tries to remain anonymous as an expat in Europe. What he has written could very well cost him his life and those that come in contact with his manuscript.

Other than the slow start I sometimes found it hard to follow the story as Pavone jumps from one character to another telling the story and from the present to the past without warning. There was also an alarming number of characters that were described in great detail in addition to the main three. His descriptive sentences tend to run-on to paragraph length.

As much as I loved The Expat, I was not able to love this one the same way.

3-1/2 stars out of 5.

Once a Spy, Always a Spy

Former CIA station chief, Mark Sava, is living the good life with his girlfriend in Baku, Azerbaijan. Sava comes out of retirement when officials arrest his protégé for a crime she did not commit, and someone murders the entire CIA staff in Baku. Once he is knee deep in the mystery, it is hard to tell who are friends and who are enemies.

Maryland’s first book in A Mark Sava Spy Novel series, The Colonel’s Mistake, is an action-packed, spy thriller. Strong characters get caught up in a deadly intelligence game of global espionage. The story takes you from Paris to Dubai with other exotic stops between, all described in vivid details.

The story gets you hooked from the beginning and does not let go. And, while it is the first in the series, it does not leave you hanging at the end. I look forward to other books. 4 out of 5 stars.

Secret Lives

Kate and Dexter Moore have the chance to start over and live the good life in Luxembourg as expats with Dexter’s job as a computer security specialist. Kate sees this as an opportunity to leave her job as a CIA operative behind. But, Kate and Dexter know nothing about the true nature of each other’s work. That is until Kate’s training causes her to question Dexter’s employment.

Pavone’s first novel, The Expats, is a New York Times bestseller, an Edgar Award winner, and an Anthony Award winner. It is easy to see why with the believable dialogue, plot twists, and genuine intrigue set forth within the story. This book is a fast read even with the complex story telling which mixes the past with the present.

The backdrop is beautifully described as the couple travels throughout Europe. The suspense along with the layers of deception keep the story interesting. The complicated characters are well developed. It is a good spy thriller. 5 out of 5 stars.

The Man with the Midas Touch

Auric Goldfinger is an extremely wealthy man obsessed with hording all the world’s gold. James Bond (Special Agent 007), who is a member of the British Secret Service, MI6, goes undercover to investigate Goldfinger. Bond discovers Goldfinger’s plan to destabilize the world’s economy and continue to finance SMERSH, the Soviet secret spy ring. Can Bond bring down one of the most notorious villains of all time?

Fleming’s 9th James Bond novel, Goldfinger, is set in the late 1950s. It has the iconic characters of Oddjob, driver and bodyguard to Goldfinger, and Pussy Galore, leader of an all-female gang. While far from politically correct by today’s standards, the story reflects the attitudes and cultural aspects of the time period.

While one of Fleming’s longer novels it is not one of his best. It tended to drag a bit in places and seemed rushed in others. The plot itself was disjointed. This is one case where the movie was much better than the book. 3 out of 5 stars.

Enjoy the theme movie’s theme song here: