Ten Seconds To Death

Ever since Kate Edison witnessed her father’s death, she has only had one goal.  Join the CIA and become a spy.  Her photographic memory may have made regular school a breeze, but it takes more than memory to pass the rigorous training to get where she wants to be.  She of all people should know that these things are never what they seem, but all the training in the world couldn’t prepare her for the things she was about to learn, or the choices she would have to make.  Secrets she uncovers could bring down a nation, but putting her trust in one other agent, can she stay alive long enough to figure this out? Or has revealing what she knows just put both their lives in jeopardy?  

This espionage thriller is a page-turner that keeps the reader right with the protagonist wondering whom to trust, and questioning what could possibly be going on.  Following new recruit Kate Edison through her initial interview, her training, and eventually into her first mission allows a connection to the character that isn’t always possible with spy novels.  Although this approach makes for a slower beginning, it definitely pays off as the story evolves, allowing the reader to feel more invested in both the character and in trying to figure out what is going on.  Well plotted, with a satisfying ending, this suspense narrative will appeal to more than just fans of traditional espionage tales, and the author sets the scene nicely for a possible continuation of the series, without sacrificing the integrity of this story on its own. 

Melanie Newton