Slingshot

Spycatcher, Book 3

By: Matthew Dunn

Narrated by: Rich Orlow

Master spy Will Cochrane must catch a missing Russian defector as well as one of Europe's deadliest assassins in this action-packed follow-up to Sentinel, written by real-life former field officer Matthew Dunn.

Will Cochrane monitors the nighttime streets of Gdansk, Poland - waiting for the appearance of a Russian defector, a man bearing a top-secret document. Will believes the defector is about to step out of the cold and into the hands of Polish authorities, but suddenly everything goes sideways. The target shows up, but so does a team from the Russian foreign intelligence service SVR, and they are hell-bent on keeping the man from walking. Then, in a hail of cross fire, a van speeds into the melee and snatches the defector out from under them all. Everyone wants the man and the codes he carries - but now he's gone and it's up to Will and his CIA/MI6 team to find him before the Russians do.

Will tracks both the missing Russian and his kidnappers, believing the defector has his own warped agenda. But soon it's apparent that the real perpetrator could be someone much more powerful: a former East German Stasi officer who instigated a super-secret pact between Russian and U.S. generals almost 20 years ago. An agreement, which if broken for any reason, was designed to unleash the world';s deadliest assassin.

Then Will learns that the Russians have tasked their own "spycatcher" - an agent just as ruthless and relentless as Will - to retrieve the document. Now Will knows that he faces two very clever and deadly adversaries, who will stop at nothing to achieve their aims.

©2013 Matthew Dunn (P)2013 HarperCollinsPublishers

Fast paced and fun

This latest book in the Spycatcher series does not rival the complex ambiguity of a John Le Carré novel nor does it require a great amount of mental dexterity to follow the storyline. But it is fun!

This is faster paced and has more action than the previous books in the series. The action begins almost immediately and continues unabated throughout the book. If you enjoyed the first two books in the series you should find this book to your taste. If you are new to this series I would suggest you read the books in sequence. The hero of these books is more in the genre of James Bond than George Smiley.

Those of you who enjoy a fast paced and entertaining distraction on the long drive home from work will find this novel and excellent buy. If you need something steeped in psychological drama such as a Le Carré novel this book is not for you.

Another Homerun for Matthew Dunn & Rich Orlow

What did you love best about Slingshot?

The complexity of both the storyline and the characters.

Who was your favorite character and why?

It is always going to be Will Cochran but I found myself surprisingly endeared to "Kronos" by the end of the tail.

Which character – as performed by Rich Orlow – was your favorite?

Though his "something silly" caused a lot of problems and deaths, in terms of performance I enjoyed Linka's character best. Something about his accent, pitch, tone, just fit his character so well and was so distinct.

If you were to make a film of this book, what would the tag line be?

The Spies Among Us

Any additional comments?

I have followed this series in audiobook since Spycatcher and it has become my favorite series of books since Harry Potter.

Good storyline, keeps your interest

Good storyline, keeps your interest

Best thing was this story was plausible, had enough elements and research to make it possible.