Copyright 2003 by Myn Pyn LLC. Published by St Martin’s Press, New York.

Robert Ludlum, best known for the series of books and movies featuring Jason Bourne, wrote a lot of other books before his death in 2001 And he wrote this one AFTER his death. Obviously, there was an unfinished manuscript and someone, under the direction of his estate, completed the novel. That co-author is not named. But the book must have been nearly finished as it certainly reads like an authentic Ludlum novel.

Ludlum writes adventure stories. Lots of action, lots of suspense. The kind of story that would be perfect for a series of short stories, each ending in a cliffhanger. This is not my favorite kind of book – I much prefer mysteries. But I was captivated by the story and reading the book was not a chore.

The setting is early World War II. Germany had conquered most of western Europe, including France. The book opens in occupied Paris where Daniel Eigen, a rich playboy, hobnobs with married women and German officers. He says he is from Argentina and everyone seems to buy it. But in fact he is an American spy, real name Stephen Metcalfe, with a lost love in Moscow – a prima ballerina who has become the concubine of a German officer stationed there (Germany and the Soviet Union were allies).

When Eigen’s (i.e., Metcalfe’s) cover is compromised in Paris – his colleagues are killed and he narrowly escapes the same fate – he is given a new, ultra-secret and ultra-important job: feed counterfeit Soviet military documents to the Germans via his ballerina lover who just happens to be the daughter of a Russian general.

This plot has many twists, including betrayals (hence the title) and death-defying escapes. It kept my interest. But it wasn’t a mystery.

7 out of 10

Copyright 2018 by Columbia Rose, Ltd. Published by Hatchette Book Group, New York.

This is #4 in the series (currently 7 in number) of Memory Man novels by Baldacci. The “memory man” is Amos Decker, a former pro football player who, due to receiving a brain injury on a blind-side hit, lost his career and gained a perfect, photographic memory. He could no longer play football but became a first-rate investigator for the FBI because he could retain every minute detail of a complex criminal case.

In this book he and his partner, Alex Jamieson, are taking a short vacation together, visiting Alex’s sister and niece in Baronville PA where her brother-in-law has taken a job in a new fulfillment center (think Amazon). The town was named after John Baron, an 18th-century industrialist who basically built the town to house the workers in his mines and factories. But the town has fallen on hard times – all the mines and factories have closed, along with many other businesses. The fulfillment center is the only major employer in town.

What seemed like a nice, relaxing break for Amos and Alex suddenly turns into an investigative job when two men are found murdered in a vacant house behind sthe sister’s dwelling. The local police grudgingly accept Amos and Alex’s offer to assist as they realize they are overwhelmed. It turns out that these two murders are actually the fifth and sixth recent very odd murders, along with a huge increase in drug overdose deaths.

The evidence seems to point in the direction of the only remaining Baron in Baronville – a lonely and nearly penniless man who still lives in the decrepit mansion at the top of the hill. Is it possible that the scion of the founding family is a serial killer?

It is an interesting question and it frames a complex plot. Amos’ legendary memory doesn’t play a huge role in this installment – and in fact it proves to be somewhat fallible. Key clues are provided by a blind man who lives across the street from where the bodies were found. Amos does eventually figure it all out, of course, and it is far deeper and more evil than anyone could have imagined.

Very entertaining. 8 out of 10.