'Jack of Spies'-by David Downing

Book Title: Jack of Spies
Author: David Downing
Version: ARC
Publication Date: May 13, 2014
Publisher: SoHo Crime
Genre: Mystery/Thriller


SYNOPSIS: It is 1913 and the world seems to be on the brink of war. Jack McColl is a Scottish car salesmen, traveling the world to help his company sell cars, picking up a new language here and there and doing some light spying for England on the side. Jack finds that though he is worried about the state of the world he rather enjoys his side business of spying to be rather enjoyable. Going from place to place, using his language skills, and at times being able to do a little bit of undercover work.

However as the world begins to slide further and further into a war zone things begin getting more complicated and dangerous for Jack. Especially when he meets a woman that puts into question everything that he has been working towards. When he is attacked in China Jack realizes that his casual side job ha taken a serious turn. When he gets to the states and starts spending more time with this utterly engaging woman he realizes that ever so slowly he is falling in love with her. Things get even more complicated when it turns out her family might be involved with the very people that Jack is trying to stop.

As things begin to escalate and all around the world more and more signs of war Jack McColl has quite a few big decisions to make. Does he want to quit life as a salesman and become a full time spy? Is he willing to leave the life he knows for one of danger and uncertainty? How far will he go to protect his country, is he willing to give up the woman he loves to do his duty?

REVIEW: I usually enjoy a good spy novel, I find it exciting to see what happens next, spend time guessing who the bad guy really is and will he or she get away with it? I like the mystery of it and the twists and turns. I think that, that is why one of my managers gave the ARC of 'Jack of Spies' to me. He and I were hoping that I would enjoy the characters and the mystery and the excitement of it all. This however was not the case with this book unfortunately.

I felt that it was a little long winded for a spy novel. The story was ok, nothing really all that exciting or new. There wasn't all that much spying or rather novel worthy spying. It just all felt so very boring. I didn't really care what happened next or how it would end. I also felt that it was a little too stretched out and unfocused. It was kind of a disappointment story wise.

Actually all around the book was a disappointment there was very little I liked about it. It was ok, and that is about it I really didn't find anything extraordinary about it. It was cookie cutter boring and not really filled with all that much mystery or thrill. I was rushing to finish it just to finish it. I have nothing much more to say about the book because it was just so very blah. I don't tip my tiny hat at all for this one, looking back at it I just didn't like it.