– This Former FBI Agent Might Still Be Working –
Decription
Just a few years ago, Corie Geller was busting terrorists as an agent for the FBI. But at thirty-five, she traded in her badge for the stability of marriage and motherhood. Between cooking meals and playing chauffeur, Corie scouts Arabic fiction for a few literary agencies and, on Wednesdays, has lunch with her fellow Shorehaven freelancers at a so-so French restaurant. Life is, as they say, fine.
But at her weekly lunches, Corie senses that something’s off. Pete Delaney, a seemingly bland package designer, always shows up early, sits in the same spot (often with a different phone in hand) and keeps one eye glued to his car. Corie intuitively feels that Pete is hiding something – and as someone who is accustomed to keeping her FBI past from her new neighbours, she should know. But does Pete really have a shady alternate life, or is Corie just desperate to add some spark to her humdrum suburban existence? She decides that the only way to find out is to dust off her FBI toolkit and take a deep dive into Pete Delaney’s affairs.
Legendary crime writer Susan Isaacs is at her formidable best in a novel that is both bitingly wry and ominously thrilling.
Details
Author: Susan Isaacs
Publisher: Atlantic Monthly Press (October 1, 2019)
- Genre: Mystery/Women Sleuths
- Hardcover: 288 pages
My Thoughts
Goodness, this is a hard book to review. I always want to focus on the positive but in this case, I’m kind of at a loss. Anyway, here goes . . .
Corie Geller gives up her FBI job to marry Josh, a federal judge with (at the time) a 9-year-old daughter. A girl that she loves and adopts within a year. By leaving the FBI, Corie figures she will help care for her daughter and live a quiet family life. She also adds being a scout for several literary agencies, to her daily routine.
Every Wednesday she meets at a restaurant with a few other self-employed business people to share thoughts and ideas. But early in the story, Corie has an odd feeling about Pete Delaney, one of the Wednesday entrepreneurs. Each week he sits in the same chair so that he can look out the window at his Jeep. Later we learn that Pete changes phones often. And in time Corie worries that Pete’s business trips are too long for what he claims to be doing.
So far this all sounds like the start to a fine mystery. But here is the problem. It takes many chapters to learn what I mentioned above. The story attempts to add way too many details that don’t apply to the plot.
When Corie begins to suspect a problem with Pete, she visits with her dad since she values his opinion. And, really, she quizzes most of her friends as well, in order to get their thoughts about Pete. The problem? It’s not unusual for the story to gallop off on a wild ride of Corie’s history with the friend.
In all honesty, which by now should be only too apparent, I never cared for Corie, either. She came across as an insecure, knuckle chewing protagonist at times.
I’m sorry to say the characters and story just didn’t rate high with me.
My gratitude to NetGalley and Grove Atlantic for allowing me to read an ARC of this book and give my opinion regarding it.
What Concerned Me:
Corie’s suspicions about Pete went on for many many chapters. And especially in the beginning, it was based more or less on her gut feeling. It was only later that other concerns were noticed and mentioned.
The fancy footwork around and around the main story just wore me out.
What I Liked Best:
The writing appeared to be very good. Perhaps another book by this author would result in a much different review.
About The Author:
Susan Isaacs is the author of 14 novels and is a past president of Mystery Writers of America.
She has such a fun bio, that I invite you to click and visit her site.
