Hard Cover

May 1, 2016
The one-man army known as Watchman goes deep into Russia to protect a former KGB officer who plans to advocate for a friendlier stance toward the United States. The story opens with a bang as Marc Portman, code name Watchman, rescues Katarina da Costa, the daughter of a tough Mexican judge, from kidnappers, leaving behind a trail of dead criminals. Scarcely has this successful one-man mission ended when Portman is called into a CIA front office for another, in which repeated shifts to the third person will counterpoint Watchman's punchy first-person narrative. Steely State Department senior analyst Angela Thornbury dispatches Portman on behalf of former KGB officer Leonid Tzorekov, now a Russian banker based in London, who's apparently been the target of several assassination attempts that may have been provoked by suspicions that he was trying to influence Putin. Meanwhile, in Russia, officials debate the loyalty of Tzorekov, who is reportedly "coming home." As Watchman proceeds with the mission, Thornbury keeps second-guessing herself, constantly checking in with CIA handlers Sewell and Callahan about Watchman's trustworthiness. Much speculation also centers on the allegiances of Tzorekov's handsome bodyguard, Arkady Gurov, who "looks like a ballet dancer." All of which sets the table for the nonstop action to come. A complicated ambush involves suspicious aircraft thwarted by inclement weather. Tzorekov and Gurov take refuge in a remote cabin with Watchman only a beat or two behind and various villains also in pursuit. Prolific Magson's third Watchman outing (Close Quarters, 2015, etc.) overstocks its supporting cast with paper tigers but delivers in its propulsive action sequences.

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May 1, 2016
Marc Portmancode name Watchmanis hired by the British and American intelligence services to provide protection for Leonid Tzorekov, a former KGB member who left Russia years ago and moved to London to make his fortune as a businessman. But Tzorekov is still in touch with his former KGB colleague, Russian President Putin, and has decided it's time to return to Russia and try to convince his old friend to take a less hawkish approach to the West. The UK and U.S. are all in favor of this plan, but they fear that forces close to Putin will try to stop Tzorekov, since it's in their financial and political interests to keep Russia in saber-rattling mode. Watchman is the West's best bet to make sure Tzorekov reaches his rendezvous with Putin. At first, things go smoothly, but, inevitably, the carefully laid plans go badly awry. Deft writing, high-octane action, taut suspense, and plenty of twists make this a gripping read for those who like their spies more like Alex Berenson's John Wells than le Carre's Smiley.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2016, American Library Association.)

May 9, 2016
Leonid Tzorekov, an old pal of Vladimir Putin, needs protection in British author Magson’s inconclusive third Marc Portman thriller (after 2015’s Close Quarters). Tzorekov, a former KGB officer turned successful businessman who now lives in London, feels he must persuade Putin to stop being so confrontational to the west. In Russia, a powerful group of industry, government, and military leaders known as the Wise Men are determined to keep Putin on the path of war so the resulting defense spending will continue to fill their pockets. At the behest of MI6 and the CIA, close-protection specialist Portman follows Tzorekov and his bodyguard, Arkady Gurov, into Russia, where the pair intend to meet secretly with Putin. The Wise Men send a team of assassins to kill Tzorekov and derail the meeting. Magson writes well and informatively about the spy game, but the ending doesn’t deliver any sort of bang. Readers can only hope that Portman’s next outing will pack more of a punch. Agent: David Headley, DHH Literary.