Reviewed by C.J. Anaya for Readers' Favorite

A Bodyguard of Lies by Donna Del Oro is the first book in The Jake Bernstein FBI Series and, in my humble opinion, is an absolute triumph. Jake is given an assignment to go undercover on a tourist trip through Europe and investigate an American woman named Mary Snyder, suspected of being a Nazi spy while working for the Allied forces. We're given great depth of character in this particular hero. His Jewish heritage and emotional baggage create a flawed, sensitive, and rather complex individual whose integrity and clear sense of right and wrong make him an extremely lovable character. He deals with quite an internal struggle as he gets to know Mary Snyder's granddaughter, Meg, and develops feelings for her.

Meg is strong, brave, capable, and vulnerable. Also a character of many layers who is devoted to her grandmother. Her ability to give love so unconditionally makes it easy for her to fall in love with Jake and his sincerity, despite the fact that he must pretend to be someone else in order to discover the truth about Mary Snyder's identity and activities sixty years ago. The author switched from Jake's point-of-view to Meg's point of view, something I always appreciate. It's so advantageous to get into each character's head and experience that internal dialogue. Between these points-of-view we are given rich chapters of Mary Snyder's life as a Nazi spy, allowing us insight into how she became one, the conditioning and training she received, and the monstrous things required of her by the Third Reich.

What I loved about these chapters was the character development. Mary wasn't portrayed as a monster, though she was definitely involved in monstrous things. There were slivers of humanity within her. Moments where she was truly horrified by what was required of her while at the same time determined to serve her country no matter what. We were given insight into the mind of someone conditioned by Hitler's extremist views. She was fighting for her country and, deplorable though her acts were, at one point you have to wonder if people who are so thoroughly brainwashed into believing such propaganda are capable of ever seeing things differently. As Jake and Meg discover who Mary Snyder truly was, they encounter another threat lurking in the shadows. The past has come to haunt the present and many may not survive.

Elements of suspense, espionage, intrigue, romance, and betrayal are beautifully interwoven to create an exciting novel that encompasses WWII history in the process. This one is a nail biter, while simultaneously teaching you quite a bit about WWII history. I absolutely loved it and look forward to reading the rest of the books in the series. If you're a fan of romance, intrigue, and espionage, you'll love this fantastic read.