Ground Branch CIA agent Michelle Reagan captures a Chinese spy in Paris. The spy, Sabine Chaput, is a French prostitute who has been recruited by the Chinese Ministry of State Security (MSS) to gather intelligence from Todd Whitaker, a CIA agent stationed in Paris. Unfortunately, Whitaker is romantically involved with her. In A Promise of Lies and Violence by Scott Shinberg, Reagan is assigned to the team interrogating Chaput. While in custody, Chaput escapes with Whitaker’s help, and both the Americans and the Chinese hunt the duo now on the run. The Americans want to know whether they have a mole in their operations sharing information with the Chinese, and the Chinese want to find Chaput because they aren’t sure what she knows about their operations. So a cat-and-mouse chase from Morocco to Paris begins as the two agencies covertly work to find the duo.

In A Promise of Lies and Violence, Scott Shinberg tells a fascinating story of espionage and intrigue. It opens with a bang. Colleagues are pitted against one another. The suspense was palpable and drew me in. The author builds on this suspense with a fast-moving plot switching back and forth between the characters’ situations. Each agency’s covert operations are very detailed and realistic, suggesting the author knows his subject matter well. The fight scenes are highly scripted and totally believable. The main character is strong and determined, courageous and canny, yet her empathy for her colleagues is clear. The next Michelle Reagan escapade is on my radar.

Michelle Reagan, CIA codename Eden, and her partner Alex Ramirez have captured Todd Whitaker, a case officer on non-official cover (NOC) in Paris, France, and his girlfriend, Sabine Chaput, their primary target. Todd has no idea that Sabine is a former prostitute and works with the Chinese Ministry of State Security (MSS), or that his cover has been blown since he arrived in the city six months earlier. Sabine is taken to a Counterintelligence Mission Center (CIMC) facility in Morocco for interrogation, and the CIMC allows Michelle and Todd to tag along. However, after learning from the interrogation that Sabine was forced into the role, Todd breaks her out of the facility, and they flee together. The CIA launches a manhunt for them. Unknown to the pair on the run and the CIA, the MSS is also in the race to capture Sabine. Fists and gunfire will be exchanged, and blood will be spilled as the two agencies clash in the streets. But who will nab the pair? Find out in A Promise of Lies and Violence by Scott Shinberg.

If you are looking for an espionage thriller flavored with high-octane action, drama, crime, nerve-shredding suspense, and jaw-dropping plot twists, A Promise of Lies and Violence by Scott Shinberg is a must-read. Shinberg draws readers in with a gripping introduction that sets the stage for an intriguing storyline that lives up to its initial hype. The fast-paced narration and vivid imagery dropped me in the middle of all the action. I felt like I was right there with the cast, experiencing every moment and setting as they moved from Morocco to Spain, France, and the US. I relished the hand-to-hand combat, strategies, dynamic conversations, sneak attacks, grit, deceit, secrets, betrayal, revelations, and tension. Shinberg balances the cast’s personal struggles and plot development, making each a high-stakes affair. This page-turner would make a blockbuster Hollywood espionage action thriller.