Reviewed by Lance Stephen David for Readers' Favorite

Agents Scorned by Ephraim Clark is an action-packed thriller set around 1975. The story follows Brad James, an intelligence operative, and his partner Chuck, an ex-Marine, who are suspicious about the death of Georges Papachristoy, a financier. He is reported to have committed suicide, but Brad feels something is off during a visit to his house. This suspicion leads Brad and Chuck into a dangerous investigation that is full of betrayal, revenge, and a lot of action. Samantha, a covert operative driven by revenge against Senator Jake Brown, who was involved in the murder of her family, joins Brad and Chuck. They discover a conspiracy orchestrated by Alvin Dearman, who frames an operative, Madison Samson III, to protect Brown's atrocities. The trio faces great resistance, especially from a gang of mercenaries called AAA and Ranger, a key operative with great ties to Dearman.

Ephraim Clark did a nice job in the way he introduced each character. The plot around Samantha left me guessing whose side she was on. Brad was full of distrust and doubt, but Samantha’s story, especially when she shared the pain of her family’s murder, hit me hard and made her fight against Brown feel deep and personal. Characters like Edith, who appears as an older woman with a smoking addiction, turned out to be someone with great intel of great help to Brad and his team, which puzzled me. I loved the way Clark described every action scene; it felt as if I was witnessing the action while reading, especially the Jersey ambush. I recommend Agents Scorned to readers who enjoy action-packed stories with themes of betrayal and emotional depth.