In Robert Brighton’s The Mosquito God, he takes the reader to Panama in the days of the early construction of the canal to link the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans. Hannah and Max are sent by President Theodore Roosevelt as spies to observe the situation. The French had initially begun work on the project, but construction was not going well. Now, in 1903, the United States is eager to take over and claim it. Many laborers were dying from malaria and yellow fever. Enter Dr. Thomas Stillwell, who is convinced the deaths are caused by mosquitoes and sets out to prove it and modify the insect species. They all arrive on the same boat, but while Max and Hannah are posing as newlyweds, in fact, they actually have a turbulent past. The incumbent French boss, Henri Marquet, is a vindictive bully, and clashes are inevitable.

The Mosquito God: Theodore Roosevelt’s Spy Game by Robert Brighton is an amusing read. Set in the steamy jungle of Panama, tempers flare as a group of disparate people is thrown together, all of them with a secret to protect. I learned interesting information about the construction of the Panama Canal, which led me to research further into its history. The fun part is the dialogue between the main characters, masquerading as a couple on honeymoon and pretending to be in love, but have baggage from a previous relationship. The supporting characters are well drawn, with plenty of surprises as the truth finally emerges. One of the most quirky spy novels on the shelves today, this book is a good read and one I enjoyed. The scenes flowed seamlessly, and the action never lets up as the tension increases to a satisfying conclusion.

The swamps and jungles that typified Panama in 1903 had not yet been formally recognized as a nation. The French had started digging a canal in 1881 to connect the Atlantic and Pacific oceans, but the strategically important project was dogged by misfortune in the form of tropical diseases, labor issues, and mounting costs. Mosquitoes featured in the rising death toll, in particular the variety that spreads malaria and yellow fever. In the background, political intrigue simmered. Robert Brighton takes up the story in The Mosquito God: Theodore Roosevelt’s Spy Game. Hannah Black received a call from the US Secretary of State. She was assigned to spy on the incomplete French workings on the Panama Canal and was paired with her estranged former lover, Max Bellefonte. This unlikely couple must work together for the American government under the cover of a honeymoon to undermine the efforts of the French construction team under Henri Marquet, whose mistress, Claire, was not who she appeared to be. They were also tasked with observing Dr. Thomas Stillwell, a scientist working on a cure for malaria. Plans do not always work out. There were strange coincidences, relationships from the past resurfaced, and new alliances were formed between unlikely bedfellows. A diplomatic bag went missing, and a mosquito breeding experiment produced unexpected results.

The Mosquito God is set against the political posturing between the great powers that took place over a hundred years ago. Robert Brighton has researched that era thoroughly and captures those times perfectly. Social and moral standards were rather different then. The main protagonists are well chosen, with each reflecting an aspect of the prevailing society. Against the norm, Hannah remained fiercely independent, while she and Max tried to deal with their past relationship implosion and not jeopardize their cover. The fight against malaria and yellow fever features prominently. The local tribes believed in a mosquito god, an evil spirit symbolized by a golden artifact that came into play. The dialogue is sharp and witty, as would be expected of an estranged spy duo reunited by a common objective, but divided by the past. Ironies abound. The book provides lively reading, as barbed comments fly. There are flirtations and innuendos, with secret liaisons. Old passions are rekindled with surprising outcomes. This very entertaining work is highly recommended.

It is 1903. Hannah Black, an American operative, has been summoned by John Hay, the Secretary of State, to Washington, D.C., but has no idea why. Soon, she finds herself in a meeting with President Theodore Roosevelt Jr., Hay, and Mr. Maximilien Bellefonte, her former partner with whom she shares a history. President Roosevelt is interested in taking over the Panama Canal, which has been under development by the French for over two decades. Despite not being near completion, it has drained the country financially. Hannah and Max are expected to go to Panama under the cover of a newlywed couple to spy on Henri Marquet, the man in charge of the Panama Canal project, and on an American doctor working on groundbreaking research under him, and to collect intel on both projects. As Hannah sails to Panama with the man she had sworn never to work with, what will happen to the pair in Panama? Find out in The Mosquito God: Theodore Roosevelt’s Spy Game by Robert Brighton.

If you are looking for a spy thriller novel flavored with history, drama, political intrigue, comedy, a hint of mystery, suspense, and plot twists, The Mosquito God by Robert Brighton is a perfect pick. Featuring an exciting, well-crafted cast, Brighton transports readers back to early twentieth-century Panama, dropping them right in the middle of the action. The vivid imagery brought the scenes to life on the pages. I could see the grand La Folie Marquet mansion, the muddy terrain around the construction site, the large stretches of swampy land, and I could almost smell the pervasive foul air in the swamps. Brighton accompanies the scenes with dramatic flair. I could not stop laughing at the erratic chemistry between Hannah and Max, the lies they told each other to cover their scandalous, complicated secrets, Hannah’s carefree attitude and boldness when interacting with other characters, and the disastrous results of Dr. Stillwell’s experiment and the reaction of the native communities to it. I relished every moment I spent reading this page-turner.

As French plans to build a canal across the Panama isthmus begin to unravel, Theodore Roosevelt's American government sees this as the perfect opportunity to seize a project they have coveted for some time. Who better to carry out this clandestine task than master spies Max Bellefonte and Hannah Black? The plan is to surreptitiously sneak into the country and gather as much information as possible for a potential takeover. What they do not know about this supposedly perfect plan of theirs is that Max and Hannah have hit a stumbling block in their working relationship, and they are about to walk straight into the source of that problem. Expect sparks, bullets, and a zealous scientist's groundbreaking experiment let loose in the Panama heat in Robert Brighton's The Mosquito God.

Robert Brighton expands on Max and Hannah's chequered relationship using snippets of dialogue and deliberate gaps in their origin stories to create mystique within their chemistry. The dialogue alternates from hilariously casual when Max and Hannah get into it to serious and detailed as their plans evolve. The references to key moments in Panama's independence struggle and to popular treaties that shaped the country's future give the narrative an authentic edge. Romance enthusiasts will enjoy following the complex love triangle that develops between the spy team and their neighbor. Historical fiction fans will appreciate the detail-oriented storytelling, which emphasizes the natives' superstitions and lesser-known subjects such as the illegal hunting of birds for their plumage. He combines these elements into a riveting adventure that is as funny as it is immersive. I enjoyed reading The Mosquito God.