Select one of the keywords
Face Off: A Kirk McGarvey Novel    by David Hagberg Amazon.com order for
Face Off
by David Hagberg
Order:  USA  Can
Forge, 2018 (2018)
Hardcover, e-Book
* *   Reviewed by Hilary Williamson

If you enjoy action-driven, over-the-top spy thrillers, then you should dive into David Hagberg's series, starring legendary operative (once CIA director) Kirk McGarvey. Face Off is the 23rd in this very long-lived series, whose hero always survives everything thrown at him, though his loved ones often don't.

It opens at the Eiffel Tower, in whose restaurant Kirk proposes to fellow operative Pete (a woman, despite the name, and a skilled interrogator). She barely has time to say 'I will' when they realize that terrorists are about to blow up this international icon. Of course, they intervene. They succeed, but there's something off about the whole attempt.

There are many captures and escapes - even shackled, Kirk always seems able to threaten his enemies, and to follow up on said threats. The Saudis are involved, as well as the Russians, and of course there are traitors within the Agency (and possibly in the White House) as well. Fortunately, Kirks's closest friend has his back there and Otto can hack anything, anywhere, it seems.

You have to totally suspend disbelief to get through these books. If you can do that, Kirk McGarvey's exploits will continue to entertain, as he saves the world again and again.

Note: Opinions expressed in reviews and articles on this site are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of BookLoons.

Find more Mystery books on our Shelves or in our book Reviews