"The Silent Sisters", by Robert Dugoni

Charles Jenkins #3

This series is around sleeper agents and one American’s duty to protect those involved. In this third installment, Charles Jenkins is approached by his CIA handler to return to Russia on a mission to ensure Intel is not lost and to help extricate the last of a sleeper cell that is being hunted by the Russian authorities. Out of “The Seven Sisters” two are left to bring out but Jenkins has been a fugitive from the Russian authorities for a long time and they are also on the lookout for him, if caught things can turn ugly fast.

Although this was my first book in this series I never felt lost not having read the previous books. Mr. Dugoni incorporated enough background to situate us without overwhelming his narrative with past details. As a 6’5” black man Jenkins definitely stands out in Russia and requires a number of ingenious disguises but disguise or not his first plan goes awry when he gets involved in an altercation that end in the death of a most powerful organized crime leaders’ son. Now Jenkins not only has the Ruskys on his tails but also the syndicate.

This fast-paced thriller moves flipping between Mafioso, Russian intelligence and spies and never waivers or slows down. So many twists and turns and harrowing moments to keep us on our toes and eager to see where all this will lead. The prose is vivid, colorful and engaging. The characters are strong. There is much going on and a need to keep things straight is a must as the tension mounts and gains speed. Thank goodness for the short chapters helping move things along. This is one of those stories hard to put down you get so wrapped up in action it is easy to lose track of time. Well penned….a terrific read.

I was provided a copy of this publication from Thomas & Mercer via Netgalley for an honest and unbiased review: these are my thoughts.