The Eighth Sister by Robert Dugoni

 

Charles Jenkins thought he had it all together as he entered his sixties.  He had found the love of his life, Alex, and married her.  They had a nine year old son and another baby on the way.  He had his own security company, based on his former work for the CIA when he was young.  But his biggest client is far behind on payments and it's causing Jenkins financial woes.  He has had to take out loans to make payroll and worse, had to put his family farm up for collateral.  When his former CIA boss shows up unexpectedly, Jenkins is willing to listen to him.

The man explains that they need someone to go to Russia for a quick mission.  For decades, there have been seven women who have spied for the Americans there.  They are buried deep in the Russian government and should have been safe.  But two of them have been killed recently and it's feared that under torture, they could have given information that could make finding the others possible.  There is a woman assassin called The Eighth Sister who would kill them all.  Since Charles has a branch of his company in Moscow and CIA experience, he would be the perfect person to go and find the name of the eighth sister.

Jenkins reluctantly agrees and there are issues as soon as he arrives.  It is clear that he is being watched and he barely escapes Moscow with the help of a woman who is obviously another of the sisters.  She helps him get out of Moscow and eventually, with the help of his lawyer and a contact in Mexico, Jenkins gets home.  But when he tries to report what is going on, the CIA denies they had hired him and he is arrested for treason.  Can Jenkins reclaim his former life?

Robert Dugoni is known for his Tracy Crosswhite series and other spy and legal thriller series.  This is the first in the three Charles Jenkins books.  Dugoni can't write a bad book which is obvious to me because spy novels aren't my favorite but I enjoyed this one.  It is split into two parts.  The first is the spy trip Jenkins takes to Russia and the second is a courtroom drama at his treason trial.  I liked the first part better as it was more exciting.  This book is recommended for readers of spy novels.