Review: Best Kept Lies by Helena Maeve

Title: Best Kept Lies (Shadow Play: Book One)

Author: Helena Maeve

Pages/Word Count: 102 Pages

At a Glance: I enjoyed the drama that Ms. Maeve created, and I’m looking forward to the next Shadow Play book.

Reviewed By: Maryann

Blurb: What becomes of the Russian spy who lands himself in the crosshairs of a rogue British agent?

Grigory Antipov’s work within the intelligence community is exemplary, but attracting too much attention is against his interests as a spy—a lesson painfully learned the night he is abducted off the streets of Rome. Captivity is a dangerous thing and Grigory already operates under a cloud of suspicion, given his predilection for male company. Luckily, his stint in British custody is short-lived, a mere flex of muscle from Agent Karim Awad.

Karim’s objective is obvious. Lure Grigory into Section’s clutches and turn him against his own people—expose him to the wrath of Moscow if he refuses. His mission brief may not specify the methods to be used, but Grigory soon discovers that Karim is a man of many talents. With powerful interests at play and the threat of deadly force in the air, Grigory faces an impossible choice—surrender to his fate or sacrifice the only man whose touch makes him feel alive after so many years.

Review: Best Kept Lies is the start of the Shadow Play series by Helena Maeve. It’s a tale of heavy espionage, suspense and intrigue. At first it’s a little confusing. There are acronyms used for the different spy agencies: SVR for Russia, SIS for Great Britain, and CIA for the US. There’s also a host of supporting characters that use an alias, work as double agents, and cause a lot of suspicion and trust issues. The story is fast paced, so once you get started, it’s best not to stop or you could easily get lost.

Grigory Antipov is a Russian SVR agent. He is a handler and gives agents their “wet” assignments (contracts to kill). As situations crop up, Grigory starts to wonder who he can really trust. He’s approached by Karim Awad, who’s a British SIS agent. Karim tries to persuade Grigory to come over to the SIS side. If Grigory chooses not to, though, Karim will find a way to destroy him. Grigory has sworn he would never be a traitor, and he, too, will do what he can to destroy Karim. Grigory actually goes as far as to put a contract out on Karim.

Best Kept Lies is the story of two men, loyal to different agencies, who, when they become involved, have to make decisions based on trust. But emotions definitely get in the way. It’s also a story about making a choice, whether it’s worth being in dangerous situations, or is it better to walk away and stay alive?

One thing that would have been helpful for me is to have had introductions to each of the agencies’ roles, provided in an Author’s Note or Glossary. But, I have to admit that didn’t stop my curiosity, and I enjoyed the drama that Ms. Maeve created. I’m looking forward to the next Shadow Play book.

TNA_Signature_Maryann