One man broken-hearted by his wife’s brutal slaying…one nuclear device primed to destroy the city of Paris…one chance to save over two million lives. Can Perry Hall set aside his grief long enough to prevent the unthinkable?After his wife was slain by a sadistic assassin, SpyCo agent Perry Hall stopped caring whether he lived or died. Nothing mattered, save binge drinking and caring for his … drinking and caring for his bulldog, Fleming. His disdain for life-threatening operations makes him an asset to Director J. Carlton Moore, who sends Perry into the most dangerous situations to ever face the covert organization. So when the City of Lights faces extinction at the hands of the world’s most feared terrorist group, Perry emerges as the only hope for over two million innocent civilians.
Book Two in the SpyCo Novella Series, Assignment: Paris will thrill, chill, and entertain!
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FYI: ebooks 1-3 of the series have been combined into a single set, Assignment: Adventure.
While the characters from Assignment: Athens were briefly mentioned in this book, it’s not necessary to read/listen to that one to enjoy this. However, they will feature more prominently in the next book – so the series should be read in order.
This a great mix of espionage, thriller, mystery, & suspense with a dash of humor. Even though it’s only 3 hours – this was a fulfilling and complete adventure.
Perry Hall is drowning his grief in alcohol and what little humanity he has left is directed toward his English Bulldog, Fleming. Perry is basically given the high risk assignments because he’s practically lost the will to live. It’s a little heartbreaking, but he does work diligently and competently to rescue/recover missing operatives and attempt to thwart Scorpion’s plans to nuke a city. He gets help in unexpected places – including from the ever-loyal Fleming.
The main mission is accomplished, but Perry has a personal vendetta yet to be avenged and I’m looking forward to Assignment: Istanbul.
Narration:
This was my first experience with narrator Richard Peterson. I thought he was a good choice for the gruff & sometimes cynical Perry. He gave all the characters unique personalities and voices. I do wish the accents for secondary characters were more consistent – but it wouldn’t keep me from listening to him in the future.
In Assignment: Paris, we follow Perry Hall, a SpyCo agent haunted by the death of his wife. When he’s called to Paris for a new assignment, he’ll not only have to stop a nuclear device from detonating, but also go head-to-head with his wife’s killer. The ending was a bit of a “Deus Ex Machina” for me, but nonetheless, it wrapped up nicely, and I’m anxious to read more in the series.
Another great spy novella…
The authors, Craig A. Hart and S. J. Varengo, are masters at packing so much action and adventure (as well as a touch of humor) into such compact stories. This is the second SpyCo novella and features a different main character than the first, but there are common characters which tie the two stories together. I think they, at least so far, can be read as standalones or enjoyed as an ongoing series. In this installment we get to tag along as a psychologically challenged agent, reeling from the loss of his wife, is thrust into a scenario in which the fate of Paris is dropped into his hands. As a well-trained and accomplished operative, he is able to get his act together, quell his burgeoning alcohol problem, and step up to perform at a level we armchair adventurers live to vicariously enjoy. The addition of his dog, Fleming, as a character was an inspired stroke of genius as he adds so much charisma and humor to the otherwise adrenalin-laden, deadly serious sequence of events. (Reminiscent of John Wick but with a small and delightful touch of comic relief). I shall forever be a fan of the fabulous (and frequently flatulent) fabulous Fleming. I chose to read along as I listened to the audio version of this book and thoroughly enjoyed the experience. The narrator, Richard Peterson, offered a brilliant performance that served to complement this highly entertaining tale. Without reservation, I can recommend this book to all enthusiasts of action, adventure, and spycraft.
While I did purchase a copy of this book, the author gifted me with a code for the audio version and the above is my honest and unbiased review.
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Assignment series:
Assignment: Athens #1 – A well written little spy story. Not in Ludlum’s league, but Hart does a good, simplistic job. The prologue starts the ball rolling with favors of Mr. Majestyk and The Mechanic, which made me laugh. While this isn’t my favorite story, I love the other books I’ve read from this author, especially the Serenity Series.
If you like Assignment: Athens, prepare to get your socks knocked off with Serenity. I am curious to see if the next book in the SpyCo series will be as well written as the Serenity, which by the way are all 5-star books. 4*
Assignment: Paris #2 – Another well written spy story from a good storyteller. The characters are believable, the fast paced plot twists and the humor rampant. Mr. Majestyk is replaced with James Bond, but the story still rocks. 5*
Assignment: Istanbul #3 – Another well written little spy story. The books in this series are getting better, as most good things do with age or practice, and the reader has a fast paced, suspense filled story laced with humor. I recommend reading the series from the beginning as the well developed characters pop in and out from various books. Plus, why not, they’re a fun way to spend a couple of hours. 5*
Assignment: Sydney #4 – Again, another well written, suspense filled novel that keeps the reader immersed in the story while having fun reading it, too. The characters are interesting and the plot is well thought out, plus there’s the signature humor found in this series and other Hart books. 5*
Assignment: Alaska #5 – These stories get better and better. A well written, action packed, humorous novel that keeps the reader in stitches while glued to the pages. Some of the characters have returned from previous stories and get more interesting. The well thought out plot and the return of Dot makes the intrigue rock. I noticed a new coauthor and can tell a difference with his contribution.
Update: I found the coauthor did not help write this book; it was written strictly by Mr. Hart. This is my favorite book of the series so far, including Dublin #6. The other books are missing him not being the only writer, but I understand his reason. 5*
Assignment Dublin #6 – Another well written little spy story. Dot appears again; she’s my favorite character. The gang’s off again with a new assignment, which if you read the other books, you know what to expect. A quick read done in a couple hours, good for relaxing. 4*
Great characters…Wait till you meet Fleming!