Kill with a Borrowed Knife by Michael Wreford

If you enjoy spy thrillers and international espionage you absolutely have to read Kill with a Borrowed Knife: Agent Ai by Michael Wreford.  The novel is Wreford’s first and is a fast paced, action-packed thriller, a real page turner.  I found the beginning chapters needed concentration to keep the characters and events straight. As the book progresses many flashbacks are introduced to scenes that happened earlier in George's life experience as an agent.  Introducing theses details at the start would have cleared up a few confusions and avoided re-reading parts. But my desire to understand kept me reading to discover the connections between past and present.  Once I understood who George was and what he was trying to accomplish, the book flowed effortlessly, it was hard to stop reading.

There is no need to summarize the story as the book description provides an excellent introduction.  The author or is it 'authors', take us through an intricate journey of espionage in the years surrounding 2001. On the eve of the September 11 attacks a powerful cyber weapon is about to be released.  George is driven by his love for Karen and need to help British Intelligence as a young journalist. He never quite fits in to the role and has many problems leading to bad habits that could destroy him.  But soon it became apparent there are many sides to his character.  Finally George develops and grows as an agent.

The author Michael Wreford has written an exceptional first novel.  His writing has an elegance and style producing a true page turner.  It is fast paced, full of intriguing details that are authentic and well researched.  Michael has developed characters that are complex and interesting drawing you further into the action. The details in the scenes created by Wreford produce incredible pictures of espionage, intrigue, and shady dealings.  The dialog is believable in a world full of menace, suspense, and dirty dealings. Any lover of spy and espionage will delight in this tale.  Many thanks to Michael for the opportunity to read and review his first creation.  I look forward to reading more from this author.