Latest in Scot Harvath Series
Brad Thor “shadows” current events with Shadow of Doubt. The latest thriller featuring the character Scot Harvath involves Russians, Ukrainians, Norwegians and Americans wreaking havoc across France. Harvath is once again ruthless as he seeks to avenge the death of his wife while trying to keep his fiancé alive.
Double Agents and Moles
The action begins in Paris with the killing of a veteran French Intelligence officer. Jean-Jacques Jadot has discovered evidence of Russian infiltration of a multitude of spy agencies and governmental cabinets. However, he is killed before he can share the information with his CIA counterpart.
Meanwhile, the author introduces the protagonist Harvath on his way to reunite with fiancé Sølvi Kolstad. Before they can celebrate, her task of debriefing a Russian defector is compromised by a breach in Norwegian security. Fortunately, Kolstad and Harvath manage to secure and whisk the asset off to the South of France.
Shadow of Doubt- Multiple Story Lines
Former lovers and now antagonists Karine Brunelle of The French Directorate General for Internal Security and Vincent Gibert a French homicide detective reluctantly work together to solve Jadot’s murder.
Naturally, the story lines overlap causing great confusion for the French. Along the way, Harvath involves the Ukrainians. Scenes are gruesome for those not accustomed to Thor’s writing.
Mirroring Reality
To a certain extent, Thor is mirroring current events. Hostilities between Russia and Ukraine continue and there is always a threat the ongoing war could blow up into World War Three. However, the fictional parallels fall wide of the mark with the supporting cast of countries. Furthermore, the reader will need a suspension of disbelief with regards to the Black Ops of Harvath and his crew going unpunished.
Recommendation for Shadow of Doubt
This latest thriller by Brad Thor will undoubtably become a best seller. Fast paced with a few surprises, the secondary plots add to the overall story. One wonders what may be next for Harvath and Kolstad. Shadow of Doubt makes great reading for an airplane ride, cross country travel via car or even a rainy weekend at home.