The Shadow Friends - the third book in the highly enjoyable spy thriller series The Martini Club.

A group of retired CIA members have settled in Purity, Maine to enjoy life. But every now and then, they get pulled back into situations requiring their skills and expertise. At a local conference on Global Catastrophes, held at a nearby resort, the opening speaker is a Russian defector who warns about the dangers of biological warfare. Ingrid Slocum, one of the retirees, had volunteered to serve as the event's travel coordinator. Soon after his speech, Dr. Mikhail Maslov is found unconscious and soon dies. A second death, this time of a hotel waitress, follows. When Ingrid sees how the woman was murdered, she realizes that it was the same method used to kill a fellow agent many years ago. Once again, the former members of the CIA are drawn back into the world of espionage due to a new threat. This time, Ingrid's former lover and colleague, Rodrigo, reappears and he wants her to come work for him. It's a very tempting offer.

The Shadow Friends is the third installment in Tess Gerritsen's The Martini Club, a series that hooked me from the first book. Although the characters are in their golden years, this is not a cozy mystery. The story unfolds in the present but looks back on a tragic mission in France that took place almost thirty years ago, which has too much in common with the recent deaths for Ingrid to sit on the sidelines. Her husband Lloyd and their friends are eager to help, especially after Ingrid disappears. This is a well-done spy thriller, featuring likeable characters who have not lost their fire and ability to make a difference, regardless of their age. 

Many thanks to Thomas & Mercer for the advance.

Rated 4.25 out of 5 stars.

Mystery Thriller.

Publication Date: August 25, 2026.

Please "like" this post if The Shadow Friends sounds like a book you’d enjoy reading. I'd love to know. Scroll below the photo and click on the red outlined heart on the lower right-hand side of the page. Comments can also be left below.