Desperate Spies: A Secret Lives Mystery

De Castrique’s third spy thriller featuring spunky retired FBI agent Ethel Fiona Crestwater (after Dangerous Women) is a high-energy delight. At 75, Ethel may be officially out of the game, but she still teams up with her college-aged cousin, Jesse, to conduct occasional investigations. The past comes calling when Ethel’s old FBI colleague asks her to meet with mob-connected lawyer Tony Bagatelos, who’s murdered promptly after telling Ethel that one of his contacts is out to kill her. The conundrum throws Ethel back to her last mission with the Bureau 18 years earlier, in which she almost died. While Ethel tries to assess the current threat to her life, Jesse is kidnapped. Determined to keep the FBI as far from the case as possible, Ethel draws on her old intelligence contacts to help get Jesse back. Though Ethel’s age might lead readers to suspect they’re entering cozy territory, this is more of a traditional spy thriller, with enough violence and double-crossing to satisfy serious fans of the genre (and just enough levity to win over skeptics). This series continues to impress. (Nov.)