cover image Spycatcher

Spycatcher

Matthew Dunn. Morrow, $25.99 (432p) ISBN 978-0-06-203767-1

British author Dunn draws on his real-life experience as an MI6 agent for his strong spy thriller debut. MI6 agent Will Cochrane, code name Spartan, winds up shot after a New York City mission involving an Iranian intelligence source goes bad. After a brief stay in a secret hospital, he takes on a new task%E2%80%94locating the mastermind of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, who's planning a massive terrorist attack. Will tracks down freelance journalist Lana Beseisu, who's now living in Paris and rumored to be the terrorist leader's one-time lover. Will and Lana form an alliance and an instant attraction, though Will knows he has to keep his hands off this beauty until the mission's successful completion. When Will learns that the Iranian terrorist was responsible for the death of his own father, revenge helps fire his search. While some predictable plot twists suggest Dunn is still learning his fictional craft, readers will want to see more of his distinctive hero, "the ultimate killer of killers." (Aug.)