The Spy and I

Smith’s fast-paced and deliciously twisty debut kicks off with Dove Barkley heading to meet her twin sister, Madison, for dinner—only to be met instead by a mysterious man who speaks to her in code before being shot and killed at her restaurant table. Fortunately, a CIA operative named Mendez swoops in to help Dove make sense of the situation, revealing that Madison is a spy and Dove must have been mistaken for her. The CIA is in hot pursuit of a notorious international arms dealer, and Madison, whose identity appears to have been compromised, has gone into hiding. Now Dove’s been thrown into the dangerous mix, and as the stakes ramp up, she falls hard for Mendez—but can she really trust him? Smith draws out that question on the way to a well-crafted and deeply satisfying conclusion. The bond between the sisters, who grew up in foster care, adds depth to the narrative and the plot offers plenty of surprises. Glimmers of humor leaven the suspense and the love story is just as likely to get hearts racing as the mystery. The end result is a first-rate romantic thriller. (Feb.)