Close Quarters: A Marc Portman Thriller

In Magson’s fine second Marc Portman thriller (after 2014’s The Watchman), the CIA hires the freelance operative, “a close-protection specialist,” to rescue a State Department negotiator, Edwin Travis, who was sent to Ukraine to talk to the various factions involved in fighting the pro-Russian separatists. Some unknown group, probably backed by the Russians, kidnapped Travis, and Portman’s job is to find and extricate him. It’s a standard assignment for Portman, but this time he has to deal with a traitorous U.S. senator, Howard Benson, and other members of the Dupont Circle Group, who stand to make a great deal of money on energy stocks if the situation in Eastern Europe goes to hell. Because Benson oversees the CIA, he’s aware of Portman’s mission and does his best to derail it. The action moves quickly, though a rather tame ending will leave readers a bit disappointed but still looking forward to Portman’s next outing. [em]Agent: David Headley, DHH Literary Agency. (Aug.) [/em]