The Wayward Spy

In 2003, CIA intelligence analyst Maggie Jenkins, the heroine of Ouellette’s gripping debut and series launch, is preparing for her imminent marriage to CIA operative Steve Ryder when she learns he’s been killed in a terrorist bombing in Tbilisi, Georgia. Adding to her shock is the suggestion that Steve might have been involved in treasonous activity. Against orders, Maggie leaves Washington, D.C., for Tbilisi, where her efforts to clear Steve’s name and find out who was behind the bombing put her life in danger. Unsure whom she can trust, Maggie realizes she must rely on her own instincts to survive, and she becomes bolder and craftier as she closes in on a plot against America whose players include the Russian mafia, Chechen rebels, and corrupt U.S. officials. Refreshingly, Maggie has no shooting or martial arts skills to rely on, only her wits. Ouellette, a former CIA analyst, brings plenty of authenticity to this fast-paced spy thriller. Readers will look forward to Maggie’s further adventures. Agent: Steven Hutson, WordWise Media. (Mar.)