Liars’ Legacy

Bestseller Stevens’s taut and twisty sequel to 2018’s Liars’ Paradox, which introduced sibling assassins Jack and Jill, blends cutting-edge surveillance technology with traditional spycraft. The immersive, globe-trotting narrative opens with rival kill teams from the U.S. and Russia stalking enigmatic operative Christopher Holden, who’s flying from Dallas to Frankfurt, Germany. The alternating points of view require attentive reading as the characters often switch their names, nationalities, and allegiances. Midway, the numerous double-crosses and master disguises grow a bit tedious. Stevens wisely chooses to unite Jack and Jill with Holden, who yearns for a closer relationship with them for unclear reasons. Holden, who trades in information, promises to help the twins identify their absent father and determine whether their mother, Clare, faked her death months earlier. All roads lead back to a political assassination plot and an open-ended climax, setting the groundwork for a third outing. Jason Bourne aficionados will find much to like, and those familiar with the events in Liars’ Paradox will have a distinct advantage over newcomers. Agent: Anne Hawkins, John Hawkins & Assoc. (Jan.)