I Spy

Sometimes you just have to be in the mood to read something. I know this just as well as any other binge reader out there. There are times when I will sit in front of my bookshelves, staring blankly ahead, hoping that something will jump out as my NEXT READ. Now that I do reviews, it's a little harder to let my moods take over. I have to stick to a schedule, you know?

I started reading one book yesterday and after multiple attempts to get totally immersed, I just wasn't having it. I'd read two pages and get up to do something else, I even fell asleep. So, I decided to tackle a different book (still on my review schedule) rather than lose time.

Well, I made the mistake of waiting until after watching disc 5 of season 1 of Bones to pick up Christopher Reich's Rules of Deception. Not smart! I was up until 3 am and still didn't finish it. I was totally engrossed.

This is my first title by Reich. It starts out with Dr. Jonathan Ransom and his wife, Emma, trekking up a mountain when a snowstorm hits. They rapidly descend and Emma is injured. Jonathan leaves for help, but she's gone when he gets there. Mourning his loss, he returns to his hotel only to find a message waiting for his dead wife - an envelope containing two baggage claim tickets for the Swiss rail line. He sets off to collect the items and is attacked by Swiss police.

Meanwhile, there are assassinations and people with questionable identities floating around - and I'm only 100 pages in!

Normally, I shy away from espionage books. Not because I don't like them, but because they usually confuse me. I like spy movies, I just can't handle heavy political undertones - they make my head go a little swimmy and I can't concentrate because I am trying too hard to understand what's going on. Not so with Rules of Deception. Like I said, I was completely and totally immersed in this book. It makes me hopeful in terms of some other titles that I have been holding off on, Stella Remmington for example.

Ah well, I have about 2/3 of the book left at this point and will let you guys know how it is when I am done. For now, it's looking pretty good for me becoming a new Christopher Reich fan!