Need to know.....
That's really the right title because all along this book we don't know.
Even when we think we begin to know , it all breaks down....

I really enjoy reading this book.
It's easy to understand and every page, every chapter brings surprises and suspens....

The author let us feel the same as this women. It's terrible she is loosing evething in her life, everything she'd ever trust. And she will fight for her family and for a children.
CIA, Russian, code, hard drive, spy and lies are in the middle of this book.

It will be a super moovie!

Need to Know by Karen Cleveland is the author’s debut novel. And what a debut novel it is! This spy thriller begins with a seemingly perfect family where the wife works for the CIA. But things are not what they seem— secrets are kept even within the family. Fans of Russian spy novels will love this, as will anyone who loves a good mystery or thriller. The author showed great talent in developing a fast moving plot and I certainly hope this turns into a series. I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher. These opinions are entirely my own

This was a spy thriller that kept my interest & was so many twists & turns!! Usually, spy books tend to bore me a little, but this was not the case here at all! The story was extremely well-written and the characters multi-faceted and the plot exciting.

Thank you to NetGalley for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Vivian Miller is a CIA Analyst with 4 little ones and a loving husband. When she helps to create a new database that can hack into potential Russian sleepers' computers, she discovers that her loving husband may not be who she thinks he is at all (this is not a spoiler).

This fast paced read didn't necessarily have me on the edge of my seat, but it was intriguing and fun. It relied much more on plot than on character development, but I think that was perfectly fine for this type of book. Parts were predictable, but the last few pages sealed the deal-- making this a 4 rather than a 3 for me. I would definitely recommend to those who like adventure, thriller, spy, etc.

Yet another "I've married a spy" story with a lot of force cliffhangers and in fine no real original ideas. If you love spy books, this is an easy read perfect for commuting. But it's not the most innovative story in the genre.

Non stop action. Really enjoyed this book. I look forward to the next by this author. Thank you, NetGalley, for letting me read it in advance of publication.

I was almost halfway into this book before I started getting into it. Then, when I finally started getting into it, it was almost over.

I had the notion that this was an espionage book and was expecting a lot of action. Well, that wasn't what this book had for me. There were pages and pages of doubts, feelings and angst for the main character's kids. Sorry, I wanted spy action, not feelings.

An okay read, but definitely not what I expected.

Thanks to Random House Ballantine and Net Galley for providing me with a free e-galley in exchange for an honest review.

Pretty good book that kept me engaged. For the most part. It might of been an excellent espionage tale if not for so many poor choices of the main character; Vivian. This might be one of these books that's better on the screen. The ending left me intrigued; therefore, I bumped it up to 3 stars.

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Review 4.5 stars

Vivian Miller is a Counter Intelligence analyst for the CIA. She has four children and a husband. She is on a project where she under covers sleeper cells.

Vivian uses someone else's computer and finds a picture that she isn't suppose to see. She is shocked. What she sees turns her life and her family in danger.

What do you do when everything you trust might be a lie? Everything that matters to Vivian, her job, her family are threatened.
Who can she trust? Her life has changed into a nightmare. This story is filled with so many secrets, lies and betrayals. Her life is torn apart, she tries to do her best for her family and her country. You can just feel her stress. She is facing impossible choices.

This is one heck of a spy thriller. I usually do not like spy thrillers, but this one is so different than others. This kept me turning the pages. I had to find out what happened next. It kept me guessing. It was an addictive read.

I found this to be very realistic and very intense. It was very entertaining. It was a very fast paced read. I kept on wanting more. I just couldn't put it down. The author used to be a CIA Analyst and I think that is why this book felt so realistic. It has a very unique plot.

This was quite a thrill ride and kept me on the edge of my seat. I loved the writing style. The chapters were short. All of the characters were done so well. It had some great twists and turns. Lots of jaw dropping moments that just blew my mind. If you are like me and don't like spy thrillers, don't let this stop you, because this one is so different and easy to understand. The suspense keeps on coming, straight from the beginning until the very end.
I highly recommend this.

I want to thank Netgalley, Random House, and the author for the copy of this book in exchange for a honest review.

I'd heard so many great things about this book - that it was a cross between Homeland and The Americans. I was so excited to read it. And then I read it and realized that those "great things" were not true at all. This book was such a disappointment. The story was predictable from the beginning regarding who was lying and who wasn't. You just knew what would happen and how it would all end. This book was a complete miss for me.

This book captured me from the beginning. The twists and turns were very interesting. It was very timely. Very well rounded characters. I really enjoyed reading this. I would definitely recommend this book to everyone.

https://amusingreviews.blogspot.com/2018/02/need-to-know-by-karen-cleveland.html

If you like fairy tales, Need to Know is the book for you. Me, not so much. I actually spent most of the book being seriously irritated at the main character, Vivian. I just could not buy that a woman who had worked so hard as to get a high-level analyst position on the Moscow desk at the CIA would be such an idiot. Very early on in the book, Vivian finds out that her husband of 10 years has been lying to her for their entire relationship, and he is actually a Russian spy. Not only does she forgive him in 24 hours, but he continues to use her and she continues to make excuses for him. I just did not find it at all plausible. Perhaps I am just too cynical.

Some reviewers have likened this book to The Americans TV show, but on that show both primaries are spies and they know that going into their sham marriage. In Need to Know, Vivian’s husband uses her every step along the way, from their engagement, to their wedding, to the birth of their children, to their present circumstances. How does any intelligent woman forgive that so easily? And in the end, he even says he forgives her, and she’s grateful. Seriously!!

As far as the writing, I thought it was quite well done, especially for a debut novel. I was shocked, however, to learn that the author, Karen Cleveland, actually worked for the CIA. That actually worries me since I found the plot to be so implausible.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me an advance copy of this novel in return for an honest review.

I received this free from NetGalley and the publisher for an honest review.
A twisty, suspenseful mystery that makes you ask yourself, "How well do I really know someone?". This book kept me guessing right to the very end. The only reason I gave this book 4 stars instead of 5, is that I just could not believe that a CIA agent would act like she did.

I went with 4 stars on this thriller from Karen Cleveland. I wavered a bit on the rating, as I found her writing style a bit repetitive, I did read an advance copy, so perhaps the repetitions of "my rock," "kids" and other phrases have been addressed through editing. The premise is well thought out however, and the story was very good. It's told in the first person, which makes the writing seem conversational and stream of consciousness based. I found Need To Know a slow starter, and it took awhile for me to sink into the story. I appreciated that Ms. Cleveland didnt telegraph the twists and turns for the most part. I was quite entertained.

This book was absolutely amazing! The story really keeps you on the edge of your seat. It was wonderfully written and it keeps you guessing throughout the whole thing. Like any book, there are points that readers will agree with and points that they won't agree with. But that is the basis for any novel. Otherwise, it was one of the better reads I have come across in a while.

What does a person "Need to Know?" What truths do we need to live by and how can/should a person compromise? Karen Cleveland's first novel reads like the book of an experienced author. It not only reflects her background in working for the government but also a keen awareness of what it means to be married, have children, think there is security and find out that is an illusion. I agree with all those big name authors who said that once you start this book, you will look forward to finishing it!

Two Words: That Ending.

This book keeps you guessing the entire time. You think it's come to a conclusion but oh boy has it not. It's a stunner from start to finish. Highly recommended.

Not a bad book but, for me, certainly not a page turner. Started out with a good hook and then slowed down, mostly due to repetitions of the mundane. At 75%. it picked up a bit. I also found the characters to be flat. Would probably do well as a Lifetime movie but should this be made into a motion picture, I think there would be a major rewrite.

I have to really enjoy a book in order to give it five stars, and this book had me hooked. You have to love a spy thriller that has to do with the CIA when it's written by a previous CIA analyst. The main characters were believable, and the story kept me guessing. I read it in less than a week, even when I wasn't on vacation, and that is saying something! I would not recommend this book for my students, but I would recommend it to my friends.

I was given this book for my honest review.