Add Blue Madagascar to this list of 2021’s suspense-driven and best-selling novels: The Plot by Jean Hanff Korelitz, While Justice Sleeps by Stacy Abrams, and the forthcoming The Stranger in the Mirror by Liv Constantine.

Andrew Kaplan’s spellbinding thriller begins with news reports that the predicted winner of the upcoming presidential election commits suicide. Unfortunately, readers will not be able to turn pages fast enough to keep pace with the investigation that circles the globe as intelligence and law enforcement agencies from various countries attempt to uncover the truth.

Early reviews compare Kaplan to Robert Ludlum, and reading Blue Madagascar is reminiscent of Ludlum’s finest. A flawlessly complex plot drives this breathtaking read from the first line to the last word. Blue Madagascar takes readers on an electrifying journey, so sign up now for a seat.

Blue Madagascar is a really good book, especially if you enjoy reading spy /thriller books. It begins with a reported suicide of a presidential candidate who is winning by a large margin in the polls and then goes back to the previous 4 weeks moving forward when a botched robbery results in a murder. As the case is investigated it turns out the murdered man has been using a stolen identity. These two incidents become intertwined in a story that crosses continents, deals with social ills, & begins to explore motivations of the human psyche. The story line is intriguing and fast moving. The book is set up nicely for a series and I’m going to keep my eyes open for the next one! #bluemadagascarthrillersuspense #netgalley

Blue Madagascar by Andrew Kaplan

The prologue grabs,
The story unfolds,
Speeding up rapidly,
As the end is in sight.

Never having read this author I was intrigued by the book description. As one thread after another was introduced with numerous characters named, I wondered where the story would go, how the characters would intersect, and if the threads would be woven together and completed seamlessly. It was slow, or seemed so, at first but the pace picked up and I felt I was in the middle of what could easily be a movie or perhaps a TV program ~ Perhaps not a surprise if I had twigged to the fact that Kaplan authored Homeland and that did become a popular TV show.

What I liked:
* Jessica’s Rules and how they played a huge part in one character’s life ~ If this IS to be a series, perhaps she will eventually take part in the cast of characters.
* Casey: Government “employee” with a wicked skillset, nerves of steel, quick thinker, lethal, and intriguing.
* Natalya: lethal, chameleon, working for a government other than and often opposed to the one that Casey works for, intelligent, pragmatic, could be a sister of another mother to Casey
* Bochard: the French connection and sometime counterpart working with Casey
* Not knowing everything too soon
* Wanting to find out what lead up to the prologue…as it actually occurred before most of the rest of the book.
* The way evil was often thwarted
* Feeling immersed in the story
* That feel of La Femme Nikita and/or the movie SALT that popped up from time to time
* Rooting for a positive conclusion to the story with my favorite characters surviving till the end
* Wondering if this is the first in a series and if so, what will happen next.

What I didn’t like:
* Exactly who and what I was meant NOT to like. The wicked evil people were easy to hate and wish the worst for.
* Not knowing what will happen next in the lives of the characters I became invested in…including Jessica.

Did I enjoy this book? Yes
Would I read more by this author? Yes

Thank you to NetGalley and Smugglers Lane Press for the ARC – This is my honest review.

4-5 Stars

The man everyone expects to be elected President of the United States next week has just committed suicide. Why? And what do an extremely talented and attractive but damaged Homeland Security agent in Mexico, a gang of jewel thieves on the Cote d’Azur, an irresistibly handsome French prosecutor with marital problems, and a beautiful yet oh-so-mysterious victim-turned-perpetrator of a smash-and-grab heist have to do with it? And what is the secret they are compelled to chase from Washington, D.C. to the south of France to Eastern Europe to Greece to the rocky Maine coast?

Those are the questions meant to hook readers and propel them through Andrew Kaplan’s newest offering, “Blue Madagascar.” It’s a very good, very entertaining, globe-trotting, political/espionage thriller in which stakes are high, danger is ever-present, and there are many twists and turns. Fans of writers such as Robert Ludlum, Tom Clancy, and Frederick Forsythe may well enjoy this work. I particularly enjoyed the characters, especially heroine Casey, who has overcome an extremely challenging childhood to become something of a “wunderkind” agent for Homeland Security and upon whom some very powerful people are depending.

At times, I did find “Blue Madagascar” a tad overlong and a little more complicated than it needed to be. Indeed, there were times when I found myself a little bit lost. But never for very long and never to the point where I considered putting the book down.

All in all, a four-star read perfect for summer.

My thanks to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for providing me with an ARC in exchange for which no promises were made regarding this review which consists completely of my independent opinion.

I received a free review copy of this book from NetGalley.

I really enjoyed reading Blue Madagascar by Andrew Kaplan. It's a very exciting novel involving government agents from the United States and France chasing down Russian assassins and French jewel thieves in a case involving the death of a US Presidential hopeful and secrets so vital and dangerous that they're worth hundreds of millions of dollars and could topple governments. This will make an even better movie than book and I certainly hope that happens. I'd love to see it.

Blue Madagascar starts off with two seemingly unrelated events. An armed jewelry heist in Paris that goes awry and ends with murder and in the Florida Keys, a governor apparently kills himself. It's quite a ride seeing these two high profile investigations led by Casey Ramirez in the US and Jean-Pierre Brochard in France merge into a globe trotting excursion involving murder, assassinations, sex trafficking, blackmail and even an affair or two. It's a lot of fun and while there's no sign that this is the start of a series--it should be.

There's a few things that were annoying to me but didn't interfere with enjoying the narrative or action. For one, the use of flashbacks seemed excessive especially in the first half of the book and two, the frequent references to Casey Ramirez's missing older sister became irritating. Pretty minor stuff. Also, Kaplan's depth of knowledge is demonstrated over and over in Blue Madagascar whether it's technical techniques in spy craft or French criminal slang or a dozen other things, you'll walk away from this book knowing a lot of new stuff.

This book just keeps you on toes and wanting to read more from start to finish. The front-runner candidate for the presidency commits suicide just days before Election Day. The rest of the book goes all over the world with other characters and side stories, how do they all relate? How do they relate to the political scene in the US and the suicide of a presidential candidate? This book has so many twists and turns it will make you dizzy, even though it seems like there too many side characters, this did not bother me.

Highly recommended thriller! Getting this at publishing!

Thanks to Netgalley, Andrew Kaplan and Smugglers Land Press in exchange for an honest review.

Available: 6/30/21

I received this book as an ARC and this is my review! Wow! This book is amazing! It roars out of the starting gate and never slows down. I loved this book - the characters are all wonderfully flawed and the story has twists and turns galore. The reader never knows what is coming next. This one has it all - spies, counter spies, patriots, a chase which touches most continents, and a puzzle which leads to the final answer. I had trouble putting this book down and I definitely was not ready for it to end. I totally recommend this story if you enjoy getting immersed in an imaginative, tough to figure out tale.

During a jewelry robbery, an American is killed and his identity triggers a series of clues that Special Agent Casey Ramirez will try to unravel.

This novel is an addictive thriller, full of action, mystery and characters with a lot of personality.
Andrew Kaplan manages to maintain tension without falling at any time.
Definitely a recommended book.

A fast paced, page turning adventure rich in twists, turns and suspense.
Days before the presidential election, the ‘shoo-in’ candidate becomes breaking news as he suddenly commits suicide. An American bystander is killed on the French Riviera during a botched jewelry heist. Special Agent Casey Ramirez; U.S. Homeland Security finds a clue about the dead American that takes her on a whirlwind course throughout Europe. What puzzle pieces could she put together? What secrets would be unraveled?
Andrew Kaplan blends these stories into an intricate plot that mesmerizes and captivates the reader. Skillfully written, this is the perfect thriller and a highly recommended read.
Thank you NetGalley, AndrewKaplan and Smugglers Lane Press for an ARCi in exchange for an honest book review.

Too many characters
Very little character development aside from cliches
Very long way to go to get the truth about what happens in chapter 1
Written more like the author wants it to be a new tv mini series

Fasten your seatbelt and get ready for a wild ride. Master storyteller Andrew Kaplan delivers a spin tingling, white knuckle spy thriller in Blue Madagascar. So many twists and turns, all combine in a novel that kept me entertained to the end.

The story begins when a presidential nominee, who is ahead in the polls on the cusp of the US election, commits suicide. Jumping back in time, we meet a Homeland Security Agent facing down the head of a Mexican cartel, then there's a botched jewel heist on the French Riviera where an American bystander is killed, triggering a worldwide hunt for secrets he left hidden. As the storylines converge, the adrenaline accelerates.

An excellent read! Thanks to NetGalley and the author for a chance to read an advance digital copy.

Blue Madagascar by Andrew Kaplan is a well-written and engrossing read with well developed characterizations. Well worth the time spent reading.

This was a surprisingly good read. There were so many times I just couldn’t put the book down. Imagine a roller coaster ride every few pages.
If you don’t know the author by now I guess you don’t cherish this genre or cable tv.
The plot was fast paced with numerous twists. Somehow the unimaginable become real. Great read

This one hooked me right away. It is a fast paced mystery thriller and an easy read. Thanks to Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book

a little confusing if you don't keep up. The moving from here to there and abundance of characters could sometimes confuse. But it is a good thriller

Fast-paced, intense, and dynamic describes this excellent novel by Andrew Kaplan. Blue Madagascar is a suspenseful thriller with so many twists and turns, all working perfectly to combine in a novel that keeps you entertained throughout. The story begins at election time, with a presidential hopeful on the cusp of a big win, but breaking news declares that the candidate has committed suicide. That’s the hook for the rest of the book. Why would a seemingly successful man commit suicide on the eve of an election he is slated to win? And what does a 5-second cell phone video of what they’re calling ‘the invisible woman’ have to do with it all? Add in a jewelry heist on the French Riviera where an American man is killed, triggering a worldwide hunt for something the man left behind. At first, you’re not quite sure how these disparate storylines are going to combine into one story. However, they do and the result is an excellent read! Thanks to Netgalley and the author for a chance to read this digital copy.

Blue Madagascar by Andrew Kaplan. A fast paced thriller adventure. It has everything! I really enjoyed this book. The plot was not what I expected! The opening chapter, grabbed you right in and you wanted to keep reading to find out what happens! Makes one wonder if things like this really go on in our government. Will recommend! Thanks for letting me review this book.

Interesting characters were brought into story with good build up and character background information.
.Story moved along at a nice pace

This is the first time reading a book by this author, so I didn't really know what to expect. I must say I really enjoyed this book. It was fast paced and easy to read. It kept my interest throughout. I highly recommend this book and will be looking for other books by this author.

Excellent mystery thriller, one of the best I have recently read.

In Blue Madagascar, during a botched jewel heist, an American is killed. This starts a worldwide hunt, but things are not so cut and dry as a candidate for the presidency in the US unexpectedly commits suicide.

Kaplan is definitely a master storyteller and this novel does not disappoint. It's full of twists and turns that leave you holding your breath.

Great job!