The Spy Coast is a well crafted story about retired CIA agents who have their quiet lives disrupted when one of them receives threats from “before”. These former agents work together showing their use of resources and exposing their vulnerabilities.

Maggie is 60 years old, retired and lives a quiet life in Maine. She cares for her chickens and has plans for the farm she bought. She has some good friends and neighbors, but her past keeps her from getting too close to anyone. It’s something she prefers not to dwell on, but it seems that the past isn’t quite done with Maggie yet.
You see Maggie was a spy, until somehow, her final mission went horribly horribly wrong. We learn about Maggie in the past, and in the present, when a dead body is dumped in her driveway. Yep, the past has a long reach, and soon Maggie and some of her friends (also ex spies) are trying to figure out who could possibly want Maggie dead.
My favorite chapters detailed Maggie’s past, and I felt so bad for the way her career and life as she knew it ended. One of the most interesting things about Purity,Maine where Maggie lives is the fact that it attracted some other ex-spies from her past. I learned a little about Maggie’s crew a/k/a The Martini Club, but I would assume their pasts would be further detailed in future books. There was also a local cop, Jo, who was trying to figure out who these elderly people were, and what kind of trouble they had brought to Purity. I’ll be curious to see if they form a tighter bond in future books. I really enjoyed the story though there was one person from Maggie’s past who I wished had made it to her present.

This is a very exciting beginning to a new series, The Martini Club, from the Rizzoli and Isles author. Instead of a medical drama, we have an international political thriller. Maggie and some of her old CIA buddies have all retired to a small Maine town, where they are living relaxed and quiet lives, until a dead body appears on Maggie's driveway. Maggie's past from 20+ years ago comes back to haunt her as she strives to protect both her new and old friends. The story goes back and forth between the past and the present very smoothly. I really like these new characters, especially Maggie, and look forward to reading more about them in future books, skillfully written by this very talented author. Thanks to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for providing an ARC.

It's been quite a while since I read a book that I had trouble separating myself from. The story--the characters--everything about this book is a winner in my opinion. I'd love to see this become a television series like her Rizzoli and Isles series was.

What a great idea to have a group of retired spies come together to support a member in their midst who is facing some major backlash from events in the past. I loved all the characters! The descriptions as well as mannerisms and conversation brought them to life for me. I would love to meet them in real life because I feel as if I know them already!

The settings are so well done I can almost smell the foods as they are described and feel what it's like to be in certain climates. Moreover, the action! There is plenty of suspense that made me nervous for the people in this book.

The only con is that this is book 1 of 2. I could read about these characters and their adventures for years to come. Please keep them coming!

A fun, rollicking spy story with retired federal agents - what could possibly go wrong! This is a good story with plenty of twists and turns - some I saw coming, others - woah! The writing was crisp, descriptive, and woven throughout with great locations and personal interactions. I sincerely hope the next book in this series arrives soon as I can't wait for more adventures of the Martini "Book" club. Many thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for my review.

Maggie Bird is a woman quietly living out her sixties in comfortable retirement, raising chickens on a farm in the small town of Purity, Maine. Her biggest day-to-day concerns are what to do about foxes stealing her hens, and how to help her grouchy older neighbor and his endearing teenage granddaughter Callie, who’s taken quite a shine to the only maternal figure in the younger woman’s life.

But when a stranger shows up on Maggie’s doorstep one day, her hard-won tranquility is shattered by an unwelcome name from the past:

QUOTE
“Diana is in trouble?” I laugh. “Yeah, that’s a given. But she’s a survivor and she’s perfectly capable of looking out for herself. Now, if that’s all you came to ask, it’s time for you to leave[.”]

Bianca finally steps [out] onto the porch, then turns to look at me. “Help us find her, Maggie. You must know where she’s gone. You worked together.”

“Sixteen years ago.”

“Still, you probably know her better than anyone.”

“Yeah, you’re right. I probably do. That’s why I don’t give a fuck what happens to her,” I say, and close the door in her face.
END QUOTE

Sixteen years ago, the seemingly nondescript Maggie had worked undercover for the CIA. Diana had been her team lead in an operation to flush out a covert Russian asset deeply embedded in British high society. Maggie had risked everything, including her marriage and her life, to uncover the agent codenamed Cyrano. She’d been contemplating retirement even before the operation, but agreed to one final assignment out of a genuine belief in helping her country fight for freedom and peace. In exchange for her sacrifice, Diana destroyed her.

Almost two decades on and retired from service, the last thing Maggie wants is to assist the woman she blames for her losses. But when a dead body shows up on her doorstep, she knows she’s getting sucked into the hunt whether she wants to be or otherwise. Fortunately, she has allies. She didn’t choose Purity at random, after all: some of her closest friends from her former life have also chosen to retire here, touting the town’s quiet and stability as a welcome change from their own prior turbulent existences.

These friends are more than happy to help Maggie get out of trouble once more, even before she asks. To her surprise, a simple potluck dinner turns into something much larger:

QUOTE
“That’ll be Ingrid and Lloyd,” says Declan. He leaves the kitchen to answer the door.

“You told them what happened?” I ask Ben.

“Of course. We’re all on the same team here, and we need all hands on deck. It’ll be like old times.”

“Why do you sound like you’re enjoying this?”

“Frankly, retirement hasn’t been much fun for any of us. This gives us a chance to see if we’ve still got what it takes. It’s good to feel useful again. Back in the game, so to speak.”

“I <i>am</i> the game this time.”
END QUOTE

Her understandable irritation at their flippancy regardless, Maggie is happy to have allies, even when their desire to help necessitates that she confront painful truths about her own past. And what will they all do about the tenacious local chief of police Jo Thibodeau, who is smart enough to see past their excuses as they attempt to handle solving the murder themselves?

This spy thriller moves back and forth in time and place as Maggie unwraps the many layers of protection she’s put between herself and the events that precipitated her retirement from the CIA. It’s a solemn tale of grief and regret, leavened slightly by the camaraderie of the Martini Club, as Maggie terms her group of friends when challenged as to what they’re doing by a chagrined Thibodeau. The plot is as layered and smart as readers have come to expect from best-selling author Tess Gerritsen. I’m looking forward to reading more of the series, especially if future books delve into the backstory of Maggie’s fellow spy, the charming and enigmatic Declan Rose.

A small town in Maine and five retirees. They come from diverse backgrounds, between them they have myriad of unusual skills. They are friends who share potluck suppers and have a bookclub and then one day the past pays one of them a visit and their skills of the past are needed once again.. I thoroughly enjoyed this novel, Maggie, Declan, Ben, Ingrid, Lloyd and acting police chief Jo Thiebou are wonderful well rounded characters and had me rooting for them. The twists and turns, the skills needed to live duplicitous lives opened a new world. Life really does round out your character and do you really know who your neighbours are?

“This new generation looks only to the future, with little regard for the past and what it could teach them. What we could teach them.”

Former spy Maggie Bird is living her best retired life on a farm in Purity, Maine. But when a dead body turns up in Maggie’s driveway, she worries that her quiet life in Maine is about to be turned on its head as ghosts from her past resurface.

I got sucked into this book from the first page and before I knew it multiple hours had passed and I was halfway through it! That is how you know a book is good, when it makes reality fade away and time cease to exist in your mind. This book is fast paced and utterly engrossing! I loved that there were some real villains that you love to hate but also the most honorable characters as well. 10/10 recommend!!

“When you live in a world of mirrors, the truth is always distorted. Too often, it’s what we choose to see, while ignoring all the inconvenient bits, the nagging details that distort our view.”

Thank you to @tess.gerritsen, @amazonpublishing, and @mbc_books for the #gifted copy.

As usual, another fantastic read by Tess Garritsen. She is consistently a great author. This was full of tension and twists. And expertly delivered. Fabulous characters! So many great things about this book!
Thank you NetGalley and Tess Gerritsen for the opportunity to read and review this book.

I preferred the story as I went on. The beginning of the book was a bit complicated. I liked the main character and the premise of the book. I would rate 3.5 stars because of the clunky beginning which made it a little hard to get into and confusing. Also, I’m a fan of Rizzoli and Isles so I may be biased in favor of that.
The author makes effective use of different settings which I enjoyed. I particularly liked the Thailand setting.
This is the first book in a series, so my thinking is that the author is spending more time introducing the different characters, which may account for a bit of choppiness at the start. I am interested and would definitely read further on to see what happens in the next book.

The Spy Coast
Maggie lived happily on Blackberry Farm in coastal Purity, Maine. She and her friends, Declan, Lloyd, Ingrid and Ben, were all retired CIA operatives. They settled in that small town because they wanted to have an uneventful retirement. They called themselves the Martini Club and socialized together often.
However that all changed when Maggie came home to find a woman in her farmhouse. That woman, Bianca claimed to be from the CIA and asked Maggie for her help finding another former CIA operative who was missing. She also told Maggie that there had been a security breach at the CIA. Classified information about an operation that Maggie had worked on 16 years ago had been accessed. Maggie refused to help. A few days later Bianca’s dead body was left on the driveway at Blueberry Farm.
Acting Police Chief, Jo Thibodeau, became suspicious of Maggie and her other retired friends and their connection to the murdered woman. The Martini club members did not offer any information but began their own investigation. It quickly became obvious that the Martini Club members were doing a better job at finding the murders than Jo.
Maggie eventually realized that she must return to one of her past assignments to find out why she was being targeted.
There were trips to Bangkok, Istanbul, Malta and London by Maggie and some of her friends before the matter could be settled.
This is a fast paced book that will keep the reader in suspense till the very end. I enjoyed it. The author stated that she lives in a town in Maine similar to Purity. Her husband, a local doctor, learned that several of the local residents were former CIA spies. This information inspired her to write this book.
I received this ARC from the publisher and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

The Spy Coast is the first book in The Martini Club series. This is a wonderful start to a fascinating new series.

Maggie Bird lives in the seaside village of Purity, Maine. She retired years ago and moved around until a former co-worker reached out to her about moving to this quiet paradise.

A visitor shows up looking for a woman she used to work with, Maggie becomes alarmed but doesn't let on. The visitor later turns up dead in Maggie's driveway while she is at a book club meeting.

After her friends hear the news, they rally to help her. But Maggie realizes someone from her past wants her dead and she will need to go on the run, in order to find out why. Maggie turns to her old friends who all just happen to be retirees from the CIA.

Purity’s acting police chief, Jo Thibodeau becomes annoyed from the interference of the book club group. Jo suspects there is more to Maggie and her neighbors than they reveal.

This was a fun book to read. The old crew shows that they still have some tricks up their sleeves. Highly entertaining, and worth reading this new series.

While I was sucked into the story right away, it took quite awhile before I felt I understood who the main character actually was. Maggie isn’t strong enough of a character to have been given the leading role… she’s kind of boring. I also don’t really understand why we had Jo’s POV. Her chapters could have been cut out and we wouldn’t have noticed the absence. The only reason I could come up with as to why they exist at all is perhaps she’s going to be more prominent later in this new series.

Regardless, I still enjoyed the ride and I will continue on with the series. I enjoyed the banter of Maggie’s martini club buddies.

The Spy Coast is too good to relate any detailed summary or spoilers. I am pretty good at solving mysteries, but it took a long while to figure out how this novel was going to end.

Tess Gerritsen is an accomplished writer, and it is that talent and experience that makes The Spy Coast such a compelling narrative. Gerritsen knows how to write characters, and once again, she does so exceptionally well. Readers will find ways to connect with every character. I could visualize every named character, based both on their behavior and also based on how other characters interact with any given character. Gerritsen uses nearly every possible theme or motif available to an accomplished writer. She includes love, romance, loss, fear, murder, and so many others that I cannot list all of them. I left likability off that list, but that is a given with a book that cannot be put down. The riviting narrative and characters will keep readers reading long after they should be asleep.

In her author's note at the end of the book, Gerritsen mentions that creating a spy who is not a James Bond lookalike was inspired by her own small village filled with retirees, who were not always what that appeared to be. I really enjoyed this novel and recommend it. It is always nice to have a hero who looks like me and also has chickens.

Thank you to the author, Gerritsen, and to publishers, Thomas & Mercer, and to NetGalley for making this ARC available to read and review. This was an easy review to write. I am recommending it for my book club, fellow mystery/murder addicts.

The Spy Coast is a novel about an ex-CIA operative named Maggie living the simple life on a farm in small town Maine. The book has 2 POVs, Maggie and Jo, the local acting police chief. When a body turns up on Maggie’s property, she’s forced to look back on her career with the CIA in order to figure out why someone’s targeting her. I really enjoyed the first half of the book, in the current time frame with both POV’s. But the second half lost me in Maggie’s past and Jo’s POV falls off to the wayside. There’s potential there but it didn’t stay consistent and I won’t be continuing on with the series.

I'm truly excited to talk about this author because their writing resonated with me on a deep level. Their expertise in describing the human body is awe-inspiring, and the way they crafted the espionage and dual timeline elements in the story kept me engaged throughout.

At first, the portrayal of human cruelty saddened me, highlighting the harsh realities we often face. Yet, amidst the sadness, the story took a hopeful turn. The characters, with all their flaws and vulnerabilities, showcased the incredible strength of unity and kindness. This shift in the narrative touched my heart.

The emotional journey this book took me on was both poignant and uplifting. While the beginning was challenging, the story's evolution captivated me entirely. I appreciate the author's ability to evoke such strong emotions, and I'm glad I continued reading. This book ended up being a deeply moving experience, reminding me of the power of resilience and compassion.

It has been such a long time since I picked up a CIA thriller and The Spy Coast was an incredible reminder of how awesome this sub-genre can be when written well! I haven't had the pleasure of reading anything by this author until now, and ran immediately to my TBR to find another title by Tess that has been buried for too long.

I loved these characters and the back and forth timelines. It made this book so fast paced and very engaging. Maggie is an absolute badass too, though I preferred reading about her story "in the past." The remaining secondary characters also add a lot of fun to the plot. Will we see a budding late in life romance for 2 of them? 😏

When I did not see the ending coming, I mean I DID NOT SEE THE ENDING COMING. It was so good and what a twist!!! This book is begging to be part of a series and we're left with a bit of a cliffhanger, so we shall see where this one goes.

The Spy Coast by Tess Gerritsen is a very highly recommended, excellent spy thriller and the first book in a new series featuring a group of retired CIA operatives living in Purity, Maine.

Maggie Bird, 60, retired from the CIA sixteen years ago and now considers herself a chicken farmer. She enjoys her quiet life on Blackberry Farm and the book club/martini club she attends with a group of long time friends who are also retired. When a mysterious woman who shows up asking about a former associate is later found dead in Maggie's driveway, it's clearly a message and threat. Maggie's friends are quick to jump in to help her with their special skills. Acting police chief, Jo Thibodeau, however, is puzzled by this group of senior citizens who are competently conducting their own investigation.

The narrative alternates between the past and the present in Maggie's life and told through the point-of-view of Maggie or Jo. Although the story moves around in time, it is very easy to follow and readers will know which character is the focus. The main story concerns Maggie and her life. Maggie is a fully realized, well-developed character and she will immediately garner your support and sympathy

Everything about The Spy Coast is excellent, the writing, plot, and characters, and represents the start of a wonderful new series that I will most definitely follow. The Martini Club is composed of likeable, skilled former CIA agents who may be retired seniors but are still intelligent and capable. The pages flew by in this entertaining, fast-paced, and engaging novel. The ending was a complete surprise.

Disclosure: My review copy was courtesy of Thomas & Mercer via NetGalley.
The review will be published on Barnes & Noble, Book Browse, Edelweiss, X, and Amazon.

This book kept me involved/interested, but some of the story felt a bit..absent. A possible love interest that suddenly appears in the end and ultimately gets no resolution, a hesitancy to trust the former employee that isn't fully explained/developed, and a group of former coworkers that are clearly very tight, but also didn't work together for very long, many years ago? Ultimately, I finished the book, so I'd give it a 3.5.

Tess Gerritsen is a prolific author known for writing quality thrillers and giving readers the fan favorite Rizzoli and Isles series. But I do believe she has outdone herself in THE SPY COAST. The story line is brilliant! A retired CIA agent and her circle of friends that are just trying to live under the radar of those who might be looking for them. They call themselves "The Martini Club". Thinking this group of retired....old, but not as old as you think....friends have lost their skills is a mistake their enemies will only make once. If you've watched any of the RED or EXPENDABLES movies, you would have an idea of the tone of this book. But Gerritsen has her own style and these characters will keep you entertained as they work together to defeat this first wave of old enemies. We can hope that this is not a stand alone book but the beginning of a series I'll be happy to read.