This book drew me in immediately. The first few chapters are interesting and set up what one expects to be a great story with excellent characters. But very soon it fizzles out under the weight of flashbacks, the relentless plotting, and just too many characters. The plot points are fairly engaging although wild and stretch credibility.

Also, for being one of the best agents in the world he seems to miss a lot and says "I should have seen that..." or something like this way too often. Also a few too many coincidences, and convenient solutions.

If the flashbacks could be limited, it would have felt like watching a high budget action thriller, a quick read.

3 stars is what I would give it.

This could be the best espionage thriller I have ever read: sophisticated, complex, relevant, fast-paced, emotionally and culturally layered, and frighteningly plausible. Need I go on? Read it.

Pilgrim is a retired CIA operative who had written a book on crime solving. A detective who has read Pilgrim's book, is stuck with what seems like a hopeless murder case and manages to draw Pilgrim out of retirement. An excellent thriller with characters fully developed. You won't be able to put this one down.