Caspian Anderson, a former assassin known as Elias, always dreaded the day that agents would show up to make him face his past. At a dinner with his parents and girlfriend Liesel that day finally arrived, but it is his parents that they have come for. They own a large trucking firm that has unknowingly been used by foreign agents. His parents are cooperating with the government investigation and are being put in protective custody. He has little time to look into this before he and Liesel are sent on a mission in France to track Frank LaBelle, whose company is responsible for cutting edge defense technology. LaBelle is also being tracked by an agent working for the Chinese, who want him taken to China. Elias and his team are working under the radar in France. They are not only up against the Chinese, but also French Intelligence. They will have to work together and Caspian will have to use all of the skills learned as Elias to rescue LaBelle.

Simon Gervais once again keeps you on the edge of your seat as Elias and Lisel are involved in breathtaking chase scenes and battles. The two agents have a relationship built on trust, but an incident has put that trust in question. In the opening scenes Liesel was supposedly in Berlin, but Elias spotted her as he completed an unsanctioned personal assignment. Afraid to question her and destroy their relationship, it is her revelations at the conclusion that answered his questions and hints at things to come. The release of a Gervais thriller is always an event that I look forward to and I can not wait for Elias to return. I would like to thank NetGalley and Thomas Mercer Publishing for providing this book.

The Elias Enigma by Simon Gervais
Caspian Anderson #2

~ Fast-paced, action-packed, thriller with more than one country’s assets in play ~ Kept me guessing ~

What I liked:
* Caspian: bright, dedicated, professional, assassin, patriotic, a lot more to him than what is on the surface, fluent in languages, lethal, intriguing, rather taken with Liesel
* Liesel: German spy, attractive, bright, professional, lethal, fluent in languages, dedicated, patriotic, likes Caspian but wishes he was more exciting…little does she know ;)
* Edgar Augustin: Ex- Foreign Legion, independent contractor, distant from wife and son but still supporting them, might be an adrenaline junkie, intriguing, wouldn’t mind seeing him again
* Caspian and Liesel’s growing relationship…with a bit of a twist that has Caspian questioning what he saw but still fully trusting Liesel
* Meeting Caspian’s parents and finding out the situation they have found themselves in…and how it eventually was resolved
* That those with white, gray, or black hats were human and not invincible…and that some on the “right side” also had some darkness
* The plot, pacing, settings, and writing with the twist, turns, and red herrings
* That there will be another book in the future

What I didn’t like:
* Who and what I was meant not to like
* Hwang: spy for North Korea, money maker, embedded undercover, enjoys meting out pain, considers himself “good” at doing evil things, perhaps a narcissist
* Thinking about what was done to LaBelle as a means to steal his technology
* The indication that there is a “secret” group out there that will be battled in the future – this line is one that I find harder to relate to and tends to be less interesting to me than known bad guys that can be dealt with in a book or two.

Did I like this book? Yes
Would I read more in this series? If the plot appeals to me, yes

Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for the ARC – This is my honest review.

4 Stars

I love Simon Gervais books for the action and the story. Caspian Anderson, once a black-ops assassin known as Elias, now works for the Defense Clandestine Service. Seeing a familiar face while tying up loose ends overseas, he swears it’s his lover, Liesel Bergmann—a German spy.

This mystery hangs between them as they kick off a new mission together: to unravel a global criminal conspiracy, one that implicates Caspian’s own parents. Dispatched to France, they must track down rogue start-up founder Frank LaBelle before his cutting-edge defense tech falls into the wrong hands. But when Caspian’s team is compromised by friends and foes, he’s left with no one to trust but himself. And to complete the mission—and save the world—he has to become the deadly Elias again.

Picking up from the last book, Capisan is now working for a new agency. Along with Liesel who he has told her that he loves her. She works for a German spy agency but is also working with his new organization. This story takes place mostly in France, but they still travel around the globe if need be. A very exciting and full of suspense about who the bad people are and who are not. An excellent book.

The Elias Enigma by Simon Gervais had me on the edge of my seat the entire time.
The atmosphere and suspense that Gervais is able to build in this story is outstanding.
This was fantastic, I was so excited reading it and rushed through it in a few hours.

Caspian wants to be free of ties that bind him to his past and the eight years that he was fooled and lied to, but it's hard to trust and not to act as a lonely wolf. He and Liese will see themselves in the heart of a major drama involving his parents and their transport business. They'll fly to Europe and will chase the criminals that are linked to the case and will also unveil a major spy and conspiracy network. Fast-paced, with relatable and believable characters, The Elias Enigma is one of those books that keeps you guessing till the end. Loved it!
I thank the author, his publisher, and NetGalley for this ARC.

The Elias Enigma is a fast paced, action packed thriller that kept me hooked from the first chapter.
Caspian Anderson, once a deadly assassin known as Elias, is pulled back into the shadows when a new mission threatens everything he holds dear. I loved the mix of espionage, global politics, and covert operations. The story moves across exciting locations like France, Tunisia, and Kenya, adding to the international feel of the book.
Caspian’s inner conflict, trying to leave his past behind while protecting those he loves, adds depth to the character. His relationship with Liesel brings a personal element to all the action. There were plenty of twists and suspenseful moments that made it hard to put down. While a few plot points felt a little far fetched, the gripping pace and solid writing made up for it. I definitely recommend this to fans of military and spy thrillers.
Looking forward to read the next book in the series.
Very grateful to the publisher for my copy through NetGalley, opinions are my own

Caspian Anderson is keeping a new secret from his girlfriend, Liesel. If you haven't read book one in this series, stop reading this now and check out The Elias Network. Even though this can be read as a standalone, if you want to read book one, everything else here will be a huge spoiler for it.

Caspian goes after the woman who tried to kill Liesel and spots another woman in the vicinity that he is certain is Liesel even though she is supposed to be at home. However, he is supposed to be on a diving trip, not assassinating someone in Kenya. But before he can decide what to do, his parents are picked up by ATF. There is more to them than meets the eye as well. Caspian is pulled into a global drama involving foreign investors in American tech companies.

Caspian is a man trying to do the right thing. His background as an assassin gives him a particular set of skills, but he doesn't want to be used for nefarious purposes again. After living a life of lies for so long, he isn't quite sure how to be open with Liesel.

This is an action-packed thriller with lots of ties to real world situations. I enjoyed it and would recommend it to lovers of assassin/military thrillers.

Not family friendly due to profanity and violence.

Thanks to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer. I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Action Packed Thriller!

The Elias Enigma picks up from the first book in the series and builds the characters even more; looking forward to what comes next after the ending cliffhanger.

I really enjoyed the book and the pacing was well done even if there are a few things that seem implausible. It made for a good read and shouldn’t disappoint anyone who enjoys thrillers. Definitely check out this series!

Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read this in advance!

Assassins, spies, covert operations, and politics combine in Simon Gervais’s The Elias Enigma. Caspian Anderson, who was once an assassin known as Elias, now works for the Defense Clandestine Service. However, unfinished business leads him to glimpsing a familiar face. He believes it’s his partner in life and work, Liesel Bergmann, a German spy working as a liaison with his agency. This discovery is unresolved as a new mission is given to the team who are dispatched to Bordeaux, France. They need to track down a start-up founder, Frank LaBelle, before his defense technology falls into enemy hands. However, Caspian’s team is compromised and to complete the mission, he must become Elias once again.

As Caspian gets more comfortable in his new role and working with a team, he is learning more about himself and how to work with others. Despite being used to working alone, he still adapts to unforeseen situations quickly and creates plans with contingencies. Liesel has the ability to appear comfortable in any setting and is skilled at lying. The other characters did not have as much depth, but it seemed adequate for their roles.

The novel has aspects of espionage and political thrillers and has diverse settings that include Mornaguia, Tunisia; Washington D.C.; Portland, Maine; and Nairobi, Kenya; as well as Bordeaux, France and nearby areas. While most of the story is from Caspian’s point of view, it switches to other characters as well. The plot is multi-layered and complex with a narrative that is suspenseful and action-filled throughout. The author’s military and federal experiences are reflected in the well-crafted action scenes and the serious topics.

There is a strong sense of good versus evil throughout the novel. The story kept me engaged from the first chapter to its conclusion. The author does a great job of bringing together the various subplots into a cohesive tale. There are plenty of twists and a few surprises along the way. Themes include assassins, global politics and stakes, covert missions, relationships, loyalty, and more.

Overall, this book was suspenseful, riveting, fast-paced, and pulse-pounding. If you enjoy political and action thrillers with a strong lead character, then this may be the series for you. The combination of an entertaining story line and lots of action makes this an intoxicating novel. I am looking forward to reading the next book in the series. I can’t wait to read what happens in book three. Readers should be aware that this is the second book in the series which should be read in order.

Thomas and Mercer and Simon Gervais provided a complimentary digital ARC of this novel via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own. The publication date is currently set for July 08, 2025.

Simon Gervais is a former federal agent with extensive experience in military operations and law enforcement where he specialized in protective operations and counterterrorism. He has used his deep knowledge of the intelligence community to write more than a dozen popular espionage thrillers that have attracted a strong reader following.

His newest book is The Elias Enigma (Thomas & Mercer, 8 July 2025), the second book in his series about retired assassin Caspian Anderson and his girlfriend, German spy Liesl Bergmann, who has been temporarily assigned to support the Defense Clandestine Service, a well-hidden department of the United States. Anderson is being brought back into the organizational fold, which isn’t sitting all that well with him because he likes to operate as a lone agent.

Anderson has been assigned to follow small business and technology whiz Frank LaBelle, the founder of Scout Orbital, to France where LaBelle is meeting with representatives of a large organization that wants to acquire LaBelle’s latest invention. The United States is concerned about the political allegiance of the associates of the acquiring corporation and wants to keep the cutting-edge technology out of adversarial hands. Another group aligned with the purchasing company is determined to make sure the sale goes through. A third faction is shadowing LaBelle for reasons unclear to Anderson. When all three crowds converge in a hotel lobby at a business convention, things go boom.

In the meantime, Anderson’s parents, who quietly run a medium-sized trucking company in Maine, are taken into ATF custody for protection from gangsters who seem to have been using their trucks to transport ill-gotten goods. The crates and boxes were sent through two or three layers of intermediaries, and the Andersons had no way to know the contents were not as described on the bills of lading. When they accidentally found out, they reported the shipments to the authorities, putting themselves in danger.

Original plots, breakneck action, and authentic tradecraft make this title a winner. Fans of spy thrillers such as the Gray Man, Orphan X, Terminal List, Victor the Assassin, and Mitch Rapp series will want to add this new book to their reading lists.

The third book in the series is scheduled for publication in July 2026.

My bad again. I DNF the first book and should have realized that when I requested this one. It's implausible and over the top but I suspect adventure fans that aren't wedded to reality will enjoy it. Over to others.

Like the first book, this is a very well written book with an interesting plot, excellent characters, plausible action, and a very good pace. Entertaining and easy to read.

I received an ARC and I am voluntarily leaving an honest review.

The story then begins with Caspian in Kenya where he is on a mission to kill a person who has threatened to kill Liesel, Caspian's girlfriend. He gets the opportunity and is able to kill Dolores Araujo and while leaving believes that he sees Liesel who was supposedly in the U.S. After arriving back in Maine, he and Liesel are having dinner with Caspian's parents. Unexpectedly, the parents are taken by members of the ATF. Caspian later learns that they have been assisting the ATF and now their lives may be in danger. Soon after, Caspian and Liesel are meeting with Samantha Ranger, their boss. They are given a task to France and find out who Frank LaBelle, the founder of Scout Orbital, was meeting up with. It seems that they weren't the only ones doing the same thing. A certain incident happened which forced Caspian's team to abort.

Discover what the incident was, who else was interested in Frank, what events happened where it became dangerous. Learn why Frank was so important and once he disappeared, a great effort was made to find him. The ending will supl any answers that you had questions on.

This is definitely a book well worth reading!

Thank you to Netgalley for my first ARC, I was so excited to read the second installment in the Caspian Anderson series.

The Elias Enigma feels like you were dropped in the middle of an action movie, I was hooked from the first chapter. If you haven't read The Elias Network, read that first to get Caspian's back story. While this book stands on its own, some of the relationship dynamics will make more sense if you've read the first book.

This sequel keeps the action and adds a personal layer: Caspian’s mission suddenly intersects with his parents, who get pulled into the operation when they're detained by ATF—as part of a global criminal conspiracy that he and Leisel must unravel. Imagine you barely visited your parents during the pandemic to learn they've gotten themselves mixed up with cartels and the ATF. What his parents don't know is he was an assassin while they thought he was an interpreter for the United Nations, talk about family secrets!

If you like stories that read like an action movie—complete with assassins, shadowy missions, global stakes, and emotional tension—The Elias Enigma delivers. The pacing is tight, the stakes are high, and the moral gray zones will have you saying one more chapter until the sun comes up.

Book two, like The Elias Network, had me on edge of my seat with tension and anticipation. It is a
fast-paced intense novel that's incredibly hard to put down. Its very complex plot takes the reader to every corner of the globe on a real thrill ride! Fantastic!
#TheEliasEnigma by @SimonGervaisBooks #CaspianAndersonBk2 #ThomasandMercer #netgalley Pub Jul 08, 2025 ***** review #bookbub #goodreads #LibraryThing #storygraph
#internationalcrime #theeliasnetwork #actionAdventure #assassins #espionage #thriller #betrayal
#contemporary #spythriller #suspense #fastpace #riveting #unputdownable #conspiracy #family #blackops #internationalpolitics #Canadianauthor #formerRCMP #readmorebooks #relationships

There’s a reason a book appears each year with Simon Gervais’ name printed on the cover. This year there are two books, but as of now we are focusing on his first book with the sequel to 2024’s thrilling THE ELIAS NETWORK. The sequel book, THE ELIAS ENIGMA, Caspian Anderson has found himself slipping back into the Elias alias, the infamous international assassin with deadly skills and a side of charm.

What Gervais does so well is craft a smooth character that delves into the high-end world of espionage with plenty of deception. Continuing to play on the Mr. and Mrs. Smith vibes from the first book, we see Caspian have to navigate a concerning situation with his girlfriend Liesel Bergmann-former German spy, lover, and field partner. Caspian Anderson a.k.a. Elias is an incredible character with high-stakes that shift from espionage to love in an organic way.

On a covert assignment by his new employer, the Defense Clandestine Service working under Samantha Ranger’s command, Caspian finds himself concerned with a woman he spots in the field, is it Liesel or not. An unexpected surprise and something out of left field. When he returns home, Liesel covers her tracks he assumes and he is further met by a left turn as he discovers his parents in hot water with the DEA. Things further heat up as he discovers a bigger conspiracy and Caspian is left on his own unable to trust anyone. Caspian's last option is to resurrect his Elias alias and go to work.

THE ELIAS ENIGMA reads smooth and cool, a perfect summer read to escape the day-to-day monotony or even better under the sun on vacation. Simon Gervais writes engaging characters while crafting a genuinely thrilling story. The Elias series is Simon Gervais’ best work yet. Your time is rewarded reading due to Gervais. He crafts a thrilling story that is an enjoyable read, one I couldn’t put down until I finished. I absolutely recommend The Elias Enigma!

Five out of Five Stars!!

Thanks to Thomas & Mercer and to NetGalley for the advanced copy.

Simon Gervais picks up right where he left off in the Elias Network. Caspian and Liesel are now working together as part of a super secret government organization trying to save the world. You could say it's the same cookie cutter thriller plot, keep world-changing technology out of enemy hands, but Gervais has a way of setting himself apart from the rest. His character development is top-notch as is his picture painting ability.

I will say the side plot with the parents didn't feel impactful or fully integrated into the main story.

He left us wanting more with "We. Are. Everywhere."

The Elias Enigma, book 2 in the Elias saga, is a wild ride and it didn't disappoint. A whole lot of action, drama, and a bit more character development in the latest installment. Caspian and his wife/partner, Liesel are tasked with keeping new technology out of the bad guys hands. There are a lot of bad guys out there looking to get their hands on the tech and great action scenes ensue.
Thank you to Thomas & Mercer and NetGalley for the ARC of this awesome thriller. I highly recommend this book, but read The Elias Network before this one comes out in late July.

This was a very fun international thriller in the style of Bourne and Bond. The setup was a bit confusing (perhaps just because the ATF and smuggling rings are not something I've had reason to learn much about) but otherwise I really enjoyed it. The final scene was a great setup for the next book in the series, and I look forward to it!