This book starts out very interestingly as a bad group of people are going around posing as FBI and getting weapons, etc. to Muslims. These Muslims who currently live here, are only posting and ranting on Facebook. These people would not actually go and do what being was done if it wasn't for being supplied with the tools. They would go on carrying their rants to all who would hear. Until one day. . .

There is lots of crazy action going on in this book and I enjoyed it immensely. I sped right through in way wanting to put this book down. Alas, life around me does have to pull me back from now and then to reality. So, unfortunately, I was not able to read it in one sitting, but I still found it a very good read.

The scary part I felt while reading this book, this could actually happen. There could be some wannabe who would do anything to get to the top. A top, that in their egotistical minds, that was well deserved and should be given.

Huge thanks to Penguin Group Putnam and Net Galley for providing me with a free e-galley in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.

Published by G.P. Putnam's Sons on February 6, 2018

I didn’t think much of Alex Berenson’s first John Wells novel, but I’ve found his recent books to be surprisingly entertaining. The notion of a former Ranger who converted to Islam assures that the protagonist will stand out from the crowd of ex-Rangers who populate thrillers. The way the conversion came about is credible, and the character illustrates the truth that any religion can be used as a pretext for committing evil acts. A right-wing senator in The Deceivers who rails against Islam is uncomfortably familiar with his America First rhetoric, and just as much of a blowhard as all the ideologues who have kick-started their political careers by stirring up hatred and anger.

Gamal al-Masry has never done anything to suggest his interest in carrying out terrorist actions, other than to make Facebook comments that condemn America’s action in bombing his homeland. Gamal is radicalized by his cousin Shakir, a drug dealer who has little interest in politics or religion. Fearing that he is about to be sent to prison, Shakir agrees to set up Gamal in what he assumes will be an arrest prior to the execution of a bogus terrorist plot. The terrorist attack in Dallas that follows is not at all what Shakir expected.

Shakir isn’t the only person who is deceived. The villains in the story are not Islamic terrorists but manipulative Russians who are trying to divide America by stirring up hatred against Islam. That seems plausible in light of news stories about Russian deception and Russian attempts to sow chaos in American democracy that have dominated headlines over the past year. A Russian woman who pretends to love an unwanted veteran is instrumental in the second aspect of the Russian scheme. The veteran happens to be a skilled sniper.

Wells is tasked with getting to the bottom of the Dallas attack. To that end, he pursues leads to Ecuador, Columbia, and Mexico before he turns his attention to Montana and Texas. He’s joined by a CIA buddy and former Marine who made an appearance in The Prisoner. A certain amount of bureaucratic in-fighting involving Wells’ current and former CIA handlers adds another level of realism to the story.

The plot is clever and reasonably original. The Deceivers incorporates traditional spy novel intrigue into the plot, including an American mole who is passing valuable information to Russia, while adding intrigue in the Kremlin, taking the form of a power struggle. Russian President Fedin could easily be based on Putin. American President Duto, a former CIA agent, stands up to Russia, and is clearly not based on Trump. Berenson takes the time to create all of the important characters in full.

The story moves quickly, as a thriller should, but not mindlessly. Berenson brings enough depth to the subject matter to make The Deceivers a worthy entry in a series that keeps getting better.

RECOMMENDED

The Deceivers is the 12th book in the John Wells series. It stands alone well, however if you are a fan of the suspense thriller genre, its a strong series to read. I find Mr. Berenson's books entertaining and The Deceivers was an enjoyable read. The characters are familiar to me, but you might find them a bit two dimensional if you are reading the book as a stand alone. The premise is topical and interesting. I did feel the book seemed a bit rushed, which made the ending seem a bit abrupt. I still have questions, and I hope that they will be addressed in the next installment. The Deceivers isn't my favorite, but it is still a worthwhile read.

This is the 12th book in Alex Berenson's brilliant series about John Wells. This time around John Wells isn't a super prominent part of the story, and some of the parts he does take part in are some of the weakest of the book. Furthermore, the story builds up to a huge climax that in my humble opinion doesn't quite keep its promise (no spoilers here, don't worry!).
Having said that, I still think that the book is a blast that kept me thrilled and entertained most of the time. Wells is a very likable protagonist with flaws, bad decisions and principles that don't exactly always make things easier for himself.
Berenson takes his point of departure in current events, which makes the plot super relevant and believable, instead of just relying on a super hero who always knows the villains' next steps and thus out-smarts and out-fights them. That is a huge plus in my book.
Summing up: Four big stars, but I was borderline bored in the Latin American parts of the book and underwhelmed by the finish, which cost the last star this time around.

I have now read the first and last book in the series and found them about the same. There is not much improvement in the way of deeper insight, keener prose, or characters you cannot live without. But, it is a decent read for the genre, and would be a good airplane book. The plot was a reach but was interesting. The characters two dimensional and fun but you are not going to get attached to them.

If you think all the hoopla surrounding potential collusion by Russia to rig the 2016 election is even remotely horrifying, you really do need to read Alex Berenson’s take on Russian meddling.

Ahmed Shakir is a two-bit dealer in Dallas. Deals enough to get by and not get on anyone’s radar. Doesn’t love the life, but it works for him. He may be Muslim by birth, but he has little use for Islam. He does have a couple cousins who talk a big game, but that’s it. Ahmed gets cornered by the FBI. Told that if he helps the FBI nab his cousins, they will make all his drug-related crimes disappear.

Through his FBI contacts, Ahmed starts to egg on his cousins. Promises them guns and money. Arranges for firearms training. Even joins them at the mosque. A target is set. The American Airlines arena where the Dallas Mavericks play. A date is finalized. The FBI tells Ahmed to go ahead. A car for them will be parked close to the arena with all the tools needed. But don’t worry, says the FBI. The firing pins will all be removed. The cousins just need to open the truck and pull the rifles. The FBI will sweep in and stop the attack before it gets started.

But it all goes horribly wrong. The cousins grab the guns and start firing at the crowd coming to the game. Ahmed rushes to the trunk. The place for the spare tire is loaded with C4. Once the smoke settles, over 400 people had been killed. The worst terrorist attack since 9/11.

Post slaughter forensics reveals little. President Duto calls in his own ‘police force’, John Wells and John's long-time CIA contact, Ellis Shafer. While John and Ellis remain CIA tight, ex-DCI Duto isn’t part of this little inner circle (see some of Berenson’s recent books for that backstory). Wells wants to dig into the Dallas bombing, but Duto sends Wells off to Colombia to try and track the drugs Ahmed was dealing.

Tom Miller, a former Army sniper, two tours in Afghanistan, post head injury, some PTSD, and 60% disability lives in nowhere western Washington. He’s in a bar and steps in when he sees a couple former army officers hassle a woman, Allie. She has her own issues having been sexually assaulted as a young girl, but she is grateful for what Tom did for her. Over the coming weeks, this chance meeting turns romantic.

The trail Duto put Wells on doesn’t quite go as planned, sending Wells into Colombia, then to Quito, Ecuador, back to Dallas, then Mexico City tracking money that gradually begins to smell suspiciously Russian. If what he is finding is true, the Russians are out for far more than anyone thought possible.

As the relationship between Allie and Tom grows, she opens about her history and convinces Tom to help her settle some scores. They hit the road to use Tom’s sniper skills.

The FBI are still stumbling in their attempts to work the Dallas bombing case. Wells may have started looking at the drugs supplied to Ahmed, he veers off and comes to realize Miller is behind a couple recent sniper kills. Only Wells and Shafer seem to believe the two are connected. And it’s up to them to stop the next kill, this time it's Duto’s nemesis in the Senate and likely opponent in the next election.

This is the 12th John Wells series from Berenson. While I still think #1 (The Faithful Spy) was the best of the bunch, from #2 and onward, each is better than the previous. The Deceivers, however, differs from previous John Wells adventures. In previous books, Wells sets of for some of the world’s most dangerous locations to face off with a few dozen jihadi fanatics and take them down hard. A high body count was one of the hallmarks of Wells’ presence. This book is more of a police investigation and less brute muscle and a few thousand bullet casings. We watch Wells track clues from one source to the next and next with little of what Wells normally leaves in his wake. Good investigatory police work, that’s what this is.

But it’s no less riveting. Body count is not correlated with enjoyment. Just be prepared to devote a couple long days without disturbance. Trust me, you won’t want to be distracted.


Available Feb 6, 2018. Thanks to Netgalley for the advance copy.

The Deceivers by Alex Berenson features John Wells> When this book begins he has become a former CIA agent. It seems that even though has a three year old child and another on the way he returns to work to help a US president who he doesn't even like. His work is dangerous but he goes in looking for Russian agents and hired killers.
IThe book is interesting ut I wish more time had been spent on Wells and developing his character as a parent, lover and ex CIA agent.

I really enjoyed this book. It was an entertaining read with a well-devised plot that kept me interested until the very end. Strong character development and lots of twists and turns.

I highly recommend this book. Thanks to G.P. Putnam’s Sons and NetGalley for the ARC of this book.

A book that could be ripped out of today's headlines! What if the Russians, in an attempt to control the American Presidential election, committed some terrorist acts here, and made it look like it was done by Islamic (and other) terrorists? Super fast moving. Lots of action. Good character development, with believable characters. As believable as most of this genre. The ending was rather rushed, I would have preferred a bit more closure. But, it sets up the next book well. Give it a try!