4.5 stars

I love finding authors I’ve never read before, and James R. Hannibal is the real deal!

The Paris Betrayal is a fast-paced spy thriller that hooked me from the start. The story follows Ben Calix, a skilled operative whose life spirals out of control after a mission in Rome goes wrong. Tasked with uncovering a deadly bioweapon, Ben barely escapes, only to return to Paris and find his world in ruins. Disavowed by his agency, cut off from all support, and hunted by unknown enemies, Ben’s situation couldn’t be worse.

The action is nonstop as Ben races across Europe to piece together the conspiracy against him. Along the way, he’s joined by a woman caught in his misfortune, and together they hunt down key figures from Ben’s past. But as he fights to stay ahead of his pursuers, he faces a terrifying reality: the agency’s mission to stop the bioweapon is moving forward without him, and a mysterious infection is spreading within him.

This book is a thrill ride, with breathtaking action in every chapter. Hannibal’s military intelligence background adds authenticity, and I appreciated the well-researched details, including fascinating info on the bubonic plague.

Though published in the Christian space, this novel is pure adrenaline-pumping espionage. If you’re a fan of high-stakes thrillers, hang on for the ride! 4.5 stars, rounded down to 4.

*The publisher provided a copy of the book for review. This is my opinion.

This was a very suspenseful story but too many characters for my liking so I did not finish it, I had a hard time following the action but that was probably just me because this was a step out of my usual genre.

The Paris Betrayal
by James R. Hannibal
Pub Date 04 May 2021 | Archive Date 19 Jun 2021
Revell
Christian


I am reviewing a copy of The Paris Betrayal through Revell and Netgalley:


Ben Calix a company spy, returns to Paris after rough mission in Rome involving the discovery of a devastating bioweapon. He finds his perfectly ordered world has collapsed. A sniper attack. An ambush. A call for help that brings French SWAT forces down on his head. Ben is out. This is a severance reserved for incompetents and traitors.



Ben and a woman swept up in his misfortunes must travel across Europe to find the sniper who tried to kill him, the medic who saved his life, the schoolmaster who trained him, and an upstart hacker from his former team. All the while searching for answers and anticipating a coming attack. More than that, Ben must come to grips with his own insignificance as the Company's plan to stop Leviathan from unleashing the bioweapon at any cost moves forward without him and he struggles against the infection that is swiftly claiming territory within his own body.


I give The Paris Betrayal five out of five stars!


Happy Reading!

The Paris Betrayal is a modern-day thriller written by James R. Hannibal.

Summary: Ben Calix is a spy. When his latest mission falls apart, Ben retreats home only to find his Company has abandoned him, his cover is blown, and he is being blamed for the death of a teammate.

He’s on his own, and on the run.

Can he figure out what is going on and clear his name? And can he stop the biggest global disaster of our time in the process?

My Thoughts: I wanted to like this book. It has the elements of a good thriller (chase scenes, destruction, danger), but I had a hard time getting into it.

I didn’t find the characters particularly interesting, so it was challenging to root for (or against) any of them. Also, I was able to figure some things out ahead of time pretty easily, so I am sure that didn’t help.

It felt like the book was trying to be Jason Bourne/Mission Impossible, but just didn’t quite get there for me, and I didn’t buy it as a story when it was all put together.

Oh well. Not every book is for every person, and this one wasn’t one of my favorites.

I would like to thank Revell for providing me with a free digital copy of this book in exchange for my review. Thank you!

I am a fan of James R. Hannibal after reading his Talia Inger Clandestine Service series. I adored both The Gryphon Heist and Chasing the White Lion! I went into this with high expectations and tons of excitement. This did not disappoint! I ended up giving this a 4.5 star rating. Hannibal's writing is easy to flow into and with such depth and description with use of military terms I always feel like I'm part of the action.

Ben is a cool man who has given his life up for his job just to be betrayed. Ben handled everything so well! It almost gave me Jason Bourne meets Gemini Man meets Jason Statham, I was hooked on him as a character! He wasn't just a military man, but a person that I could see in real life. A man who loved his job and was now hit with saving not just himself but those attached to him.

Action, drama, fast-pace. There is nothing that I could pin point that this lacked, but I wanted a bit more from the story. Overall, I love Hannibal's writing and will continue to read more from him!

This is a stunning novel of spies, espionage, and action! I felt like I was in the middle of The Bourne Identity while I read.
The hero of this story, Ben, has dedicated his entire life to working for one organization. Now, something's happened and it seems as though all his loyalty was for nothing, and the very same organization he gave up everything for has turned against him. He is determined to find out why.
There are so many twists and turns in this story, just as I thought I had begun to get things figured out, they went the other way. In some ways, this book almost has too much action, it is a bit hard to keep track of what all is happening.
Ben encounters various other people, some you want him to steer clear of, others....maybe it's ok to trust, but it all feels very unsure.
I found this to be a fun, action packed novel full of spying and all that goes with it.
Disclaimer: I receive complimentary books from various sources, including, publishers, publicists, authors, and/or NetGalley. I am not required to write a positive review, and have not received any compensation. The opinions shared here are my own entirely. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255

This one was enjoyable and kept me turning the pages. I am a fast fan of this author and have enjoyed reading the detailed and fast paced plots that he writes. This book kept me on my toes and I was happy with the conclusion!

When in the espionage realm, trust no one. Ben is about to set out on his most daring assignment yet and he must employ every bit of training to try and survive.
This is a very well written story that will keep you turning the pages until the end. A few unexpected turns along the way, may throw you off.
The plot does contain a theme of a deadly virus bio weapon. For some, it may be too soon post Covid-19 to deal with. The author does an admirable job of presenting a complete post pandemic world, but I struggled because so many facts and truths surrounding Covid 19 are still being exposed and brought to light.
Many fictional storylines and movie scripts are honestly not as far fetched as we’d like to believe.

The Paris Betrayal by James R. Hannibal is an intense spy novel from the very first page. This novel is the ultimate spy novel and it reads like a movie that you cannot stop watching. Don't start this book until you have time to read it in its entirety. I read a lot of thrillers, but I think this novel is a bit more intense than a thriller. I think readers that love classic spy movies and novels will absolutely love this book. It is full of so many twists and turns you won't be able to stop reading. I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher with no obligations. These opinions are entirely my own.

Opening in Rome and then moving to Paris, this novel is a feast of action-adventure, spy games, murder, intrigue, and chess-like strategy and a hint (but only a hint) of romance on a global table, and its protagonist, Ben Calix is the main dish, competent, likeable, and extremely dedicated to a job that doesn’t always offer positive rewards.

The initial sequence really sets the tone and pace for this novel, and I found myself breathless when the first chapter finally wound down. The rest of the book is slightly slower, but the fast pace works for this kind of story, and even the chapters are relatively short. Author Hannibal excels at giving the reader exactly what they need to know at any given moment. You never feel like you’re missing something, but there’s also very little filler.

I really appreciated the author’s personal experience and how he used it in addition to careful research to provide the level of detail in this novel. Every weapon was specified, for example. No one ever pointed a gun, they used a SIG or a Glock. That specificity really lets the reader immerse in this story. After finishing it, I had to remind myself that I wasn’t a spy and no one was targeting me! Then again, “…the most dangerous enemy is the one you don’t see coming.”

While Ben was the most completely drawn character in this story – and he seems to be as wonderful as he is ruthless – after all, he even saves a dog and continues working for the greater good even after the time in Rome finds him severed from The Company – Giselle was also vividly painted, and I enjoyed seeing a female agent in the mix. Of course it’s the bad guys who make a thriller, work as much as the good and they did not disappoint. The mooks were all menacing, and the bigger players were – as bad guys should be – convinced their point of view was the right one.

Overall, this novel is a gripping story with enough action, suspense, and spy tricks to please even the most ardent reader of espionage tales.

Goes well with steak au poivre and a nice merlot.

"The Paris Betrayal" is a suspense/thriller. It's published by Christian publisher, so I was confused that there were no references to God. The only mentions of faith involved faith in The Director, head of The Company that Ben works for, or in Jupiter, the bad guy leader. I couldn't understand how Ben's former teammates could be so naïve as to believe that a human (The Director) could never make a mistake. It wasn't until nearly the end that I realized that the story was based on Job from the Bible, so people were putting their faith in either God or Satan. Anyway, the desire to make this reflect the story of Job made the teammates reactions to Ben's situation seem odd or unrealistic when taken outside of that context.

The suspense was high as Ben was constantly on the move, trying to avoid arrest and survive attacks while also save the world. Both the good and bad guys had people harassing him. I liked that the female characters were competent and resourceful (even when not trained as spies). I wasn't at all surprised by the roles that Ben's girlfriend and Clara played, though I think it was meant to be a surprise. I appreciate that Ben treated the women respectfully. Ben was loyal and had a strong desire to help others, so he was easy to admire. There was no sex or bad language. Overall, I'd recommend this thriller.

This book was interesting. It was action packed, fast paced, and full of detail. I guess what I didn't like was the descriptions in the fight scenes. Ew. I skimmed most of them, as I didn't need every detail to know how it went down.

I liked both Ben and Clara, and was rooting for them. I wanted everything to work out. Ben is such a likable person! I wasn't sure, as I was reading, if this was a part of a series, as it seems there is back story with relationships, and events. I still don't know if it is part of a series.

I would definitely read more books from this author. I'm not sure the faith portions of the book were easy to discern. It didn't feel like a 'Christian' book to me- just a clean action story. So if you're looking for strong themes of biblical truth, you may be disappointed.

This was a fun read, and I would recommend it.

The Paris Betrayal by James R Hannibal started out with a bang. So much so that I started to wonder if I was in the middle of a series. I was with Ben as we were trying to figure out who we could trust and who we couldn’t. Who was going to be the ‘betrayer’?

Ben is trying to prove that he has not become a traitor. In the process he is fighting and fleeing both sides. I really liked Clara and was holding my breath to figure out which side she was going to land on.

James writes action that is larger than life. It will make you feel like you are watching a movie in your head. If you know James’ background you will understand how he is able to write so much action.

The author’s notes at the end of the book really brings the book home for me. I didn’t pick up on the biblical reference so it makes me want to read it again with that knowledge. And the author explains how he was almost done with the book when covid hit and how he had to tweak the book a little.

I recommend all of James’ books and this one is another keeper.


I received this book from Netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review.
You can see my full review at More Than a Review dot com where I rate the level of sex, violence, language and drug/alcohol use in books.

Action filled, funny, nail biter. Did I mention it was action filled? Fast pace and unique!! James is king of suspense and knows how to add crazy twists that will keep you hooked to the very end. Oh and I love that there's a dog in this story.

If I'm being honest, James R. Hannibal is one of those authors that I just haven't decided on how I feel about. Clearly, he's an award winning author for a good reason--- he's an excellent writer and fantastic story teller, creating these fantastic stories that are unique and entertaining. The Paris Betrayal was no different. It was wonderfully written, with loads of action from start to finish to keep the reader turning the pages right through to the very end.

Still, try as I may I just feel like I do not connect with his stories as well as I would like, as was the case with this one. I wanted to completely love it, but it just didn't connect with me. I'm not sure why this is... perhaps I just enjoy much more romance in my suspense. Again, I'm not sure. Either way, it was enjoyable just not as much as others in the genre. Still, if you enjoy an action packed story that will keep you at the edge of your seat, this is certainly one to check out.

**I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher for consideration. All thoughts are my own.

Wow. I am going to state up front, my review will not do justice to this action packed thriller that had me like the main character Ben, wondering who/what was true and real and what wasn't. I wasn't even sure if this is part of a series, or this was just a standalone. The novel started out with Ben on a mission with his teammates for the Company and obviously there was already relationships well established. But that doesn't really matter as I was yanked into the story and along with Ben on a seemingly wild ride.

If you like Jason Bourne or Mission Impossible movies this is a book that will really interest you. Plenty of action, danger, bio hazards (creepy), and the whole who can you trust and who can't you trust vibe throughout. The author also places this in our post pandemic world. This was the first time in fiction I read that so that was interesting. It made sense, especially in this world of spies and agents.

The author's notes in the end also shed an interesting light on this whole story. I don't know if you should read that first or last, but it certainly gave me a different perspective. Overall this is a book you don't want to miss.

I received a copy of this novel from the publisher. I was not required to post a positive review and all views and opinions are my own.

This novel started with a bang just like you want a spy thriller to start. Bullets flying, bad guys fleeing, good guys mission isn't as successful as planned and the fate of the world is in Ben Calix's hands. Plus, we get some inside tips from the 'How to be a Successful Spy Training Manual' (in italics) which I really enjoyed.

We're soon taken on a series of fast chases throughout Europe and Hannibal's descriptions of the various settings were tremendous in helping us feel we were in the scene. Having travelled a few times to Paris I particularly loved 'going back' especially to my favourite cathedral, Notre Dame, and to be taken inside while it's being repaired was a special treat.

The pace is relentless as Ben's mission keeps being thwarted by both the bad guys but also apparently by his employer who has 'set him afloat without a paddle'. The obstacles he confronts become increasingly dire especially as his support crew seem to have abandoned him or get seemingly eliminated.

In the background, we get a very cagey sense of the bad guys, a nefarious organisation dubbed Leviathan led by someone that goes by the moniker, Jupiter.

Surprisingly, I found after the first 100 or so pages I was struggling to stay interested. And this stayed with me for most of the novel which bothered me. As I would usually love this kind of story. By the end of the story I realised why I had this strange experience. Three reasons:

- I really wasn't that invested in Ben and his mission. I think all the action and obstacles denied Ben and the reader sufficient time to breathe so we could get to know the guy.
- the bad guys were too nebulous for me. They only appeared a handful of times in discreet conversations between Jupiter and his side kick, Terrance, so we really didn't get to know why they were doing what they planned.
- the supporting cast were many and only flitted in and out of the story for a short period so again we never invested in them. Ben has a love interest in Giselle and then Clara, and perhaps did a few years back for Tess, but we really never learn much about any of them. I really wanted to like Clara, in particular, and we get some insight into her when she gets to tell the story for a chapter or two, but it didn't continue to maintain my interest.

I thought the ending was clever as it surprised me. The author's note at the back gives some insight into the background behind Ben's development but it didn't quite gel for me.

Overall, this is a quality spy story and judging by the many other positive reviews is one that appeals to many people.

I received an early ebook copy from Revell via NetGalley with no expectation of a favourable review.

This spy thriller’s fast-paced action takes Ben Calix around Europe as he seeks to stop an evil plan and prove his own loyalty when he is accused of becoming a traitor. Attacks continue and it’s hard to know who can be trusted. He uncovers a plot for world control using a dangerous bioweapon, much worse than our current pandemic. This is the only current novel I’ve read that even mentions the covid virus, although in this story it’s in the past. I imagine when the author wrote this book he figured it wouldn’t be so bad and long-lasting. The book does contain more violence than I care to read about, but not graphic details. The characters and plot are quite believable but something I hope never really happens. I received a copy from the publisher. All opinions are my own. #TheParisBetrayal #NetGalley

ating 3,5 stars.

This story of spies and possible bio-weapons was interesting, at some times suspenseful and also intriguing. A few of the big plot twists I guessed before it was revealed.

One of my favourite scenes was between Ben and Dylan closer to the end. I enjoyed the banter between the characters and Ben's dry sense of humour. Action scenes was also written well.

This is a new to me author and I want to read more of his work because of his symbolism to the Bible in this novel and I would like to see if his other works are similar.

Now, if you don’t know your Bible stories, this will just be a good story. But what grabbed me at the end, was realizing who the Director and Jupiter represented and how Ben was created based on Job from the Bible. I was glad when this was confirmed in the author’s note at the end.

I do prefer my suspense/thrillers a bit more fast paced and nail-biting, and some of the jargon did go over my head a bit. However, a lot of readers rated this high and part of my lower rating might be that this is the third book this month I've read about a probably bio-weapon.

James is a former air force pilot and he says when he was training his instructor told his class that they were in essence spies. And that's how James began writing this spy thriller. After reading Ben - the main character's - story - I found it fascinating that this whole book was based on the biblical book of Job. After you get done with the book -- read James' story. I love when authors go into detail about their books.

I also love when I find a first chapter with a great ending -- one that makes me want to turn to Page 2 -- and you will find it here. James did a brilliant job with his first chapter.