Name of Book: The Spy Coast
Series: The Martini Club #1
Author: Tess Gerritsen
Genre: Mystery/Thriller
Publisher: Thomas & Mercer
Pub Date: November 1, 2023
My Rating: 3.4 stars
Pages: 341

Maggie Bird is now sixty and has retired to Purity, Maine, and a small seaside town. (Hmmm perhaps somewhat like Cabot Cove, Maine from “Murder She Wrote” fame.
Although we Californian’s know it was filmed in Mendocino, CA!
Sorry I had to mention that as we do we do have some great seaside villages!)
Okay back to story~ Several other retired CIA officers have already retired there and are busy doing retirement things- gardening, raising chickens, and reading books for their’ Martini Club’ –book club gathering
(My book club - ‘Reading Between the Wines’ preferred wine.-However we never got into dealing with ‘real’ mysteries as the “Martini Club”’)
This group doesn’t tell anyone they're ex-Agency - once a secret agent, always a secret agent
Sure enough someone dumps a dead body on Maggie's driveway.

The body is Bianca Miskova, who just happened to visit Maggie recently. Bianca said she was a CIA agent and asked about Diana Ward, who is now an ex-CIA; but had worked with Maggie ages ago. Maggie hasn’t had any recent contact. - Maggie explains “Diana "turned me into a traitor."

Purity’s acting police chief; Jo Thibodeau is tough but more accustomed to rowdy tourists than murder investigations is somewhat puzzled by Maggie’s reluctance to share information—also by her circle of friends, who seem to be a step ahead of her.

Sure enough Acting Police Chief Jo’s investigation collides with the Martini Club’s maneuvers,

Yikes! I had high hopes for the story. I was expecting more from the “Martini Club – you know like the “Thursday Murder Club”? Okay that’s been done but it is successful and why not something similar but with the great Gerritsen touch?

Yes! I was expecting more out of this.
These characters were only okay. I hope since this is first in the series that it will go in another direction in Book #2!
I will read next in this series as I love Tess Gerritsen!!

I have read all the stories in the ‘Rizzoli & Isles’ series.
This is my twenty-sixth Tess Gerritsen novel.

I love her stories and call myself a fan!😊
However – this is the very first time the story didn't live up to my expectation. 😥

Want to thank NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for this eGalley.
Publishing Release Date scheduled for November 1, 2023.

This was a fun and action packed spy thriller. I greatly enjoyed the group of retired spies and their adventures. Looking forward to the next book in the series

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/131068071

A great start to a new series. This book started off with a bang and didn't let up all the way through. I loved the setti g and all the twists the story gave me. Looking forward to the next in the series. My thanks to netgalley and the publishers for giving me the opportunity to read this book in return for an honest review.

I am pretty sure I've read every Tess Gerritsen book there is, so I was delighted to have the opportunity to read this one. I think that it is my favorite of all she's written and I hope that it will be a series!
What happens to old spies? What do they do after they retire? Gerritsen accidentally (in real life!) gets a look at a few of them and if you're of retirement age, you'll appreciate the way she addresses retirement as she skillfully puts together a great spy story. I loved the setting and the characters. I just want more and more of Maggie and her Martini Club!

Thank you to NetGalley for an advance copy of this book. It's an absolute winner!

Incredible spy mystery thriller. I absolutely loved it.

I'd love to jump in and live in Maine all year round and have the Martini club as my neighbors. The characters are just too perfect, elderly retired CIA agents just trying to retire, yet they could teach us all some lessons. Of course they still enjoy dabbling in any crime they hear about it's just in their nature to be curious and protective.

Age is just a number, we're still the same inside with a bit of aches, pains etc. Captivating writing and very enjoyable read.

"The Spy Coast" by Tess Gerritsen is a gripping thriller that unfolds in the picturesque seaside village of Purity, Maine. The story revolves around Maggie Bird, a retired CIA operative seeking solace and anonymity after a mission gone wrong. Living on her chicken farm, Maggie hopes to leave the shadows of her past behind.

However, the tranquility of Purity is shattered when a body is discovered in Maggie's driveway, serving as a grim message from her past adversaries. Faced with the threat of danger, Maggie turns to her local network of friends, all retired CIA operatives like herself, forming a group known as the "Martini Club." Despite their retirement, these former spies bring a wealth of skills to the table, determined to uncover the truth behind the attempts on Maggie's life.

The story gains complexity with the involvement of Jo Thibodeau, the acting police chief of Purity, who finds herself entangled in Maggie's mysterious past. As Jo investigates, she encounters the Martini Club's clandestine maneuvers, creating a dynamic interplay between the retired spies and the local authorities.

The narrative weaves together present-day intrigue with Maggie's past life as a globetrotting operative. From Bangkok to Istanbul, London to Malta, Maggie's journey takes readers on a thrilling ride through the world of espionage.

Tess Gerritsen skillfully combines suspense, mystery, and elements of espionage, creating a narrative that keeps readers on the edge of their seats. "The Spy Coast" promises an engaging exploration of Maggie's complex history and the challenges she faces in protecting the life she has built. With its blend of action, suspense, and a touch of local charm, this novel is likely to captivate fans of the thriller genre.

I've enjoyed other books by Gerritsen, but this one is a bit different. I haven't read a lot of spy stories, so I wasn't quite sure what to expect. I did like the characters and setting. However, I never really felt a connection to the characters. Things felt a bit too chaotic, so plot point connections weren't as clear as I'd have liked. A tighter edit may have helped with this. I'd expected a bit more mystery. I'm not sure if I'll check out future books in this series.

If you, like me, were instantly reminded of the Thursday Murder Club when reading the blurb and now want to know if these books are similar. They aren't. The only thing these books have in common is that the main cast is a bunch of old people.

We follow Maggie and her group of friends, all retired CIA agents now living in the same small town in Maine. One day a body get's dumped in Maggie's driveway and it seems like her CIA past is catching up with her. She and her group of friends set out to figure out what is going on.

Except half the book takes place in the past, and in the present they mostly talk at the kitchen table.

This book isn't very mysterious or thrilling, but if you really like spy stories I would still recommend this to you.

If less of the book had taken place in the past if would have enjoyed this a whole lot more. I will be keeping an eye out for the reviews on the next book, if they have similar complaints I will not be continuing. I did enjoy Jo's character and I would have enjoyed even more if she had a bigger role.

The Spy Coast is a complex spy story about a group of retired spies in Maine, a cop, and an operation that is coming back to haunt them 16 years later. Maggie is living a quiet life in Maine when suddenly a dead body appears in her drive way. She gets together with her colleagues and they try to piece together what happened and how it relates to their spy days.

I want to start off by saying that this is not a bad book but I am not the biggest fan of spy stories. I think people who like spy stories will like this one. I liked the characters and the story was interesting. I liked how the setting was all over the world. I liked the friendships between the characters, this story reminded me of Killers of a Certain Age and The Thursday Murder Club. However, I did not like it as much as those because I didn’t feel connected to the characters.

I feel like I had a hard time connecting with the characters and there was a lot going on. Everything felt a bit jumbled and it was hard to see the connections between everything. I think maybe it could have been a bit shorter and a bit less complicated.

This book was a good spy book but not my favorite. I think people who are looking for this kind of book will love it. Thanks so much to netgalley and Thomas & Mercer for the arc of this book in exchange for an honest review!

I was given this book by NetGalley for an honest review-
I have loved every Tess Gerritsen book so was so excited to get to read this one. Once again she writes a winner!
They said someone was following her Diana chops her hair, grabs hair dye and glasses and runs.
Maggie, CIA retired in Maine on her chicken farm. Life is good until she finds a dead body in her driveway. Is this because of her last mission? Maggie must jump back into her role to find the answers. And all she wants is to get back to her life. And what a dangerous mission she begins!

The Spy Coast introduces an intriguing set of retired spies and the tenacious police chief who must deal with them when the past comes calling. Maggie Bird retired from the CIA and moved to Purity, Maine to raise chickens. A mysterious woman shows up wanting to know where someone from Maggie's old life is. The same woman’s body is tossed from a dark SUV into Maggie’s driveway. While the police investigate, Maggie and her fellow CIA retirees delve into Maggie’s last big mission as the past seems to return like a bad penny. Told in alternating timelines, Maggie will have to uncover the truth about what really happened to have any hope of returning to her peaceful life of retirement. Interesting characters drive this strong mystery full of plot twists and intrigue that is hopefully part of a larger series. My voluntary, unbiased review is based upon a review copy from NetGalley.

Two years ago Maggie Bird came to Purity, Maine to settle down raising chickens. Surrounded by woods with only one nearby neighbor it's the perfect place for privacy. Or the kind of place someone can't sneak up on you. Maggie has a very good reason for wanting this. Retired for 16 years from the CIA she just wants to forget her past. The past won't leave her alone though. It's about to catch up.

Luckily she's not alone as Purity is the place spies come to retire. Four friends, not to mention her neighbor, are right there with her. No one else knows who they are. As retired folk they can go under the radar. Unfortunately Maggie's situation could endanger them all.

There are two timelines in this book. Most of the chapters are from Maggie's perspective but we also get a few from another spy named Diana and from Purity's chief of police, Jo. I enjoyed both timelines. We slowly learn the reason Maggie retired. The writing is so enjoyable and solid. I even enjoyed the parts about Maggie feeding her chickens. There is a naturalness and ease about it.

The characters are very likeable. It took no time at all to get used to them. Maggie and her friends make a great group and give us some humor too when interacting with Jo. I would have liked more background on how they became friends. We don't get a lot of specifics about what exactly the main bad guy is doing and yet we get a great sense of danger. The spy work is very satisfying and thrilling. Clearly Tess Gerritsen knows what she's doing. This is my first book by her and now I want to read more. In fact The Spy Coast is the first in a new series. I look forward to the next one.

Tess Gerristen’s first attempt at a spy thriller is a home run. I adored the characters, the setting and the plot.
Maggie is a sixty year old retired spy who’s landed in Purity, Maine and now owns a small chicken farm. And it would seem she’s not the only retiree with an interesting past who has made Purity their home. Her entire “book club” are something other than what they appear. When a dead body is dumped in Maggie’s driveway, she knows she’s being sent a message. But she has no idea what that message is although she knows it concerns her last case from 16 years ago.
Maggie is just what you’d expect of a retired spy - unflappable and smart. But she’s also empathetic, especially when dealing with her neighbor’s 14 year old granddaughter. Jo Bird is the acting police chief. She’s young and used to being underestimated. She may be required to turn over the murder investigation to the state police, but that doesn’t mean she’s just going to walk away. She knows when something’s off. These two ladies, and the rest of the neighbors, make for a wonderful cast of characters. I felt Gerristen did a great job of fleshing out all the characters so that they came across as real people.
There’s an underlying sense of humor to the story which worked perfectly as Jo tries to figure out what this group is all about.
Gerristen was smart to set her story in Maine. It works perfectly - the rural isolation, the small town feel and the cold winter clime. Make sure to read her Author’s Note which explains why the Maine setting was a given.
The plot goes back and forth in time and switches POVs. It keeps everything moving at a brisk pace. Her writing is such that it was easy to envision every scene. I was engaged throughout and tore through the story. I’m so glad to see that this is the first in a new series. I’ll definitely be looking forward to book two.
I recommend this for fans of the Thursday Murder Club.
My thanks to Netgalley and Thomas & Mercer for an advance copy of this book.

“No matter how old we are, there are always adventures ahead for us.” —Tess Gerritsen

I was initially drawn to the idyllic, peaceful, crisp, and clean recent snowfall depicted on the cover, hooked immediately by the engaging characters, and then stayed for the addictive tension and suspense that played out to the last page. I want to stand on a street corner on a box with a loudspeaker in my hand and tell everyone about this book!

Synopsis:
“Maggie Bird has lived many lives and many lies, right across the globe. Finally, she gets to hunker down in the bucolic town of Purity, with nothing but her chickens and her ‘Martini Club’ friends to keep her company. But her past is about to come back to haunt her when someone delivers a dead body to her door.
Maggie and her ‘book club’ swiftly revert to espionage mode, burning a trail from London to Bangkok to Milan to stay one step ahead of those who want former agent Bird dead. Maggie knows that some parts of the past refuse to stay buried. And that sometimes an old spy must give up her ghosts.”
Why I ABSOLUTELY LOVED this introduction to a new series:

The peaceful shore of Purity, Maine is the perfect 𝘀𝗲𝘁𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 as it provides a stark contrast for the upcoming chaos. The village is a “personal DMZ” for a certain group of retirees who just want to be left alone. They have an ordinary life, doing ordinary things and that’s why they chose to live here. This quietness and ordinary life also lulled me into a false sense of relaxation, making the ‘driveway event’ and the ‘RTV’ event at Blackberry Farm that much more powerful. The traveller and amateur foodie within was excited at all the globe-hopping and food references, too. We just never know who is living on our quiet, residential street!

I loved the 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝘂𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲; the story wasn’t told in a linear fashion. The flashbacks revealed a little more of the characters at just the right time. Doling out the information this way kept me interested. I always needed to know more and it kept me invested in the story.

The 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀 are phenomenal. Every. Single. One. Of. Them! Perfectly crafted. Margaret ‘Maggie’ Porter’s story is the only one told in first person POV and it’s easy to see why I immediately connected with her - I was able to get inside the mind of a CIA operative. The other silver-haired members of ‘The Martini Club’ are just as interesting; they’re all running away from something and they’re all unassuming retirees with secret past lives. I can’t wait to hear more of their background in future installments.

“That’s what we must learn to deal with: Our place in a world that sees us as used up and irrelevant.”

The 𝘁𝗵𝗿𝗶𝗹𝗹𝘀 provided by the foreign operatives, elusive Russian sleeper cells, intercepted messages, and the mysterious Operation Cyrano backstory were a perfect blend of paranoia-inducing drama and secrets. Gerritsen skillfully crafted layers of suspense, conspiracy, twists, betrayals, manipulations, moles, and snitches - it was PHENOMENAL. She kept me guessing, wanting to uncover the truth and get to the bottom of what happened during Operation Cyrano, but I couldn’t pull ahead of Maggie!

I loved the messages about trust and honesty and appreciated the breaks in the tension to laugh at references to tourist t-shirts or revel in a wonderfully crafted romance.

You may remember her from her books to TV series, Rizzoli and Isles - she’s upped her game and the suspense, intrigue and double-crossing in this book is exciting. Her investigation into the dark side of intelligence work is wonderful, making it a series you’ll want on your radar.

I was gifted this copy by Thomas & Mercer and NetGalley and was under no obligation to provide a review.

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.