The Elias Network by Simon Gervais
Caspian Anderson #1

Excellent introduction to a new series that is about dark ops, assassins, and a whole lot more ~ Couldn’t put it down!

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 ;)
* The relationship between Caspian and Liesel and how it progressed
* The plot, pacing, settings, and writing
* Florence: strong, protective, loves her sisters, proactive, would like to see her again
* Finding out how Elias came to be and the impact his name had on others
* Nicklas and Samantha and the parts they played in the book
* The side story of Edgar and his team – wonder if he will show up again in book two
* Being able to really dislike the bad guys
* Knowing that there will be another book in the future

What I didn’t like:
* Who and what I was meant not to like
* Thinking about how corrupt some of the characters were and the evil that they did
* Having to wait for the next book to be available

Did I like this book? Yes
Would I read more in this series? Definitely

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

5 Stars

The first book in a new series is often used to develop community and characters that will feature throughout the series. THE ELIAS NETWORK does this. We meet the two main characters who are linked in their private lives but have no idea of their alter ego and career. Simon Gervais is the author of the continuing Jason Bourne series and has a personal history that included government work that could lead to intrigue. This contributes to the tension filled scenes and overall suspense in THE ELIAS NETWORK. While this is not a WOW book, it is a good read that sets the scene for many WOWs to come.

A compelling new series by Simon Gervais! I've enjoyed his Clayton White books, so I was happy to get the chance to preview The Elias Network.

Well-written, solid pacing, and edge of the seat action throughout made this a fast and enjoyable read. I'm already looking forward to the next book!

The Elias Network is book one in the Caspian Anderson series by Simon Gervais.
A thrilling start to a new series!
The plot and action are fast pace and keep you flipping the pages. The characters are so great and come to life in the page!! I will wait not so patiently for the next in this series!!

After reading Simon Gervais’ Clayton White and Pierce Hunt series, I was excited to read this first book in his new series. From the opening pages to the final scenes I could not put this down. Caspian Anderson is an assassin for Onyx, a clandestine group in Homeland Security. His code name is Elias and he has been working for ten years. Now he is considering retiring from the organization. He is in a relationship with Liesel Bergman and would like to start a family. Liesel believes that he is an interpreter at the UN and has been considering a break-up. Caspian leads a low key life and Liesel has found life unexciting with him. She has no idea who he really is. Liesel is also keeping secrets, hiding her life as a spy for the German BND. Caspian’s current hit takes him to Zermatt, where he stumbles on an international conspiracy involving human trafficking. In New York Liesel is involved in an investigation that will tie into Caspian’s assignment and finally force them to reveal their secrets.

Caspian believes that his murders are justified since he works for Homeland Security to protect his country. He is unaware that Onyx was disbanded several years ago and his contact has been taking commissions for hits. This discovery leaves him devastated and determined to stop Onyx, but he is not their only assassin and quitting is not an option. It will take Caspian and Liesel working together to find a solution. With non-stop action and constant twists this is a must read for thriller fans. I would like to thank NetGalley and Thomas and Mercer for providing this book.

The Elias Network is a rollercoaster of dual identities, espionage, and high-stakes action. Gervais creates an interesting narrative as we follow Caspian's double life as both a UN translator and as an assassin. The interconnections with all the characters and the revelations along the way, keeps you guessing as the plot advances . Looking forward to reading more about Caspian and Liesel as the series grows.

assassins, action-adventure, thriller, espionage, contemporary, spy-thriller, suspense, new-series, first-in-series, fast-pace, riveting, unputdownable, Homeland Security, United Nations, human-trafficking, conspiracy, Canadian-author, black-ops, kidnapping, relationships, relationship-issues, law-enforcement*****

What if the espionage agent/assassin discovered that his alliance was no longer the good guys? What if it turned out that the other half of his personal relationship was working the opposite side of the mission he was on? That's when you find Caspian Anderson globe hopping in this fast-paced intense novel that's incredibly hard to put down.
I requested and received a temporary ebook from Thomas & Mercer via NetGalley. Thank you
Canadian author former RCMP
#CaspianAndersonBk1 @GervaisBooks

We meet Caspian as a new protagonist for the author. Caspian is, officially a UN translator, but his real work is eliminating bad guys for Onyx, a government super-secret agency… or so he thinks. For the past few years he has been operating unknowingly as a mercenary for a private contractor. In a complicated plot, numerousl bad guys converge on a village in Switzerland to kill and to kidnap. When things spin out of control, the story gets going with plotting double-crossing, betrayals, and revelations, in addition to ore killings. Meanwhile, Caspian is in love, but can he trust her?

My bad for requesting this. The USG does not have assassins, While I'm sure some will enjoy this- and it is an interesting take on the Mrs and Mr Smith trope- I couldn't get past the idea that some readers will believe this is based in reality,. And that's not what we need right now. Thanks for the ARC.

Fantastic story! An excellent plot with well developed and interesting characters. Really looking forward to the next Caspian Anderson book.

Trailing the big boom box office of BATMAN, LETHAL WEAPON 2, INDIANA JONES AND THE LAST CRUSADE and GHOSTBUSTERS II, the formulaic revenge picture posing as a prison flick LOCK UP failed to bust out stellar ticket numbers in the dumping grounds of Summer 1989. In effect trading in his once huge 80s Summer Action Icon Card, LOCK UP has Sylvester Stallone fighting the system in form of a corrupt and vengeful warden and his army of screws and prisoners willing to do the devil's work. Centered around the concept of DTA, 'Don't Trust Anybody', the Stallone played Frank Leone, no relation to Sergio, manages to outwit the bad guys, escape again, and save his girl. The starting point of a new trilogy, THE ELIAS NETWORK examines the life of an assassin in the employ of Uncle Sam and what happens when nothing is as it appears. Can he trust his handler, who is trying to eliminate him, and is the whole Special Access Program (SAP) dirty? While trapped in a deadly game of cat and mouse, the only thing for THE KILLER to do is rely on THE ELIAS NETWORK, rely on his trusty Glock and lethal skills and just don't trust anybody.

Rolling off the Simon Gervais assembly line, THE ELIAS NETWORK stars Caspian Anderson, covert operative and America's last line of defense against tango trash. In a world of complex threats that never stop evolving, Anderson lands somewhere between THE GRAY MAN and Mitch Rapp, owing everything to an instructor who must've been a cousin to Chiun, the man who shaped Remo Williams in the deadly arts, making Anderson one of the most efficient assassins alive. In his tenth year with ONYX, a black program hidden deep within the International Ops branch of the Department of Homeland Security's Investigation Division, this hombre is the ONYX program's most productive and lucrative asset. It's sorta like the Omega Sector just without Arnold, Arnold and Charlton Heston, and the man code named Elias is good at tracking and killing, a pro doing important work on behalf of the United States, preserving her prosperity and economic security. Business is booming and hunting America's enemies is still a good living. Cruising the town of Zermatt at the foot of the Matterhorn, Elias is unnoticed, he blends, a wolf in sheep's clothing, enjoying his cover as a mid-level UN employee, a senior translator and terp. THE ELIAS NETWORK is a thriller, so into everyone's life a little snow must tumble; a blizzard in form of vicious thugs, mercenaries, and cold-blooded operatives.

Throwing the thesaurus at readers in the first two pages, THE ELIAS NETWORK is an open tribute to what is allegedly the greatest ski resort in the world, Zermatt, Switzerland, and a fast paced thriller steeped in the complexities of industrial espionage, human trafficking, and organ harvesting. The latter of which drawing a tangent to the little-seen 1992 thriller THE HARVEST and Ridley Pearson's THE ANGEL MAKER, letting THE ELIAS NETWORK run wild via dinner prepared with "weird animal parts" -- stock up on the A1 steak sauce, gentle reader. Though delving deep into operational trade craft, THE ELIAS NETWORK manages to amaze with unnecessary soliloquy along the lines of "it's time to..." a stunning six times. That being said, THE ELIAS NETWORK also features a new trend in thrillers, sending characters on lengthy Surveillance Detection Routes (SDR), resulting in a book of 349 pages or about 10 hours of audio length, but with more minutes of SDR running that it'll take the average reader to finish the book. Showcasing a solid reference to Suzanne Massie, THE ELIAS NETWORK is a regular fondue of international alphabets of the intel community, adding MSS, SVR, BND, ABIN (yep, guessed that right, Brazilian Intelligence; an oxymoron, surely) to the exciting mix. At the end of the day, you know that Elias, aka Mr. Anderson, will have to choose between two lifestyles, as one has a future, while the other does not. Minus the smug Agent Smith in the Mix, THE ELIAS NETWORK is a frosty start to a fascinating character looking for his place in the world. Stacking pursuit on top of intrigue on top of fire fights, lots of fire fights, THE ELIAS NETWORK is a wild ride that never stops rolling. Buckle your seat belt, Dorothy, you're in the Canton now.

If you like to read books with a lot of intriguing situations, which are fast-paced and well-written, The Elias Network is a must read! It's engaging characters that in spite of their occupations show a very human side when executing their deals. It also shows how espionage may touch people's lives in unknown ways and how espionage might be much more than live these days. Loved the story!
I thank Mr. Gervais, his publisher, and NetGalley for this ARC.

The Elias Network by Simon Gervais is a thrilling ride from start to finish! Caspian and Liesel are both complex characters leading double lives as secret agents, and the tension of their hidden identities adds a layer of suspense that kept me hooked. I loved how the story balanced action-packed missions with emotional depth, showing the vulnerability of characters who are often seen as unbreakable. The plot moves fast with constant twists and turns, especially when Caspian and Liesel’s worlds collide without them realizing it. The blend of heart-pounding action and the romance that blooms between them was a great mix, making this more than just a typical spy thriller. It’s exciting, romantic, and filled with moments that made me root for both their missions and their love story. This is a strong start to a new series, and I can’t wait to see what happens next!
NetGalley arc

Thank you to Thomas and Mercer and NetGalley for an advance digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed this story. It was fast paced, great characters, would make an awesome movie and I can't think of one thing I didn't like about this book. Simon Gervais is a new author to me, and fellow Canadian, and let me say I was thrilled to see that he has many more books for me to dive into.
This is a true spy book full of characters with secrets, so many secrets that nobody knows who's telling the truth and what is just a facade.

Definitely a novel to pick up if you are looking for a little adrenalin rush!

A real thriller series debut, kinda like the movie "Mr. & Mrs. Smith", but they're not married, yet! Simon Gervais creates a new series with Caspian and Liesel, from different 3 letter agencies(who you know you can't trust with your life). Great character development throughout the book, the usual cast of characters(good and bad), lies/deception, and a boatload of action.
I have now read everything by Simon Gervais and he can flat out write a damn good thriller. So just buy the book when it comes out.
Thanks to Thomas & Mercer and NetGalley for the ARC of this great book and I can't wait to see what goes down in the next book.
Totally recommend this book!!

I received an ARC through "NetGalley" and I am voluntarily leaving an honest review.

The story begins with Caspian in Switzerland where he has a contract to kill an individual. Unbeknownst to Caspian, another group is also on the scene to do the same thing. Besides ultimately killing the subject, they are also planning on kidnapping this person's family. Caspian is able to do the killing, but he also gets in a battle with the group that was attempting the kidnapping. Caspian is able to prevent the kidnapping, but he winds up being wounded. Making it back to his rental, Caspian asks his handler for help. Caspian wakes up after falling unconscious and finds a person from his past.

After he has a chance to recover, he leaves his rental while the individual who provided aid is gone. After learning more regarding what his contract involved, he made a plan to return back to NYC. It seems that Caspian's girlfriend would eventually get into trouble and Caspian wound up rescuing her.

To discover what the reason for the kill contract, who came to his aid, what trouble the girlfriend ran into and how it all worked out in the end, then you need to read this book.

This is a great beginning of a new series. Caspian is an assassin for the US government. His girlfriend, Leisel, is a spy for the Germans. Neither knows what the other really does. Set is Zermatt, Switzerland, Paris, and New York, this novel is filled with action and intrigue. The characters are smart without being obnoxious or flawless.

I enjoyed this book and am looking forward to book two.

Not family friendly due to profanity and violence.

This is a very well written book with an intricate and interesting plot, excellent characters and a very good pace. Despite a lot of jumping around in places, the book is easy to read.

Caspian Anderson book #1

What a breathless game of cat and mouse this turned out to be and what an exciting read. It opens in Switzerland with Caspian, code name “Elias” a black operative working for the Department of Homeland Security is sent on a killing mission to take out a banker by the name of Leonard Alrich who has deep ties to human trafficking. While Caspian’s girlfriend Liesel an accountant with ties to intelligence agency does her thing. Both love birds have no knowledge that they are working on different sides of the same problem nor do they know of each true identity....The story immerses us in both character’s worlds and along the way gives us a thrilling ride.

When Caspian unearths a conspiracy implicating political figures his mission takes a turn sideways....but for us.... step aside Jason Bourne we are into one of those high-flying story that gives us pulse and heart-pounding action sequences one can wish for. Along the way we are taken through a web of lies and secrets while the sweet and tender moments between Caspian and Liesel give us a well needed break.

This story is a joy to read even if there is a lot to unpack spy vs spy vs spy and back and forth, trust and mistrust at every corner what a way to keep you tuned in. The multiple characters that cross the pages just add to the complexity of this well-said and well-plotted drama.

This is my first experience reading this author and definitely will not be the last.
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Filled with secrets, shootouts and spies, The Elias Network is an absorbing edge-of-your-seat espionage thriller that increases your heart rate, makes you sweat and gives you one hell of a ride. Simon Gervais delivers yet again…and this one might be his best novel to date.

Caspian Anderson, code name Elias, is an elite assassin for a clandestine organization deep within the Department of Homeland Security. While on a mission to prosecute a target tied to a human trafficking ring, he identifies another team of operators in play and is further confused when they try to abduct the wife and daughters of his target. What he learns from that point onward will make Caspian question everything he thought he knew about the organization he works for, the people he interacts with in his cover job as a UN translator, and even if his girlfriend is who he thought she was. But one thing is certain. Caspian’s lethal skillset will be put to the test and result in the death of anyone who gets in his way.

Gervais has crafted an intricate and engaging story that puts multiple spies and operators in the same theater and watches them gorge themselves on a smorgasbord of violence. From Switzerland to Italy to France to the US, bodies drop and blood spills at a high rate. Which is awesome and entertaining if you’re into that kind of thing (in the pages of a novel at least). However, this book has much more going for it, traversing a tangled web of relationships, operations and organizations that keeps everyone on their toes trying to figure out who’s in cahoots with who and ultimately how everything is going to play out. Plus, there’s a love story wrapped inside it all with career spies seemingly willing to give it all up to live happily ever after. What more could you possibly want?

The Elias Network is coming in hot this fall! Don’t miss out on this entertaining, spicy, fast-paced thriller that kicks off the next great series by the fabulous Simon Gervais.