Thanks, @netgalley @simongervaisbooks & the publishers for the ARC.

This is the 2nd instalment in the Caspian Anderson/Elias series & you definitely need to have read the first book to understand what is going on in this book, or it won't make any sense!
This book, quite like the first, took a while to get going, but once it did, I was hooked. It was fast-paced and full of espionage intrigue that I love reading!
There was a lot of description in the book, sometimes too much that it did detract from the story. The part with his mum & dad felt, in my opinion, random & far fetched and didnt really add any substance to the story.I personally think Caspian/Elias needs to be a solitary character as an assassin, not in a duet.

This was a good book overall, I devoured it! Can't wait for the next one!

First, I want to know, right now, what happens next ~ after the revelations at the
conclusion of this action packed and fascinating trek around the world!
So, I have to wait? OK, but my excitement and expectations are sky high.
This series is super well written and it’s easy to enjoy. Even if you cannot
guess what is around every turn, you will find that things are really well
fleshed out and easy to understand. I thigh;y recommend this to all
readers of politically motivated international espionage.
My thanks to Thomas and Mercer for the opportunity to read the
download of the book for review purposes.

Action-packed, suspenseful and anxiety-inducing, The Elias Enigma is a full throttle thrill ride filled to the brim with fisticuffs, shootouts, chases and international intrigue. Simon Gervais proves once again why he’s one of the best in the genre, delivering a well-crafted cinematic story that will make you hold your breath with every pulse-pounding moment.

After an unsanctioned operation to Kenya to eliminate a personal threat that raised more questions than answers, Caspian Anderson (code name: Elias) is back in action in France surveilling the CEO of an important defense technology start-up. However, this operation goes sideways as multiple factions with different agendas collide in their operations targeting the same individual. With no clarity on who’s who in the zoo and an inability to trust anyone, Caspian and his team must work alone to untangle this complex web and stop foreign powers from completing their mission to acquire game-changing technology that would put the US at risk of deadly attack.

The Elias Enigma is just a damn good book that you can’t put down. It’s got action, it’s got emotion, it’s got conflict, it’s got multiple international players with different agendas, and it’s got heart. In addition, as the second book in this series, it does a great job of using the plot as a vehicle to add depth and development to the main characters, providing more insight into their motivations, emotional states and capabilities. Furthermore, Gervais does a brilliant job of taking these extraordinary individuals and making them relatable, forging a connection with the reader that makes them live and die with every action, rooting for our valiant protagonists to win the day.

In short, this novel is well-written, contains fantastic characters, and is tons of fun to read. All of which is completely unsurprising for a Simon Gervais thriller. He always delivers and I can’t wait to see where he takes this series next.

The Elias Enigma opens a whole new world for Caspian Anderson. In this fantastic follow-up to The Elias Enigma, Simon Gervais provides more twists and turns that kept me turning pages later into the night than I intended. I particularly like the way the author shows a scene from one characters point of view and then in the next chapter picks up a few moments before the last one ends, so you can see the same scene from the perspective of another character. The action and intrigue in the last quarter of the book was captivating and left me anxiously awaiting the next book!

Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for this ARC. #TheEliasEnigma #NetGalley

Action-packed suspense

The suspense doesn’t let up, from the first page to the last, it keeps you gripped in a fierce adrenaline rush. I have read Simon Gervais’s Clayton White series before. He is a master of intricate and fast-paced plots. The Elias Enigma doesn’t disappoint. It is a high-stakes game of keep-away with a newly developed defense technology the object of the game. Caspian Anderson and his partner, Liesel Bergmann are to keep it out of the hands of all the usual bad actors. Think Russia, Iran, China, and North Korea, and you get the picture. Now add the ally countries too and you can begin to see the monumental problems they face. He and Liesel are part of the Defense Clandestine Service. Their team goes to France to ensure the CEO of the vital tech company doesn’t fall into the wrong hands.

Caspian has more going on than the task at hand though. He worries about his relationship with Liesel and is keeping secrets from her. He discovers that his parents have become tangled in the web of a DEA surveillance operation. Caspian needs to use all his skills to keep his loved ones safe. The assassin known as Elias may have to come out to play.

If you love thrillers that grip you by the throat and don’t let go, then you will love The Elias Enigma. If non-stop international action is your thing, then prepare to be enthralled. Enjoy a complex hero and a smart strong heroine. The Elias Enigma will appeal to readers who devour books by John Gilstrap and Leo J Maloney.

Thank you to Thomas & Mercer and NetGalley for access to a digital ARC.

Another compelling adventure in the Caspian Anderson series! After a reveal in book one that shook his identity to the very core, and with a desire to protect a love interest also in the spy game, Elias navigates between coloring both outside and inside the lines in a highly-charged plot where black and white lines no longer exist - just varied shades of grey.

There's plenty of bumps, scrapes and bruises - both figurative and literal - in the storyline for Elias. As the story unfolds, we see foes become friends and vice versa. When the adventure comes to an end, we're of the realization that while the battle may have been one, the war is just beginning.

Thanks to NetGalley for the privilege of previewing The Elias Enigma. I enjoyed this book and look forward to follow the series as it develops.

Caspian Anderson returns in The Elias Enigma by Simon Gervais. In this book he still has some unfinished business from the last one. I must admit that it's hard to write something about this author since he surpasses himself in every book. I do like the fact that he doesn't write enormous amounts of books in one series but instead invents new characters with only two or three books per series. The premise for this one has changed since the organisation Caspian worked for in the beginning isn't around anymore. He is kept on a tighter leash now but he struggles with it. Just as he struggles with his lovelife. I found this book very hard to put down and it was in my opinion over to soon. Gervais is one of my favorite authors and I can't wait to see what he and Ryan Steck has made up in the book they co authored. Some of the scenes in this book will be with me for a long time since they involve some friend and foe action times at least two. I had a wonderful time reading this masterpiece and recommend it to all fans of fast paced thrillers. I also thank Thomas & Mercer and Netgalley for being kind enough to give me an advance copy.

Simon Gervais hits all the correct notes in the symphony of fast-paced action and a scintillating story that evolves superbly with each chapter. The action sequences are ripe for a big screen adaptation, catering to that sweet blend of cinematic visuals and tactical gravitas to get your hearts racing. It’s all the more better because the action compliments the high-thrills story with an emotional drive for the protagonists and an international presence with descriptions that’ll make you forget you’re reading and not actually experiencing the high-stakes thrills and twists of the conspiracy.

Thank you to NetGalley for an early copy to read and review. An exciting and worthy follow up to The Elias Network, Caspian Anderson has a new job, one that is legitimate and is now working with Liesel, his German girlfriend.
This novel has a few familiar faces from the first in the series and continues the story quite well.
It has exciting action scenes that are well-written and grab your attention and force you to keep reading.
Taking place in France this time, Caspian is tasked to follow an American businessman who is about to sell his company. Unbeknownst to both, there are other parties in play, including Edgar Augustin, who features throughout the story.
Working with a team this time, Caspian needs to foil all the other plans. A tad difficult as it appears.

Gervais has written an excellent second novel in this series and I am excited to see what comes next. Great development of the characters, who we see their motivations and understand through the writing, their struggles.
Definitely recommend.

I've read a number of Simon Gervais' books and liked them all. Every one of them were solid thrillers. Alas, however, this one is anything but.

Everything about this book reeks of cliche. The characters, the narrative, and even the writing are hackneyed and banal. And that's utterly unlike any of Gervais' previous books that I've read. This reads like a book concocted by a combination of AI and ghostwriters.

I'm starting to wonder now if Gervais actually wrote this book, or if his publisher 'manufactured' a title with little direct input from him to get more books into the market with his name on them.

Upon returning from an unauthorized and confused trip to Africa, Caspian is immediately sent off to France. High-tech is the prize, and a number of groups are searching for the inventor. Caspian faces old and new foes, but none can match him when he assumes his Elias mantle.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review The Elias Enigma, the second book by Simon Gervais to feature Caspian Anderson.
The thrills, spills and suspense never let up from page one right through until the end.
The main plot involves Caspian, Liesel (his girlfriend) and their handlers in an effort to stop vital tech from falling into the wrong hands - i.e. North Korea. Along the way, they have to deal with a smorgasbord of alphabet agencies, none of whom seem to be able to work with each other.
I truly enjoy this series, which began with The Elias Network - a truly intricate and thrilling debut - which probes the mercurial nature of truth among spies and the lies we tell for love.
Recommended.

This is a novel about clandestine operations and assassins with a smattering of family life, a business takeover and romantic connections. It is far from anything a reader can relate to but this reader found the intrigue fascinating. There is a plethora of realistic action that made me feel as if I were there and actually involved in it. Some of the action was replete with tremendous violence and surprisingly made me cringe. This novel is highly recommended and I thank NetGalley and Amazon Publishing for the opportunity to read and review this book prior to publication.

I really enjoyed this one. I had just finished the first book in the series (The Elias Network) when I saw this one was available as an ARC. The first book was good, although I struggled a little bit to keep up with all of the characters and who worked for which agency. There are a LOT of acronyms in these thrillers. :) With this second book, I was already familiar with a handful of the characters, so that helped.

One thing I really enjoy about this series so far is that it's never just a straight-up good guy vs bad guy situation. The characters are more complex, and the way the storylines thread through and around each other makes it a slightly slower but more interesting read. The ending is the perfect setup for a third novel, too. I hope we don't have to wait too long for that one!

I deducted 1/4 star only because some of the internal dialogue from the main character got a little annoying. "I am Elias." Yeah, we know. I know it's his internal pep talk, but for some reason it just felt a little grandiose and awkward to me. But that's easily overlooked and I enjoyed the book otherwise.

I received this for free as an ARC in exchange for my honest feedback. Thank you for the ARC copy!

Thankyou to Netgalley for this ARC copy. I've been waiting for the sequel to The Elias Network and it did not disappoint. Caspians parents have unwittingly gotten involved with some shady characters and are being watched by the ATF because Cartels are involved and he's trying to help them. In the meantime one of his former foes is threatening a man that Caspian is watching. Both Caspian and Edgar are caught up in a game of espionage and trying to figure out the end game. A very sophisticated defense technology has been developed that China, Russia, Iran and North Korea all want. Mr. LaBelle, the inventor is being threatened and both men are trying to keep him alive and out of the hands of the countries making threats. Nonstop action.

As always a good read by the author. A fast paced story! I would recommend reading the previous book in the series. There are several references to the the first one and helps to understand. The book follows Elias Caspian beginning in Africa, then back to the US and dealing with his parents and to France to prevent technology falling into the wrong hands.

I recommend this book and look forward to more books in the Elias series. Also other works by the author are all really good.