The Handler

The CIA receives a message from a former intelligence asset dubbed Cerberus. He is demanding to speak with his former handler immediately, as the situation is dire. Cerberus is a valuable source because he worked on the Iranian nuclear program. The CIA faces a quandary as Cerberus’ handler was cashiered from the agency over suspect loyalties. They turn to Meredith Dale for assistance.

Meredith is fresh off a botched recruitment mission. She believes she is about to be demoted or worse when she is informed she needs to reach out to her ex-husband John and bring him back into the fold. John is hesitant, as the agency’s lack of loyalty gnaws at him. Soon, a visit from unfriendlies and a barrage of bullets bring him into the mission heart and soul. John will revive an old identity to bring his asset to the United States at all costs.

The Handler by M.P. Woodward is a modern-day espionage thriller that steadily builds its taut tension as the book progresses and the reader is hooked. Woodward brings the restless geopolitical situation into a riveting action thriller where the Cold War days seem almost akin to the salad days.