Need to Know - Karen Cleveland

Summary: In pursuit of a Russian sleeper cell on American soil, a CIA analyst uncovers a dangerous secret that will test her loyalty to the agency—and to her family.

What do you do when everything you trust might be a lie?

Vivian Miller is a dedicated CIA counterintelligence analyst assigned to uncover the leaders of Russian sleeper cells in the United States. On track for a much-needed promotion, she’s developed a system for identifying Russian agents, seemingly normal people living in plain sight.

After accessing the computer of a potential Russian operative, Vivian stumbles on a secret dossier of deep-cover agents within America’s borders. A few clicks later, everything that matters to her—her job, her husband, even her four children—are threatened.

Vivian has vowed to defend her country against all enemies, foreign and domestic. But now she’s facing impossible choices. Torn between loyalty and betrayal, allegiance and treason, love and suspicion, who can she trust? (Summary and pic from goodreads.com)

My Review: I feel like I would be doing a disservice to our readers if I didn’t warn you about this book. Here are a few things you should know before you start.

1.       Do not start reading this with the intention of only picking it up every now and then.

2.       Do not start reading this in the middle of the night or right before you go to bed.

3.       Do not start reading this with the idea that you’re just taking a break from your normally scheduled life for a few minutes, and then return to whatever you were doing.

Why do I tell you this, dear readers? Because you WILL NOT be able to put it down when needed. You can’t trust yourself to do it, I promise. Now for another list of rules to help you on your reading way with this book.

1.       It moves quickly. One chapter will not suffice. Don’t think that you’ll just be able to read one chapter and move along. The chapters are too short for this. They capture you unfairly. One leads to another. Don’t trust the “I’ll stop at the end of the chapter” lie.

2.       You will relate to the woman. She will be talking in your head just as if she were you talking in your head and all of a sudden it’s hard to detach from her life to your life. My life is nothing like her life and yet I was all “But what if my husband is a Russian spy?!” until I snapped myself out of it. My husband is not a Russian spy…I’m assuming. I mean, right?

3.       You will think you won’t be surprised by this book, and then you are. And then you aren’t. And then you can’t trust anyone. It doesn’t matter either way if you are surprised or not. It’s just fun anyway, regardless.

And so I assure you, dear readers, that if you are looking for something fast-paced, something heart-pounding and something really fun, this is your book. There were times when I actually couldn’t read it because I was afraid of what was going to happen. The characters mattered to me. I’m not saying it was literary brilliance or that I’m going to live my upcoming life emotionally attached to them, but boy oh boy did I enjoy that very short period of time I spent with them. In fact, I’d love a sequel, but I don’t know that that’s going to happen. Also, I need to get stuff done every now and then (more than that, let’s be real), and this book does not allow for the kind of genteel reading that comes from just 15 minutes while you’re falling asleep at night. No. This book demands your attention until it’s done, and it toys with your emotions and allegiances just like a good book should.

My Rating: 4 Stars

For the sensitive reader: There is some language in this book, and some light suggestion of sex between married people.