Heather’s Bookshelf: The Girl From Belgrade
Author: John L. DeBoer
Released: 12/13/22
Genre: Crime Thriller
“She stepped closer, invading his space, as she reached into her tunic. Before he could react, she pressed the barrel of a snub-nosed revolver against his sternum and pulled the trigger.”
“The Girl From Belgrade” follows two main characters: Katarina, a young girl who loses both her parents during the Kosovo war only to be groomed in her hate for the Americans who seemingly took her parents away. Fast forward a couple of decades and Katrina is an effective spy engaged in a combination of work and revenge.
Meanwhile, Alex Baker is a retired investigator for the Air Force turned owner of a successful tour company. His father, an Air Force commander, has just retired when he’s murdered in broad daylight by an apparent assassin. Alex finds himself drawn into the case as others close to the mission are also murdered. But when he becomes a target himself, Alex finds himself at the center of the assassin’s mission.
To make matters worse, his new love interest came into his life just at the same time as the assassin. Will he be able to figure out what’s happening before it’s too late?
Trigger Warning: violence, murder, sexual situations, adult language
Overall, I enjoyed this story. The plot is almost too believable and moves at a rapid, page-turning pace. The dialogue is easy to follow and the story has a clear flow to it. The main characters all have clear motivations, backgrounds and desires- especially Alex and Katarina. The story is told through a combination of each of their POVs and begins when Katarina is young. A majority of the book is told in present time and in various US cities. I enjoyed some of the local touches the author added to the story, like picking up sandwiches from Publix in Key West. Alex as a protagonist was a a little of a mix for me. I felt he acted a little rashly with his love interest, especially after his father just passed away, but liked that he showed his jealousy later when at dinner. I thought some of the best and most efficient character development was actually of Linda and Vic. I really enjoyed reading their part of the story. The first half of the tale keeps you guessing about who actually is going after Alex, his family, and friends. The pacing getting to the end and through the ending was exactly right, suspenseful but not dragging on. The second half of the story is more suspense but ends with everything feeling very wrapped up. I could also see this story easily having a sequel.
I received a copy of this story in exchange of a fair and honest review.
OVERALL REVIEW:
A retired Air Force investigator turned tour company owner finds himself and his family too close to an assassin with a vendetta. Well developed backstories complement effective pacing in this suspenseful crime thriller.
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