Customer Reviews

Midnight in Madrid (The Russian Trilogy, Book 2)

5 star:		(24)
4 star:		(18)
3 star:		(17)
2 star:		(15)
1 star:		(24)

 

 

I first read this author when he was writing supernatural thrillers. "Ghosts" remains one of my favorite ghost stories of all time. I subsequently have read some of his international thrillers and have not been disappointed. I've not read the first book in this series, but I plan to. This one was a very solid read. I'm still thinking about it two days after finishing.

The story takes place in various places in Europe but mostly contemporary Spain. I lived in Spain in the '80's for two years and feel the author had an excellent grasp of the country and the people. He also seems to know a lot about international art theft and how things work between countries and police agencies. The plot here is tricky but solid and intriguing. It zips along at a nice speed, also, though the author takes time out to make sure the readers understands the history and background of where things are happening. No spolier: what seems like a simple art theft in Madrid at first leads into something much much bigger. I liked the way that was done.

The main character is a woman, Alex, who's a US Treasury agent who seems to zip around the globe solving problems for her government. I like her. She can be a woman in her job but still be as tough as the guys, though she tends to solve things through smarts more than bashing heads. That works for me.

Overall, I'm torn between 4 stars or 5. If this were a letter grade I'd give an A-minus. So I'll go with the 5. The more I think about it, the more I want to know where the character is going next.

'Midnight in Madrid' starts with Alex DaLuca, FBI agent on loan to the US Treasury, sunning herself on a beach in Barcelona as she recovers from her adventures - and loss - in 'Conspiracy in Kiev'. Her boss calls from the US, asking her to head to Madrid to work with a multi-national team on an art theft. This leads to research, travel and danger in several countries, with the assistance of some characters from the previous book, and some new faces.

The story is fast-paced, well-written, with interesting, well-drawn lead and secondary characters. Alex is intelligent, athletic and beautiful, but is by no means the perfect Christian. She struggles with forgiveness, and with some of the elements of her life and job and how they relate to her faith. She trouble accepting the opinions and actions of some of the other characters, particularly Federov and Chang. The villians are equally real, Federov in particular with his warped sense of right and wrong. I'm still trying to decide if Chang is a villian or a friend, as (I suspect) is Alex.

Although this is the second book in a trilogy, it could easily be read as a stand-alone. The author strikes a good balance between refering to the previous book without re-telling the entire story. In the same way, there are certain aspects of this novel that appear to foreshadow the third book - but I will have to wait for the release to find out if I'm right. I'm looking forward to it.

Noel Hynd's book Midnight in Madrid, one of The Russian Trilogy, was so good I didn't want the book to end. The book has political intrigue, non-stop action, historical references, and descriptive locations. It is a political/spy thriller about international crime.

The story is wonderfully descriptive and includes information about art theft and historical references of Spain. The book is so well-written that the story just takes off and does not stop the suspense and surprises until the very end.


The main character of Alex (Alexandra LaDuca) is very likeable as she struggles with the moral and ethical decisions she has to make in the course of her high-stakes job. She relies on her faith, but also struggles with doubt and questions - as do real people of faith. This book is not a Christian book that preaches anything; it is a book by a person of faith who creates characters that struggle with faith and moral issues.

The other two books in this trilogy are Conspiracy in Kiev and Countdown in Cairo. Noel Hynd has also written the novels, The Enemy Within, Flowers from Berlin, and Ghosts.

I have received so many good books this year, but this is certainly one of my top favorites.

I liked the premise, the characters, the plot and the pacing. I've read the first two books in the Trilogy and will read the 3rd. (And, I hope that Alex makes it into another series of books!) The author did his research and built his settings extremely well. However, there were continuity issues and graphic violence that marred this book.

For example, a character had one name when first mentioned, but another in a later chapter. Another time, it was pointedly noted that one character's room was on the 7th floor, but later it was the 10th floor. An editor should have caught those and other errors! Also, as another view mentioned, it seemed like a history term paper was interested into the middle of a chapter. If there was a reason for the multiple page digression, I couldn't spot it.

The bigger reason for giving Midnight in Madrid only 3 stars was the overly graphic and often unnecessary violence. In one chapter a particular character is gruesomely killed; then the killer proceeds to kill another person in the house while she was in the shower. Since the killer could have exited without being seen, stalking and killer the 2nd person weas unnecessary -- plus, it left hanging, what of the other two individuals in the house, small children. A loose end...the hazards of war?

The graphic violence is especially jarring in the context of a Christian suspense novel. As the daughter of a real-life spy and a former criminal defense attorney in a major city, I certainly know that there is a very brutal and very brutish side to life, but it seemed over the top and unnecessary for plot development in these books. True, it sets a backdrop for the protaganists struggles with how "good" people can do horrible evil and how "bad" people can behave morally. But, it would have been better to spend more words on Alex's ethical struggles than graphic violence.

I wish the author had spent more time focusing on character development, than on mayhem.

Alex LaDuca a dream girl! She's sexy, smart as they come, she has linguistic skills... She plays b-ball, can attack the paint, take it to the hole and whip your [...] if you stand in her way! She's strapped with a piece and she'll use it in spite of her strong religious sensibilities.

Noel Hynd proves, yet again, that he is a diamond in the rough. Again, I crack the cover and his storytelling grabs me and pulls me in and makes it a struggle to let go. I read this book in nine hours.

I'm not trying to be a "reviewer" here, and I won't get into what the book is about, I'll let the "reviewers" do that. I loved the book and I'll list the one con I have just so I don't sound like a gigantic fanboy:

I think Hynd gets a little carried away by the history, the languages and reports in his effort to make his narrative more authentic, mostly because the guy moves the story so *fast* that when it slows down it's like hitting a brick wall at a hundred miles and hour.

That's it.

Everything else, from the characters and the setting, the overall feel for the story to the plot, sucks you in till the last page. I can't say that about Tom Clancey or Robert Ludlum or some of the other "bigger" writers in this type of genre. This is a perfect book to take on a plane, train, automobile. When you take off, open this book (or anything else by Noel Hynd). You won't look up until a flight attendant is impatiently snapping at you to deplane already. And you'll deplane with your face *still* in that book!

Many thanks again to Noel Hynd for great storytelling. We're lucky to have him.

It reminds me right away of the James Bond. The story line is solid, I couldn't put it down! It was face-paced and explosive!

The characters in this book are well developed and detailed a lot. I like that you could get a good sense of them through out the book by Hynd's writing.

There is a lot of history put into this book, you could possibly get stuck on so many details , but than again some people (thinking of my father in law who loves details) would really enjoy it. For myself it was somewhat of an overload, but it worked.

I love that Hynd included current politics; it definitely livens your imagination as you read through this book. As well, his descriptions of Spain makes me want to go and check it out!

This is the second book in "The Russian Trilogy" and I don't actually think you need to read the first, though I have a feeling it might help. I am curious enough I want to get the first book though!

I like that this book made the characters realistic and in the "real" world. That they were not in an imaginary Christian world. It made the story very believable. I am left wondering where the characters were going next and if Alex would meet up again with the mysterious Peter, or kidnapped by the Russians again!

If you're looking for adventure and intrigue.. a good whodunit you'll enjoy this book!

Free or not, my time is much more valuable. When I read a book, I would like to be totally immersed into the story line and enjoy myself. This was the first book I downloaded into my newly acquired kindle and I have to say, I was highly disappointed. I thought it was on the list because it had literary value of some sort. Now I come to realize that it was only on the best selling list because it was FREE. Regardless, after reading more than 30% of the book, I was trying really hard to develop a relationship with the characters, and found it highly lacking. I was chugging along hoping maybe the story line will improve to compel me to finish it. However, the lack of developed characters outweighed my slight curiosity, and I gave up.

Boring and a waste of brain cells may sound a bit harsh, but that is the reality. Hynd threw at me a TON of characters, and killed them off within the same page before I can even remember their name let alone FEEL anything, and this is sadly a fact.

I would not recommend this book, and I dont think I will ever finish it either, a rare thing for me as I almost always force myself to finish a book I started. I would rather use my precious time and re-read some good classics instead....it was that bad.

ETA: I just went back and read what others had to say. Out of curiosity, I clicked on each of the "comment" link under some of the reviews. Apparently, the author feels as though he has to make a snide remark to anyone who says anything negative about his book. How UNPROFESSIONAL UNCALLED FOR AND OBNOXIOUS!

If the book doesn't turn me off, and this doesn't just include the boring plot, the undeveloped characters, and the poor writing skills, but now the author's attitude makes me wish I can give this a negative score, or even a NO STAR rating.

If you're looking for the next Anna Karenina, this book isn't for you. However, if you're looking for a quick read and some light entertainment, Midnight in Madrid serves it up. The book is a well paced, enjoyable read.

I won't bore you with a description of what actually occurs in the book, since you can find that in the book's own blurb. Instead, I'll share the final thought I had after finishing: I wish the author had included more information on the background of the mysterious new partner Alex receives.

As many reviewers have pointed out, there are a lot of religious aspects to this story. The main characters all come from varied faiths, but Christianity is discussed throughout. I didn't find any issue with this; perhaps it is because I read so many books, all written by authors of different faiths and affiliations. It hardly seems odd to me when those authors present an individual struggling to remain true to their faith while living a life that might be contradictory.

However, if you believe that religion has no place in a thriller, this isn't the book for you.

I happened onto Midnight in Madrid while searching for a travel guide to Madrid. The author's excerpt pulled me in, and so I purchased. When I settled down to reading, the chapters flew by. I'm not sure if that was due to speed reading, or having never put my Kindle down until I got to the acknowledgments. I was blown away!
It didn't take long for me to warm up to the book's heroine, Alexandra, a beautiful, intelligent, multi-lingual agent of the U.S. Treasury. Trying her best to overcome a recent personal tragedy, and at the same time moving forward with her life and career.
Mr. Hynd impressed me with his knowledge of Spain, its culture, and whose civil war and it aftermath continues to polarize a country that until yesterday (Spain won the World Cup), has still not laid to rest the physical and emotional carnage of the past.
The characters were colorful yet credible. The religious, cultural, and political conflicts that drive his characters are as old as civilization, yet as current and relevant as today's news. I am not a religious person, but consider myself somewhat spiritual. I had no problem considering the religious themes and axioms that guided his main characters, because ultimately, they had to rely on their inner spirituality, and gut emotions, to survive and move on.
Bravo Mr. Hynd! I am anxious to read the rest of your trilogy, and look forward to seeing the lovely Alex on the big screen.

This book is fast paced and has all the elements of a stellar book. It keeps you in suspense whilst tying in plot lines that swirl amidst facts and flashbacks. A+ to Noel Hynd for this great read!