The Secret Agent [Unknown Binding]

Francine Mathews (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 25, 2002

ASIN: B001TTNEEK Title: The Secret Agent Publication date: 2002

Product Details

• Unknown Binding
• Publisher: Bantam (June 25, 2002)
• ASIN: B001TTNEEK
• Average Customer Review: 3.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)

More About the Author

Francine Mathews, who also writes as Stephanie Barron, is the author of twenty novels of mystery, history, and suspense. A graduate of Princeton and Stanford, she spent four years as an intelligence analyst at the CIA, and presently lives and works in Colorado.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Testosterone to Estrogen, January 7, 2005

By 

W. Phinizy (Fountain Valley, Ca United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Secret Agent (Mass Market Paperback)

The whole world is divided into two types of people: those who divide things into two groups and those who do not..

..seriously, Ms. Matthews book oscillates wildly between "chick flick" material and the obligitory, leader-of-the-pack, head-of-the class, "high lift, low-drag" (thank you, Harry Coyle) heroine and characters that occupy the pages of this spy/CIA/former OSS agent genre. The flashbacks to post World War II Siam save the book, in my humble opinion, but she could come off a little better if she softened the hardened-bitch-longing-for-a-relationship-to-restore-a-loveless-past schtick engaged in by Ms. Fogg. (a relative of that other world-traveler, Phineas?) She could also redo the character of Oliver Kane and lose some of that too-cute dialog he is always spouting at the other end of the pay phone, ducky. Entertaining at times and *definitely* better than Finder's "Extraordinary Powers" -- but then, almost every work of fiction is (he said, gratiuitously). Still there is this indulgence in brand-name-dropping and labels. Why do we need to know *every* brand of caviar, liquor, skis, etc. Is this some kind of product placement deal?

*sigh*

10 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Bored to Tears, July 19, 2003

By 

"nevermindthenickname" (APO, AE United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Secret Agent (Mass Market Paperback)

She may be a former CIA agent, but that does not make her an interesting writer of spy fiction. Bored-to-tears through page 50 at which point the book was tossed into the "give to the Red Cross" bag. Good spy books are supposed to be heavy on the plot and setting, not all that deep on character. Just enough to outline the players with out being overbearing. There is plenty of character development (too much) that leads to nothing. I'm a former military intel guy. Tradecraft isn't all that interesting to me but storyline is. If you enjoy Littell, Deighton or LeCarre, avoid this book. Maybe the "beach book" readers will find it interesting. That's the worst thing that I could say about any espionage book.

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Maybe you can borow someones copy, August 24, 2004

By 

John R. Linnell (New Gloucester, ME United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Secret Agent (Mass Market Paperback)

I have seen some of the reviews of this book, especially Newt's. It was his that made me buy it. Perhaps I am not enough of an "insider" to appreciate this story, but I found it compelling at times, boring at times and the flipping back and forth between the present and the past at the least, distracting.
So, I would say, for a paperback price it may be worth your reading.