The Coil: A Novel (Mass Market Paperback)

~ (Author) "In one of his trademark conservative suits, Gino Malko strolled through the rue Sainte-Catherine area in the heart of the lower city, enjoying the cool..." (more)
Key Phrases: Sir Anthony, Santa Barbara, Simon Childs (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

The daughter of an infamous Cold War assassin known as the Carnivore is yanked from her tranquil life as a UC-Santa Barbara psychology professor by an international conspiracy in this competent thriller. When ex-CIA agent Liz Sansborough, making her second outing for Lynds (after 1996's Masquerade), is viciously attacked while taking a bike ride, she quickly discovers that her troubled past is impossible to escape. She also learns that her cousin has been kidnapped on her Paris vacation, and that the kidnappers are demanding the Carnivore's long-lost files, thought to contain the details of dozens of high-profile hits, for ransom. Liz isn't eager to go back to work for her old boss, but she quickly readapts to her former profession. As the bodies pile up, however, she finds herself making little progress: she can't find her cousin, and she doesn't even know if her father's files exist. When she teams up with Simon Childs, an old family friend and British MI6 undercover agent, the two forge ahead in a death-defying charge through France and England, their sights set on a mysterious group of corporate titans known as the Coil. The novel moves at a blistering pace, much in the tradition of espionage legend Robert Ludlum, with whom Lynds co-wrote three novels. Liz has appeal-a wry sense of humor and infectious enthusiasm-yet she sometimes suffers from a case of political correctness; readers may find her preachy opinions grating. Her refusal to carry a gun, for example, is an admirable decision for everyday life, but absurd considering the gallons of blood flowing around her.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Review

"The Coil is tantalizing with plenty of suspense and action, great characters, and settings that span the world. I love it!"
- Dale Brown, author of Flight of the Old Dog and Air Battle Force

"The Coil is fast-paced, thrillingly paranoid, page-turning international adventure and intrigue at its best!"
- Dean Koontz, author of Odd Thomas and Whispers

"Smart, complex, and immensely entertaining. The surprises start on the first page and keep coming all the way to the end. The Coil is sure to be a bestseller!"
- Thomas Perry, author of Pursuit and The Butcher's Boy

"The Coil is a terrific read, exactly the kind of fast-paced espionage thriller that I love. Great characters, a turbo-charged narrative full of surprises, dark and fabulous settings -- what more could you want?"
- Douglas J. Preston, author of Brimstone and The Codex

"The Coil is a triumph - an absolutely compelling international thriller that confirms Lynds as being right at the top of the field. If you already know Lynds' work, then prepare yourself for what is definitely her best book yet; if you've never read Lynds before then I envy you, you are in for a real treat."
- David Morrell, author of The Protector and First Blood

"In this thrill-a-minute tale of secret operatives and hired assassins, Gayle Lynds proves once again why she's the leading lady of international intrigue. Her dead-on research and breakneck pacing leave you -- like former CIA agent Liz Sansborough -- navigating a maze of deadly agendas. Beware the Coil!"
-Gregg Hurwitz, author of The Kill Clause and Do No Harm
-- Review

"The Coil is fast-paced, thrillingly paranoid, page-turning international adventture and intrigue at its best!" -- Dean Koontz, author of Odd Thomas and Whispers

A turbo-charged narrative full of surprises, dark and fabulous settings? What more could you ask for? -- Douglas J. Preston, author

Fast-paced, thrillingly paranoid, page-turning international adventure and intrigue at its best! -- Dean Koontz, author

In this thrill-a-minute tale, Gayle Lynds proves she's the leading lady of international intrigue. -- Gregg Hurwitz, author

Smart, complex and immensely entertaining. The surprises keep coming. THE COIL is sure to be a best seller. -- Thomas Perry, author

Spiralling, finger-biting thrills...Lynds tops genre and joins cadre of great writers who make us think. FIVE STARS -- Bonnie Toews, author and award-winning business journalist, February 18, 2004

Tantalizing, plenty of SUSPENSE and ACTION, great characters and settings that span the world. I LOVE IT! -- Dale Brown, author --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 512 pages
• Publisher: St. Martin's Paperbacks (June 28, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0312988761
• ISBN-13: 978-0312988760
• Product Dimensions: 6.7 x 4.1 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (52 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #75,241 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Not What I'd Hoped, September 13, 2006

By	Lady Action Fan (Illinois) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

I so looked forward to reading this book. I'm a huge fan of spy thrillers, especially those with strong female leads. And The Coil was written by a woman. I should have been in heaven. I was far from it. Not quite Hell. More like Purgatory.

I was only about 20 pages in when I started debating not finishing it. It starts with a pretty good bang, then slows to go no where fast. The action comes in spurts between incredibly dull lulls.

However, my main objection has to do with the point of view or narration of the story. There is no main narrator. Just about each scene has a different narrator, some of them minor characters who are quickly killed off. The "jumping" from head to head, not only makes it confusing at times, it makes it difficult to care about or relate to any one character. So ultimately, I felt, "who cares."

Then we have the female lead, Liz. Former spy. Woman of adventure. There have been several attempts on her life and her family has been threatened. Her adamant attitude at not carrying a gun doesn't make sense. Many times, she picks up a gun only to talk herself out of carrying it. Her arguments to herself are weak. Her sense of conviction over this just doesn't hold water.

On top of that, she has a preachy and condescending attitude about violence that was very off putting. It's appearance random and inconsistent.

I could understand a character who had turned away from violence only to be forced back into a violent world. That just wasn't Liz. She came off as ambivalent about it until some scene called for a streak of conviction. I guess ultimately, the author failed in showing the reader the characters motivations.

Morever, the author's attempts at providing character background fell short. Emotions and history appeared out of nowhere to fit the situation only to just as quickly disappear. This made the characters behaviors seem irrational at times.

The attempt at romance with Simon, who is her cousin, I believe, is another story.

It took me nearly 2 weeks to get to page 175. At that point, I shelved the book and moved on to something more interesting.

8 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars post-modern claptrap, August 16, 2005

By	Thomas J. Kleis (Morgantown, WV) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: The Coil: A Novel (Hardcover)

This may be the most disjointed, confusing, and poorly written book I have ever read. Imagine that someone has written 10,000 paragraphs separately and the joined them indiscriminately in no particular order--this describes this book. I kept wondering what the point of the plot was throughout this tedious tome, and even at the end I had no idea. Having been an editor for 40 years, I am appalled by the poor quality of the premise and the fact that a reputable publisher would feel this book deserved to see the light of day. The plot is shrouded in obscurity, the characters are truly one-dimensional (despite the author's attempts to use minute details to give them substance), and the unfolding sequence of events is tedious, repetitive and boring. Have we really come to this? The dumbing-down of America is plain to see--bad and inarticulate writing, inept editors, and a non-discriminating reading public. I may have to start re-reading all of the great British literature I have in my library, rather than buying such over-priced and illegible pap.

7 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Mysterious case of misleading advertising, January 6, 2005

By	shall - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Coil: A Novel (Hardcover)

I was intrigued by description of the author as "Mrs Ludlum" and am very disappointed. Bought the book expecting Ludlum but got very average story instead. Basic premise is indeed ludlumesque but the writing just doesn't hold it. I wish books were like any other merchandise because then I'd be first to line up and demand my money back. My advise for readers: do not read if you're expecting Ludlum. For publisher and author: drop references to Ludlum, because it is misleading advertsisng.