THE SPY IS DEAD

by Charles Russell ‧ RELEASE DATE: Dec. 8, 1988

After the convoluted doings of Long Live the Spy (1987), Sergei Roff eagerly retired from espionage, moved to San Francisco, and said goodbye-forever to the tricky devils at British Intelligence. Now, however, the middle-aged ex-agent is summoned into action again, very much against his will. (The Brits threaten to have Sergei's wife Anita arrested for her bygone drug-dealing.) Sergei's mission: to go to the Bahamas and make sure that his old nemesis, Laurence Kress, loses control of a new super-resort-development for game fishermen. To bring this off, Sergei must pretend to be fabulously wealthy, complete with rented yacht ($26,000 a day) and gorgeous mistress Petronella Harrington--which is no great hardship. In fact, Sergei finds himself falling in love for real with ""Pet,"" and vice versa. But then--after Kress is matter-of-factly murdered by his Japanese business partner Minahero--the real nature of the mission is revealed: to create a situation where tycoon Minahero (a mega-drug-smuggler who funds worldwide terrorism!) will be irresistibly drawn to undercover agent Petronella. And she does, in fact, become the villain's mistress, the object of his kinky sadism and ""diabolical lusts."" So, though Sergei's services are no longer required, he volunteers to help in the grand scheme--which involves catching Minahero red-handed when he smuggles a huge cocaine cache into N.Y., hidden inside an immense stuffed fish. . . More caper than espionage, with no real twists--but a serviceably diverting mix of action, scenery, and cool romance, faintly reminiscent of early Bond.

Pub Date: Dec. 8, 1988

ISBN: N/A

Page Count: -

Publisher: Doubleday

Review Posted Online: N/A

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 15, 1988

Categories: FICTION