THE MISSING PEACE

This post–Cold War international thriller focuses on a mysterious artifact.

It is 1989, and the Soviet Union is leaving Afghanistan. Things have not been going well for the Soviets, yet they go even worse for helicopter pilot Dmitry Antonov. Dmitry’s helicopter crashes while transporting highly secretive cargo. His fate looks grim at best. Fast-forward to 2009. Dmitry’s daughter, Sonya, is a highly educated, butt-kicking member of Israel’s Mossad with a penchant for Russian caravan tea. Sonya not only knows her way around several languages, she can also handle a Mark 12 special purpose rifle with ease and dress for a night of seduction at the drop of a hat. Early in the narrative, Sonya ventures to Boston to see an old acquaintance at Harvard Divinity School. The Rev. Daniel Callan is a street-smart academic with a higher calling to God. Though his feelings present a thorny complication, Danny has long been attracted to Sonya. Perhaps the only thing that interests him more is what Sonya has brought to Boston: an apparently ancient palimpsest that has been written on vellum. Danny will use his connections and know-how to get to the bottom of this enigmatic item. The palimpsest proves to be the opening to a long, winding, and violent adventure. It may be the key to discovering the supposed “suitcase nukes” that went missing after the fall of the Soviet Union. It may be a link to a great number of other priceless artifacts. It may even help Sonya find her father.

Joyce’s novel is one that overflows with vivid particulars. Readers get a primer on everything from the Bauhaus influence on Tel Aviv architecture to the KGB–developed PSS silent pistol. Unlike in some tales of international danger and espionage, the characters here are not simply running roughshod throughout the world. They are visiting places intensely affected by important historical events. The United States forces in Afghanistan must deal with lingering aspects of the Soviet presence in that country. Local environments dictate protocol. Some destinations require passports, some visas, others American cigarettes. Yet among such nuanced, illustrative material are aspects that prove less necessary or even dull. Many characters are created with in-depth, fantastical backgrounds. Danny is not just an avid Red Sox fan with a penchant for boxing, he also turns out to be a more than capable rower who learns the Dari language in his spare time. Despite a harried schedule, he even makes time for dinner with his mother once a week, taking the opportunity to discuss local real estate trends. Likewise, an extensive story about how Danny and Sonya formed a relationship adds little to the overall excitement. Still, there’s loads of perilous stuff out there for even highly intelligent, motivated, and physically fit people like Danny and Sonya to encounter. The thrills come in seeing how all the aspects of this multifaceted world will eventually come together in a desolate place in the Hindu Kush mountain range in Asia.

While some characters strain credulity, this gripping spy tale offers entertaining and realistic details.