THE EXIT PLAN

The second installment of Mann’s espionage trilogy pulls readers back into the high-stakes world of Lewis and Suzanna, exploring their evolving relationship amid a tangled web of international conspiracy.

Three years after their enemies-to-lovers meeting in The Oxenburg Woman (2024),Lewis and Suzanna’s relationship has deepened and matured. Suzanna—who’s separated from her workaholic husband, Richard—is exploring her connection with Lewis, who’s undergone the most significant character shift: Once sharp-tongued and caustic, he’s softened since his introduction in the first series entry. Although there are still moments of will-they-won’t-they tension, it’s clear the two share a special bond, and talk about a marriage certificate becomes a fixture of the story. Lewis, still the global traveler, is overseeing an infrastructure project overseas, but a “see you soon?” relationship is no longer sufficient for Suzanna, who wants more. Both soon find themselves drawn into another high-stakes international conspiracy, and this time, Suzanna’s at the center. Someone is taking intimidating photos of her, and a shooting in France ignites the intrigue. Over the course of Mann’s novel, Lewis and Suzanna’s dynamic shines, and the twist ending is effective. However, even the initial shooting and its aftershocks fail to generate suspense, because the scenes read more like a cinematic outline than a fully realized plot. The prose often states what its characters are feeling, rather than showing it through action, making it difficult to track the protagonists’ emotional arcs. Flat phrases such as “It was warmer for a little while but then she was cold again and crept to the edge to look out” don’t help. There are also many missed opportunities for the main characters to show emotional warmth.

A promising premise with endearing main characters, let down by uneven execution.