The Traitor: A Tommy Carmellini Novel

This IS a Jake Grafton novel (well... sorta).

This is way better than Deep Black, which is NOT a Jake Grafton novel and which was co-written with Jim DeFelice. I finished this book, and it's predecessor, Liars & Thieves, which is more than I can say for Deep Black (which is now rat food in a landfill).

Tommy Carmellini is a likeable sort of guy, and he's adept enough at what he does. Grafton makes enough of an appearance to actually play a role, and his wife, Callie, has more than just a walk-on part in this story. Refreshing.

The story has its share of plot twists and turns, and the relationship between Tommy and Sarah could make for some future storylines.

There are more than a few similarities between Carmellini and Jack Higgin's Sean Dillon character. Both were comfortable on the other side of the law, and both are now on the side with the good guys. That's ok; I enjoy them both.

It's a good story and worth the time to read it. If I had to find fault, I think it could have been longer.

CIA agent Tommy Carmellini is just back from too long in Iraq when he's sent to France--along with the beautiful woman he once dated and who now hates him, Sarah Houston. The CIA has learned that French intelligence has a plant high in Al Queda, and they desperately want access. Tommy and Sarah are to play lovers willing to sell out their country in order to get access to French intelligence. Tommy's old boss, Jake Grafton is running the show in Europe--and there's a coming meeting of the G-8 that Al Queda would just love to disrupt or destroy.

Although Tommy's identity is supposed to be secret, pretty much everyone, from French Intelligence to Israeli Intelligence to Al Queda quickly finds out, and they all seem to be gunning for him. Tommy has to stay quick on his feet and with his fists, as well as fancy with his rented Vespa, to stay ahead of foreign killers. Then there's the woman he drugged back in America who inconveniently shows up.

With his identity blown, the turning traitor trick doesn't seem likely to work, but Grafton insists on it, and Tommy, along with Sarah, get a chance to test their skills with the polygraph machine. Could Tommy be a sociopath? The story culminates with Tommy battling with evil traitors within Versailles Palace.

Author Stephen Coonts writes in a breezy and engaging style, slipping seamlessly between first person for the Tommy Carmellini scenes and third person for the others, and making Tommy's problems seem real. The title sums up not just the role Tommy is assigned to play, but also the theme of the book--with betrayal coming from all directions and from all levels.

Much of the story deals with dealings between supposedly allied intelligence agencies (the CIA and the French DGSE). Coonts rightly reminds us that even allies may have different interests, and may be unwilling to share all of their secrets, or simply be unable to trust their friends. I found some of the adventure to be hard to believe, however, and I guess I didn't buy into why Grafton would send Carmellini to play traitor after his cover was blown. Although it served a purpose in the story, I don't know that it made sense from an intelligence perspective.

Using the fascinating backdrop of Paris, this adventure thriller, which is filled with plenty of fleshed out characters, each with their quirks and mysteries, provides an enjoyable few hours of escape as Jake Grafton recruits Tommy Carmellini and his ex girlfriend to ensure the G-8 summit is safe from terrorist attack. The reader is kept guessing regarding the real intentions of the many spies that appear throughout the book. Frustratingly, as usual, Jake Grafton largely keeps his thoughts to himself, although his wife Callie softens this frustration somewhat by her increasing involvement as the plot progresses.

Another good Carmellini yarn.

I was excited to see The Traitor available for the Kindle and jumped at the first opportunity to read another book by Coonts. Having read Liberty and Liars & Thieves, I thought another Coonts book would be fantastic. Unfortunately it seems the bar has been lowered.

Without giving away any of the story, it felt that Coonts didn't know where he wanted to go with the plot. Not much even happens until the last couple of chapters and a lot goes on that really isn't explained. Perhaps my previous Coonts novels set my expectations high and a newcomer would love this book, but I suggest Liars & Thieves over The Traitor.

Retired, but still on-the-go, Admiral Jake Grafton and his much younger troubleshooter Tommy Carmellini are two of Coonts' stronger, long-running characters. But in this newest installment of their ongoing adventures, Coonts doesn't deliver all he is capable of.

For whatever reason, Coonts decided to load the story with way too many extraneous plot twists. As a result, there are gaping, jaw-dropping holes in the plot. Believability is nil; no believability, no enjoyment. Coonts also needs to do some basic homework on his technology. As a technologist, authors who depend on the ignorance of their audience about technology irritate. Among Coonts' many flubs in this novel is describing the Palm Treo cell phone/PDA as if it were some sort of magic. It's been around for several years, is a wonderfully handy and useful gadget, but is hardly magic. The endless (and largely useless) plot twists and the technological gaffes pretty much devalued the story for me. Too bad, because the basic story had a lot of potential.

An agent for the French intelligence agency dies a natural death on a commerical air flight. His personal belongings are pilfered by a Mossad stringer who passes on the information: the head of the French DGSE has just made a two-million Euro investment in the Bank of Palestine. Said DGSE boss is also said to have profited from the UN Oil-for-Food scandal. This information is passed on to the CIA.

Admiral Jake Grafton has come out of retirement to head up the CIA's European operations. A G-8 Summit is coming up in Paris and Grafton brings in rescued felon and now CIA agent Tommy Carmellini. Grafton and Carmellini are seasoned veterans of previous Coonts outings and they can be solid, interesting characters. Not this time, though.

Carmellini is tasked to convince Henri Redot, DGSE chief, that he is a traitor and wants to sell him access to top-secret American intelligence. Aiding Carmellini is Sarah Houston (the former Zelda Hudson, cybercrook and another of Grafton's rescued strays). Carmellini and Houston were an item once, now thing aren't so warm and loving. But Grafton tells both they must work together to convince the French that they are really, truly traitors.

At the same time, Grafton wants to know where the French got the inside scoop on a failed terrorist plot against the US. Grafton believes Redot has a highly placed source in Al Queada. Naturally, Carmellini has to help find this source as well. This involves way too many utterly implausible break-ins, far too many unsuccessful attempts on Carmellini's life and just too much everything. Coonts could really have used a critical story editor, someone honest enough to have said "enough is enough. You don't need the last 15 or so assasination attempts."

If things weren't bad enough, Coonts continuly has Redot flashing back ong the past thirty years and his friendship with a mysterious North African. Again, a couple of paragraphs would have done the job.

And then the women. Oh yes, can't have a thriller these days without at least a couple of women who are 1) drop dead gorgeous, 2) incredibly skillful spies, 3) cold-blooded assassins, 4) know all about wines and fashions and 5) need to be rescued by Tommy Carmellini.

The two main plot lines 1) the secret al Queda source and 2) the threat against the G-8 Summit fizzle out long before the end of the book. The conclusion itself is so unbelievable that it's a total yawner.

Certainly not the worst thriller ever written and barely enjoyable. But you need not fear starting this one at bedtime: it will not keep you up all night. In fact, it will probably help put you to sleep over a few nights.

Jerry

Granted, some of the technical elements are stretched. But his characters are almost real. Coonts's writing style is excellent without much of the over-technicalization that is typical of many adventure writers. Yes, the ending is slightly over the top, but not impossible. Think about 9/11.

Between Jake, Tommy, and Sarah there is good rapport. I felt as though I was watching the action, not merely reading. Their travels around Paris make me want to go there.

Amazed by the positive reviews and I suppose I am asking to be shot down here, but......
I have really enjoyed much of the author's works, but of late the standard has slipped., perhaps because he is hanging onto characters past their sell by date. This balanced with a rather average story does not a great thriller make, this had little pace and tension and nothing to make me keep turning the pages.
Sorry, but I thought it was a very weak effort.

This wasn't Stephen Coonts best thriller but it was still an exciting one. Unfortunately Jake Grafton has been moved to the sidelines to make room for Tommy Carmellini. Although I do like Carmellini and his imperfections, I'm sure his character will grow on me. Overall an average thriller.

This seemed like a book written only by Coonts, which are better than with "co-author" Felice. The language was a bit gratuitous at times but this is a very good book. I have now read all his books with Jake Grafton in them. I highly recommend.