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Review: The Expats by Chris Pavone

Title: The Expats
Author: Chris Pavone
Year Published: 2012

Genre: Adult spy fiction
Pages: 326
Rating: 4.5 out of 5

Location (my 2014 Google Reading map): Luxembourg


FTC Disclosure: I bought this book with my own money

Summary (from the inside flap of the book): In the cobblestoned streets of Luxembourg, Kate Moore's days are filled with playdates and coffee mornings, her weekends spent in Paris and skiing in the Alps. But Kate is also guarding a tremendous, life-defining secret--one that's become so unbearable that it begins to unravel her newly established expat life. She suspects that another American couple are not who they claim to be; her husband is acting suspiciously; and as she travels around Europe, she finds herself looking over her shoulder, increasingly terrified that her own past is catching up with her. As Kate begins to dig, to uncover the secrets of the people around her, she finds herself buried in layers of deceit so thick they threaten her family, her marriage, and her life.

Review: If you like intrigue, then this is the book for you! This novel has spies, European travel, romance, family, finance, and international who-done-it.

This book really centers on four characters: Kate (the protagonist, who is ex-CIA), Dexter (her husband, an internet security expert), Julie (Kate's "friend") and Bill (Julia's husband). All of the characters are likable in their own way, even if you don't like them. We get to know their quirks, their inner workings, and their motivations. While Kate is the main character, the others pay a very important role in the intrigue.

The setting is fun; when is the last time you read a book set in Luxembourg?! I actually learned a bit about the country, which was a nice touch. The next time I have questionable banking that I need to do, Luxembourg is the place for me! We also get to travel to northern Italy, Paris, and other European locales as well as some Central American countries.

I am not sure what else to say about this novel except that it is a fun read if you like spies, adventure, and a plot with more than a few twists.

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