barbara fister reviewed Expats by Chris Pavone
Review of 'Expats' on 'LibraryThing'
A very twisty tale, told in different time frames - starting with an unexpected and unwanted meeting in Paris, flashing back to a time when a couple have settled with two small boys in Luxembourg where Dexter has a job in security for financial institutions and Kate is adjusting to life after being a CIA field operative. When they meet a couple who Kate suspects are not who they pretend to be, she begins to wonder if his job is really a cover story for something else. She also wonders whether she'll ever tell him what she used to do - and why she quit. (That adds a third chronological layer.) The story is well-told and moves slowly and deliberately as deceptions and double-crosses pile up. Very cerebral with tender touches. The author does a good job of conveying without dwelling on it the affection Kate feels for her two …
A very twisty tale, told in different time frames - starting with an unexpected and unwanted meeting in Paris, flashing back to a time when a couple have settled with two small boys in Luxembourg where Dexter has a job in security for financial institutions and Kate is adjusting to life after being a CIA field operative. When they meet a couple who Kate suspects are not who they pretend to be, she begins to wonder if his job is really a cover story for something else. She also wonders whether she'll ever tell him what she used to do - and why she quit. (That adds a third chronological layer.) The story is well-told and moves slowly and deliberately as deceptions and double-crosses pile up. Very cerebral with tender touches. The author does a good job of conveying without dwelling on it the affection Kate feels for her two boys. Because it's as carefully constructed as a puzzle, it's best to read this one in print - where typefaces and layout can help keep the tangled chronologies straight.
