Countdown in Cairo

Countdown in Cairo will knock your socks off! It is full of shocking twists and surprising turns that you never see coming. It's like a roller coster ride that is scary and exciting, you never want it to end. You don't need to read Conspiracy in Kiev or Midnight in Madrid first, but it will help to understand the relationships of the characters. Alex is great. She is a strong, brave, fearless, caring, loyal and a forgiving woman. You are really going to like her. Her faith sees her through the toughest situations and makes her stronger. This is Noel Hynd at his best and not to be missed.

I read the Russian Trilogy in order over the past week. I thought the first two books were very entertaining but, frankly, I debated on whether or not I should read this last book. Thankfully, my compulsion to finish something after starting it took over and I bought "Countdown in Cairo". I was blown away! The characters were fully developed now and, of course, all loose ends were tied. The political background and international intrigue were somewhat forced in the previous books but flowed effortlessly in "Cairo". I did not think it was slow in the middle at all. It was a true page turner! What impressed me the most was the author's style and storytelling ability, which shone in this last book. It helped that the story, itself, is fantastic. Not to be missed! *I do think this book can stand alone but is immensely better if read after "Conspiracy in Kiev" and "Midnight in Madrid", in that order.*

I am an unapolgetic fan of this series. 'Cairo' wraps up Alex's relationship with the hateful/lovable Russian-Ukaranian mobster Yuri Federov in stunning fashion. Yes, I fully admit that there are some uneven stretches in this series, the author rambles into history and Judeo-Christian philosophy, but in the end, the story pays off.(I for one don't feel any religious message is being pushed, rather the beliefs are used as moral guideposts.) I have a feeling this series is a love it or hate it thing and those who liked the first two Noel Hynd books in this series will love this one. There are some glitches, there are times when the author could have gotten to the point faster, but the same can be said for much of Stephen King or Robert Ludlum. Points that may have been left hanging a bit in the first two books come in out of the fog here and all tend to come together at the end in an old cemetery in Switerland. All in all, the series worked for me. Not at every single moment, but in the end and in its entuirety. Thanks for some fun, thought-provoking and fascinating reading.

Countdown in Cairo starts out with a dramatic beginning with the morgue as the backdrop and then drops back to the beginning of the story. The set up to the main story was slow at times, but that is because the story is rich in detail of locations and background. It is certainly worth the wait! There are a number of background facts about the Russian events mixed in with the fiction creating an interesting blend. All three of the books feature Alexandra LaDuca, a strong female character that is smart, formidable, and a woman of faith. There were more spiritual elements to this story than the other books as Alex has struggles with moral consequences in her employment and with forgiveness. This is another GREAT book by this author.

I got an early copy of this last book in the trilogy by Noel Hynd and was not disappointed. Far from it. It was fabulous. I felt I'd been living with a friend (Alex, the main character) through her career with the Treasury Department, her loves, her friends, her enemies, (<<<overlapping there) and her efforts to rebuild her life after 'Kiev'.....Hynd is very savvy with history, spies and inside information and detail and yet then it was the emotional impact of the series' conclusion that really got me. The conclusion absolutely blew me away. I ended up reading the final 100 pages in one swoop, far too late at night, then went back and re-read the next night, knocked out again at the intricate plotting of the first book that pulled the rug out from under me in the 3rd. This story line would seem to be complete, but I'm hoping the character continues. Bravo!