Message from Absalom

More than twenty years after it's original publication, this romantic suspense thriller is still topical and interesting. Susannah, a former CIA employee, is traveling with a vacation tour group in Eastern Europe. In Bulgaria, she recognises a covert CIA operative, John Novak. He asks her to smuggle a book with a message back to the States. He gives her instructions on who to deliver the book to, and then disappears. The message is from a spy, Absalom. When next she sees Novak, he has been shot down in the street by Bulgarian security police. Now Susannah must get the message back to the States, elude a dangerous KGB Colonel and survive the machinations of an unknown spy planted within the tour group. Susannah is a marvelous realistic heroine. She is in over her head, but is determined to fulfill her promise to Novak. The members of the tour group are seemingly ordinary travellers, but someone wants the message and will kill to get it. The reader is as mystified as Susannah regarding the identity of the helpful Absalom. This is a really enjoyable mystery with a lovely romantic subplot. Recommended.

This book puts me in mind of Helen MacInnes' books. If you like those, give this a try.

the book is a story of espionage, and you can feel yourself moving with the characters. a great way to tell a story about love. and a nice twist of faith for the two lover.

If anyone knows what has happened to this author, please post a notice. I read all three of her books years ago and they are definite keepers, they are fabulous, kept me on the edge of my seat and I've always hoped for more.