My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Series: Barker & Llewelyn #11
Publication Date: 11/12/19
Number of Pages: 320

Enigmatic Cyrus Barker and novice Thomas Llewelyn are partners in the most loved, hated, respected, disreputable enquiry agency in London. The description all depends on who you ask. Cyrus Barker doesn’t suffer fools gladly and those who try to manipulate him soon come to understand that when it comes to wily, smooth and sly manipulators, Barker is king. Barker is always three steps ahead in any situation – it is too bad that he doesn’t always share those steps with poor Llewelyn who always seems to be trying to catch up with his mentor.

It seems that Barker and Llewelyn are on everybody’s bad list in this fast-paced tale of spies, theft, and murder. They are called to the Prime Minister’s office and given a simple task – to deliver a package to Calais. However, as they talk, Barker quickly realizes that it isn’t the simple task the Prime Minister would have him believe it to be. Being Barker, and not appreciating being dictated to, he manipulates the Prime Minister into saying that Barker could use his own judgment in the delivery.

Prior to Barker and Llewelyn getting the package to deliver, an agent of the Home Office was murdered on his way to deliver the package to the English government. Barker decides to also solve that murder – since he’s working for nothing anyway, why not give the government their money’s worth.

There are many plots and villains afoot in this story and you’ll have to pay attention to figure out who is who. With all of the murder attempts and the shenanigans of the leader of Scotland Yard – and a successful murder, you’ll be in a whirl parsing out the facts and clues.

I always love it when the bad buys get their just desserts – and this one surely did – but – not before poor Llewelyn was – AGAIN – injured. It seems the poor man stays injured from one book to the next.

This was an enjoyable read and I hope you enjoy it as well. I do have to say that Barker has never really won my favor. I keep trying to like him – and I don’t hate him – I just tire of his arrogance and how he treats Llewelyn. Barker has Sherlock Holmes-like brilliance and deductive abilities – that I have to admire – but – I’m just not fond of his treatment of poor – often hapless – Llewelyn.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.