Review: Liars Candle by August Thomas

Liar's Candle is a rollicking political thriller that is most definitely not for the faint of heart. Penny Kessler is a young intern working in the US Embassy in Turkey. Frightened and vulnerable, Penny is photographed emerging from the embassy during a terrorist attack clutching an American flag. She is a defining symbol for all that America holds dear for some, but for others there are serious concerns. What does Penny know? And, more importantly, who can she trust in a foreign country where there are people on both sides who want her out of the way ...

This one is a bona fide page turner, filled with corrupt politicians and one unlikely avenging angel who must face up to certain truths, and fast, if she wants to make it home alive. The plot is fresh and exciting, and sure to please fans who like their storytelling fast and filled with action. Parts of the plot stretch the bounds of credibility (the fact that someone with a concussion was able to do all that Penny did in the space of thirty-six hours,) but the storytelling is so fast and twisty that I couldn't help but get swept up in it all. (I guess it's a bit like watching a Bond film.) Ultimately, this is an interesting political thriller that has emerged out of what are interesting political times. I'm keen to see where author August Thomas takes the next Penny Kessler book.

Recommended. 

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