**On the heels of *Once a Spy*, which *PW* hailed as a “wildly original debut [with] an action-packed story line,” Keith Thomson returns with a breakneck thriller that’s twice as explosive as the original.**
In the tradition of Robert Ludlum, with a witty twist, Thomson’s second novel featuring a former spy and his son once again poses the question: What happens when a former CIA agent can no longer trust his own mind?
Charlie and Drummond Clark are now in Switzerland, hiding out from criminal charges in America and using the time to experiment with treatments to retrieve Drummond’s memory. When NSA operative Alice Rutherford, with whom Charlie has fallen in love, is kidnapped, the Clarks must dodge a formidable CIA case officer and his team to get her back.
*From the Hardcover edition.*
### From Publishers Weekly
Starred Review. Razor-sharp writing, laugh-out-loud humor, and a sturdy plot combine to make Thomson's sequel to Once a Spy a real treat for thriller fans tired of more of the same old same old. Charlie Clark has left his life as an inveterate gambler far behind as he and girlfriend Alice go on the lam in Switzerland from Alice's employer, the NSA, and a special CIA black ops unit known as Cavalry. The real star of the group is Charlie's father, Drummond Clark, who after a career as a CIA agent is sinking into the throes of early Alzheimer's, but who's able, when the occasion demands, to revive his old skills and save their skins. The plot surrounds the sale to terrorists of a small nuclear bomb disguised as a washing machine. The nonstop action and quirky, engaging characters will leave readers eager for the next installment and the next and the next. (Mar.)
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
### Review
**PRAISE FOR *TWICE A SPY*:
**"[Thomson] writes fluid, vivid prose, good dialogue and first-rate action scenes."
—*The* *Washington Post*
"Razor-sharp writing, laugh-out-loud humor, and a sturdy plot combine to make [Twice a Spy] a real treat for thriller fans... The nonstop action and quirky, engaging characters will leave readers eager for the next installment and the next and the next."
—*Publishers Weekly, *starred review
"Buoyant, fast and fun... Thomson again hits a sweet spot in this highly original thriller, balancing gripping action sequences with humor a step or two above what you'd expect from the genre."
—*Kirkus*
**PRAISE FOR *ONCE A SPY*:**
“It takes a huge talent to blow dust from the corners of today’s comfortable thriller genre. Keith Thomson has that talent, in spades.” —Lincoln Child, author of *Deep Storm*
“*Once a Spy* is the most enjoyable book I’ve read this year. Utterly original, it is an adrenaline-fueled concoction of sidesplitting humor and genuine suspense. What a find! I can’t imagine not loving this gem of a novel.” —Christopher Reich, author of *Rules of Deception*
“First-novelist Thomson has his tongue firmly in cheek in this clever, engaging, and frenetic tale . . . His knowledge of spooks’ tools, techniques, and mind-sets builds verisimilitude . . . A terrifically entertaining thriller.” —*Booklist*
*From the Hardcover edition.*
Description:
**On the heels of *Once a Spy*, which *PW* hailed as a “wildly original debut [with] an action-packed story line,” Keith Thomson returns with a breakneck thriller that’s twice as explosive as the original.** In the tradition of Robert Ludlum, with a witty twist, Thomson’s second novel featuring a former spy and his son once again poses the question: What happens when a former CIA agent can no longer trust his own mind? Charlie and Drummond Clark are now in Switzerland, hiding out from criminal charges in America and using the time to experiment with treatments to retrieve Drummond’s memory. When NSA operative Alice Rutherford, with whom Charlie has fallen in love, is kidnapped, the Clarks must dodge a formidable CIA case officer and his team to get her back. *From the Hardcover edition.* ### From Publishers Weekly Starred Review. Razor-sharp writing, laugh-out-loud humor, and a sturdy plot combine to make Thomson's sequel to Once a Spy a real treat for thriller fans tired of more of the same old same old. Charlie Clark has left his life as an inveterate gambler far behind as he and girlfriend Alice go on the lam in Switzerland from Alice's employer, the NSA, and a special CIA black ops unit known as Cavalry. The real star of the group is Charlie's father, Drummond Clark, who after a career as a CIA agent is sinking into the throes of early Alzheimer's, but who's able, when the occasion demands, to revive his old skills and save their skins. The plot surrounds the sale to terrorists of a small nuclear bomb disguised as a washing machine. The nonstop action and quirky, engaging characters will leave readers eager for the next installment and the next and the next. (Mar.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved. ### Review **PRAISE FOR *TWICE A SPY*: **"[Thomson] writes fluid, vivid prose, good dialogue and first-rate action scenes." —*The* *Washington Post* "Razor-sharp writing, laugh-out-loud humor, and a sturdy plot combine to make [Twice a Spy] a real treat for thriller fans... The nonstop action and quirky, engaging characters will leave readers eager for the next installment and the next and the next." —*Publishers Weekly, *starred review "Buoyant, fast and fun... Thomson again hits a sweet spot in this highly original thriller, balancing gripping action sequences with humor a step or two above what you'd expect from the genre." —*Kirkus* **PRAISE FOR *ONCE A SPY*:** “It takes a huge talent to blow dust from the corners of today’s comfortable thriller genre. Keith Thomson has that talent, in spades.” —Lincoln Child, author of *Deep Storm* “*Once a Spy* is the most enjoyable book I’ve read this year. Utterly original, it is an adrenaline-fueled concoction of sidesplitting humor and genuine suspense. What a find! I can’t imagine not loving this gem of a novel.” —Christopher Reich, author of *Rules of Deception* “First-novelist Thomson has his tongue firmly in cheek in this clever, engaging, and frenetic tale . . . His knowledge of spooks’ tools, techniques, and mind-sets builds verisimilitude . . . A terrifically entertaining thriller.” —*Booklist* *From the Hardcover edition.*