Victory and Honor
(Libby/OverDrive eBook, Kindle)

The latest installment in the Honor Bound series is set during a particularly interesting period in the history of the American intelligence community. It's May 1945. Germany has surrendered, and the war in Europe is over, but the fighting in the Pacific continues. The OSS is almost certainly going to be disbanded, which could cause real problems for OSS officer and series hero Cletus Frade, whose ultra-top-secret operation, smuggling German agents into Argentina, could be in serious jeopardy. There's also the threat posed by KGB spies inside the Manhattan Project and the looming possibility of a global war with the Soviet Union. This is an especially well-constructed thriller, with a more energetic prose style, not to mention livelier (and wittier) dialogue, than earlier books in the series. With its slightly larger-than-life characters and fast-paced, globe-trotting story, the book may remind readers of a thriller by James Rollins or Matthew Reilly. In fact, the OSS was disbanded, late in 1945, and its successor, the CIA, wasn't formed for more than a decade. It will be interesting to see what this father-and-son writing team will come up with to fill the void.--Pitt, Davi. Copyright 2010 Booklist

In this latest installment in Griffin and Butterworth's Honor Bound series, WWII is winding down and Maj. Cletus Frade-a citizen of both the United States and Argentina with strong ties to military, political, and business elites in both nations-must navigate a convoluted maze of intelligence operations and conflicting agendas to prevent the Germans from creating a sanctuary for Nazis in South America. Narrator Scott Brick dazzles in this audio edition, providing a wide array of international accents and voices for Griffin and Butterworth's characters. Among the many standouts are Frade, who Brick lends a voice that is aristocratic, mysterious, and infused with a touch of bravado, and two German soldiers participating in covert anti-Hitler campaigns. However, listeners new to the series may find themselves struggling to keep up with the book's twisting and turning plot and extensive roster of characters. A Putnam hardcover. (Aug.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.

Part of Griffin's "Honor Bound" series of World War II espionage, this title focuses on the end of the war in Germany and the political and military backstage operations of the Office of Strategic Services (OSS). The central character is the heroic Cletus Frade, who has been a major player in smuggling Germans into Argentina. The novel offers history lessons on the multilayered issues the end of a conflict brings-the revelation and safety of secret German spies who helped the Allies, the actions of Nazis seeking refuge and wealth in the postwar chaos, the rise of Joseph Stalin and the shift in Russian alliances, and the continued existence of the OSS and America's need for its kinds of services. The program is well read by Scott Brick, a familiar "Honor Bound" series voice. Highly recommended for historical fiction collections.-Joyce Kessel, Villa Maria Coll., Buffalo (c) Copyright 2011. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

The latest installment in the Honor Bound series is set during a particularly interesting period in the history of the American intelligence community. It's May 1945. Germany has surrendered, and the war in Europe is over, but the fighting in the Pacific continues. The OSS is almost certainly going to be disbanded, which could cause real problems for OSS officer and series hero Cletus Frade, whose ultra-top-secret operation, smuggling German agents into Argentina, could be in serious jeopardy. There's also the threat posed by KGB spies inside the Manhattan Project and the looming possibility of a global war with the Soviet Union. This is an especially well-constructed thriller, with a more energetic prose style, not to mention livelier (and wittier) dialogue, than earlier books in the series. With its slightly larger-than-life characters and fast-paced, globe-trotting story, the book may remind readers of a thriller by James Rollins or Matthew Reilly. In fact, the OSS was disbanded, late in 1945, and its successor, the CIA, wasn't formed for more than a decade. It will be interesting to see what this father-and-son writing team will come up with to fill the void. Copyright 2011 Booklist Reviews.

Diehard fans will best appreciate Griffin's slow-moving sixth Honor Bound novel, which picks up where The Honor of Spies (2009), also co-written with son Butterworth, left off in the spring of 1945. Lt. Col. Cletus Frade of the OSS, besides trying to prevent Nazis from fleeing to Argentina, is concerned with the survival of the soon-to-be-disbanded OSS and increasing tension with the U.S.S.R. The action-starved plot takes nearly 100 pages to get underway, and when it does, the drama is sporadic, choppy, and interrupted by lots of macho camaraderie. An intriguing subplot mentioned early on—a rogue Nazi U-boat that escaped Allied detection and is now chugging toward Japan with atomic secrets on board—goes nowhere. Frade, for his part, is his usual pushy, smart-alecky self and most likely destined to be a higher-up in the OSS's successor, the CIA. Techno-thriller fans will relish the detailed descriptions of weapons and aircraft. (Aug.)