Campaign for the American Reader: Pg. 69: "The Last Spymaster"

Gayle Lynds is on one of the more impressive book lists I've come across in recent memory: her book Masquerade is #8 on Peter Cannon's list of the "Top 15 Spy Novels." That's not the Top 15 of 2006, but the Top 15 ever ... which puts her in some very impressive company.

Gayle's most recent book is The Last Spymaster.

I asked her to apply the "page 69 test" to the novel; here is her reply:

I'm tremendously curious about the choice of page 69.... When I look at the cuddly position of those two digits, I think of yin and yang, and of course, being from Iowa, I'm reminded of a certain sexual position that when I was growing up was practiced (and repracticed) but went unnamed except by those so sophisticated that everyone knew they were destined for the greatness (hedonism) of New York City or maybe, a poor second-place choice made better only because palm trees were included, Los Angeles.

And all of that has absolutely nothing to do with The Last Spymaster.

But maybe it does. Page 69, which is the last page of Chapter Eight, contains only this:

whose guns hung from their hands. The black orbs of their sunglasses peered up at the plane.

Tice studied the angry faces, adjusting for the years he had been away.

"Recognize any?" Westwood wanted to know.

Tice sat back and glanced at Westwood. Betraying no emotion, he lied: "No. Nothing but strangers."

Check out that first sentence with orbs and hanging guns. Where did those blatant phallic symbols come from? Me? I blush.

On the other hand, my college lit teachers would be in seventh heaven. Interestingly, there's little sex in the book, and now I'm regretting it. Well, what's there is pretty good though. You'll have to tell me what you think.

Moving right along, and doing the same sort of word picking.... We know that the gunmen are "angry," that "Tice" has "been away" a number of years, that he "recognizes" one or more of the gunmen, and that he "lies" so his companion won't know that.

If you sense danger and dark secrets, you'd be right. Tice is the last spymaster of the title, and he's been in prison for several years, charged with giving U.S. secrets to the Russians. Now he's being chased by a CIA hunter as well as a group of men whom he is just starting to identify. Considered one of the greatest spymasters of all time, Tice becomes an unwilling mentor to the hunter, and we discover with them who the men are and what they're really up to.

I'm delighted to tell you that the book was named Novel of the Year by the Military Writers Society of America. If you enjoy spy tales, I hope you'll try The Last Spymaster.

Many thanks to Gayle for the input.

Click here for excerpts from The Last Spymaster.

Among the praise for The Last Spymaster:

"Today's finest espionage writer unleashes an instant classic."
--Lee Child

"...fascinating characters, nerve-tingling pace, and a great story. It reminds me of Robert Ludlum at his very best. This cements Lynds' reputation as one of the premier espionage authors of our time."
--Vince Flynn

"A sizzling thrill ride... seamlessly melding global politics, cutting-edge technology, and the dark world of espionage into a compelling, full-blooded novel. [Lynds is] a master of the spy thriller."
--Steve Berry

Last month Dick Adler put The Last Spymaster atop his list of contenders for the best mysteries and thrillers of the year.

Click here for a Q & A with Gayle, and here for her interview with the Bookreporter.com.