Author: J.A. Konrath, Ann Voss Peterson
Genre: Thriller
Published on: February 22, 2011, self-published
CODENAME: CHANDLER
She's an elite spy, working for an agency so secret only three people know it exists. Trained by the best of the best, she has honed her body, her instincts, and her intellect to become the perfect weapon.
FLEE
Then her cover is explosively blown, and she becomes a walking bulls-eye. Stalked by assassins who want the secrets she holds, and those who'd prefer she die before talking.
Now Chandler has twenty-four hours to thwart a kidnapping, stop a psychopath, uncover the mystery of her past, retire five equally-trained contract killers, avoid a tenacious cop named Jack Daniels, and save the world from nuclear annihilation, all while dodging 10,000 bullets.
Buckle up. It's going to be one helluva ride.
If I had only one thing to say about this book, it would be wow! This was like an action thriller movie in book form. There were so many action scenes and adrenaline that you can barely catch your breath. Flee will definitely keep you on the edge of your seat.
Flee’s protagonist is an elite super-spy known only as Chandler. According to the synopsis, she works for a government agency so secret only three people know it exists. They have trained Chandler to the peak of human endurance and taught her a wide array of stuff. This goes from martial arts to survival to world languages and sharpshooting. We meet Chandler moments before her cover is blown. Things snowball from there, and Chandler is soon unable to even count on her handler. Chandler has never tackled a mission alone.
With no one to rely on, Chandler flees from a group of dangerous assassins and a vengeful ex-con. She also endeavors to find out why unknown parties are after her. Along the way, Chandler will face surprises that even her extensive training didn't prepare her for. The authors have cooked up such a very creative and unusual plot. I won't even insert spoilers in this review, you must experience this thrill ride for yourself.
Helping Chandler (or getting saved by her) later in this novel is her handler, known as Jacob. Chandler has never met 'Jacob' face-to-face before the events of this book. When she finally meets the person, Chandler will be in for one of the biggest surprises of her life. I think of Jacob as Chandler's own Q, particularly the one in the Skyfall film. Jacob is a computer genius, and apart from arming Chandler, he also commands her missions. By the end of the book, I didn't know who was more badass, Chandler or Q (oops, 'Jacob'). Jacob's idea of being inconspicuously armed is pretty cool, and funny—but not in a ha ha way.
We never get to learn Chandler's real name. My opinion of her is that she's a very intelligent, fearless woman. She's also quite resourceful and able to improvise on a pinch. Due to her upbringing, Chandler has deep trust issues. Gaining her trust is all kinds of tough, but being a handsome guy helps. Unfortunately, a certain guy stabs Chandler in the back (figuratively). It wouldn't surprise me if gaining her trust is even harder by the end of the book. Underneath her tough-as-titanium exterior, though, Chandler has a soft and compassionate heart. Also, she was second-best among her training unit and tested the highest for ethics and morals. Chandler actually cried and had nightmares after being forced to kill a cow as part of her training.
Flee also features characters from the authors' other works. One of these is Jacqueline "Jack" Daniels, a cop who becomes one of Chandler's allies. I found the nickname strange, though. I've never heard anyone call a woman "Jack". It's usually a male nickname.
This explosive hit by J.A. Konrath and Ann Voss Peterson won't disappoint you. The one-of-a-kind protagonist, Chandler, is the most badass spy since James Bond. I think of her as a somewhat cute Black Widow (I wouldn’t call Romanoff cute, at least not the Scarlett Johansson version). Fans of Jason Bourne, James Bond, and M:I will greatly enjoy this book.
My rating: ★★★★★
5 stars - Absolutely must-read. It's outstanding!!!
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