Dragonfire

May 25, 2020
Two alternating, parallel stories drive bestseller Bell’s entertaining if slapdash 11th Alex Hawke novel (after 2018’s Overkill). Shortly after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, Alex Black Hawke, Alex’s grandfather, meets the new Chinese ambassador, Tai Shing Tang (aka Tiger), at a party in Washington, D.C. Tiger and Alex become friends, though Tiger has a hidden agenda. Grandfather Alex later teams with British intelligence officer Ian Fleming on a dangerous mission that takes them into Nazi Germany. In the present, the Queen of England asks grandson Alex to locate her missing grandchild, Prince Henry, who is also Alex’s godson. Henry was last seen at the Dragonfire Club, which is owned by the Tang brothers, Tiger’s grandsons, on Black Dragon Island in the Bahamas. Alex’s efforts to rescue Henry unearth a nest of evil, depravity, and international intrigue. Bell leaves a number of plot lines hanging as the good guys barrel through the mayhem with barely a scratch. Fans of overblown adventure thrillers will be satisfied. Agent: Peter McGuigan, Foundry Literary + Media.

Mix James Bond-like characters, witty dialogue, a lot of action, historical fiction, and light humor, and you get this riveting listen. It features two time lines--WWII and the present day--connected by its characters' lineage. The story comes alive, thanks to Simon Vance's energetic narration. As WWII heats up, Chinese ambassador Tiger Tang strikes up a friendship with President Roosevelt. In the present day, Alex Hawke is in the Bahamas on a mission to save the Queen's grandson. Vance deftly alternates between storylines, portraying multiple characters from England, China, and the U.S. Individual voices, including those of Roosevelt and Winston Churchill, are done well, and Vance's emotionally charged tones help listeners keep the plot straight. M.B. � AudioFile 2020, Portland, Maine