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The Spy Who Came For Christmas

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Publisher: Vanguard Press
Author(s): David Morrell

Average Customer Rating:

(based on 19 reviews)

Product Description:

Binding: Hardcover
Dewey Decimal Number: 813.54
EAN: 9781593154875
ISBN: 1593154879
Label: Vanguard Press
Languages: Array
Manufacturer: Vanguard Press
Number Of Items: 1
Number Of Pages: 220
Publication Date: 2008-10-28
Publisher: Vanguard Press
Studio: Vanguard Press

Editorial Review:

It’s Christmas Eve in Santa Fe, but among the revelers on Canyon Road, a decidedly unholy scene is taking place. A desperate man, dressed all in black, feverishly seeks refuge for himself and the squirming bundle he holds tightly against his breast. Agent Paul Kagan’s bundle is a baby who has the power to change the course of global events. His pursuers are his former colleagues—members of the Russian mafia who will stop at nothing to accomplish their mission. Now Kagan is a spy on the run—he must ensure this baby’s survival, even if it will cost him his own life.

Just a short distance away, Kagan will find an unexpected pair of allies—a mother and her young son, who huddle together after a horrible episode of domestic violence leaves them home alone, with no means of transportation.

And so, with the exquisitely honed skills of his profession and the help and good faith of a weary woman and a disillusioned boy, Kagan must take on forces that will stop at nothing. In the course of a wild and violent night, the unlikely trio learn lessons of generosity, courage, and selflessness, discovering within themselves the luminous strength of the true Christmas spirit.

Customer Reviews:

Customer Rating:

Summary: A Good Quick Thriller
Comment: Though this was a somewhat short novel it provided thrills and a satisfying plot. What you've come to expect from David Morrell but a slightly different kind of spy thriller. It included an interesting story of his take on the Three Wise Men. Quite interesting.
It was written more like a short story yet lasted long enough for you to actually care for the characters.

In the Middle Ages, councils debating confidential matters hung a rose from the ceiling and swore not to reveal what they discussed 'sub rosa', under the rose. This association of a rose with secrecy dates back to a greek myth in which the god of love gave a rose to the god of silence, bribing him to stay quiet about the sins of the other gods. to this day, the rose remains an emblem of the spy profession.
--from the Cambridge Encylclopedia of Espionage

Customer Rating:

Summary: Don't Invite a Spy into your home on Christmas
Comment: Although I liked the ending of this tale, there really wasn't much meat to this story. I was surprised by how much fat (back story) was included, especially since anything we learn there could easily have been mentioned without the flashbacks.

If you're looking for a quick Christmas read that has some action and excitement, this may be worth your time and money.

I would not recommend it to someone looking for an exciting spy thriller.

Customer Rating:

Summary: Terrible Book
Comment: Terrible book. The "plot" is weak and totally unbelievable. About the only good thing in the book is the author's unique take on the story of the Three Wise Men and Christmas. Glad I got it out of the library and did not waste any of my own money on this. I definietly do not recommend this book to anyone. If the rest of the author's books are like this one, he is someone whose books I am going to avoid.

Customer Rating:

Summary: You'll never think of the Three Magi in the same way again
Comment: It was the night before Christmas, and all through the town (of Sante Fe, New Mexico), several creatures were stirring, all wearing frowns (especially the seriously wounded double agent Paul Kagan, and his pursuers, ruthless killers bent on taking the life of Paul's special cargo, an infant). The townspeople went about their activities with care (celebrating with a festival of lights), in hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there (hopes that will be disappointed--what they do get though is an unexpected night of thrills and danger, as Kagan engages in a desperate battle of wits with his ex-comrades, all to preserve the hope embodied in the person of an innocent child).

OK, enough with trying to paraphrase Clement C. Moore. As you might expect, Morrell's latest is chock full of action, suspense and surprises, a winning combination any of his myriad readers comes to expect after sampling any of his enthralling canon of expertly crafted action and adventure stories. What makes this short novel truly special, however, are Morrell's embellishments to the traditional story of the Three Magi, told from the perspective of a professional spy, the details of which you're almost guaranteed to repeat at least once each Christmas season from now on, if only to observe the look of surprise and wonder dawning on your listener's faces. Morrell's additions stand that staid and stolid tale on its head, suffusing it with totally plausible but unexpected elements of danger, pathos and intrigue.

Customer Rating:

Summary: An action-packed little stocking stuffer
Comment: Just in time for the holidays, David Morrell has published a delightful, action-packed little stocking stuffer that is sure to delight thriller fans. The hero of "The Spy Who Came for Christmas" is Paul Kagan, a wounded undercover agent trying to find shelter on Christmas Eve. He's being pursued by a deadly team of operatives who are determined to eliminate the precious bundle Kagan carries: a newborn baby dubbed "The Child of Peace." Kagan takes refuge in a home he believes to be deserted, only to find that a mother and her son are living there, thus placing all four of them in jeopardy. "The Spy Who Came for Christmas" is a short, taut tale that demonstrates once again why Morrell is rightfully considered one of the masters of the genre.