Barb's Book Reviews: Review of "The Shadow Friends: The Martini Club #3" by Tess Gerritsen

Wednesday, August 19, 2026

Review of "The Shadow Friends: The Martini Club #3" by Tess Gerritsen

In this 3rd book in 'The Martini Club' series, the former CIA agents look into the murder of Russian defectors. The book can be read as a standalone.

*****

Purity, Maine has a population of three thousand people, five of them senior citizens with deep secrets. Maggie Bird, Declan Rose, Ben Diamond, and married couple Ingrid and Lloyd Slocum are retired CIA agents, laying low to enjoy their retirement years in privacy.

Maggie Bird

Declan Rose

Ben Diamond

Ingrid and Lloyd Slocum

The former agents call themselves 'The Martini Club' and frequently socialize together, which means delicious meals prepared by foodie Lloyd, as well as good liquor and interesting conversation.

The retirees also keep busy with other things, and Maggie owns a chicken farm, while Ingrid is currently the emcee for the Stone Coast Conference, whose topic this year is bioweapons.

The Stone Coast Conference brings back old memories for Ingrid when former CIA agent Rodrigo Estrada shows up. Thirty years ago, Ingrid and Rodrigo (who were lovers at the time) were part of a mission to protect a witness named Sophie. Sophie and two CIA agents were killed, one with a stiletto through his eye.

Rodrigo now runs a private security company called Argus, which does much the same thing as his and Ingrid's old CIA unit. Argus employs many retired CIA agents, and Rodrigo asks Ingrid to come on board. But Ingrid is happily married and values her peaceful life in Purity.

Ingrid's quiet days are about to be disrupted. A conference attendee, Dr. Mikhail Maslov - a bioweapons expert who defected from Russia - falls ill. Dr. Maslov recently consulted on an Ebola outbreak in Uganda, and at first, it's assumed he caught Ebola. But it's soon discovered Maslov was poisoned with radioactive polonium, which is how Russia kills defectors.

At about the same time, Purity's Chief of Police Jo Thibodeau finds Karen O'Brien - a waitress at the hotel hosting the conference - dead in the trunk of her car. Shockingly, Karen was stabbed through the eye with a stiletto, like the CIA agent three decades ago.

After these incidents, Rodrigo approaches Ingrid again, to tell her about three similar stiletto murders: 18 years ago, a Bulgarian journalist; 13 years ago, a Russian businessman in London; and 6 years ago, a Russian banker. Moreover, the stilettos used all have the symbol of the Vory, Russian organized crime. The conclusion is Russia hires the Vory to kill defectors and enemies.

Soon afterwards, Ingrid disappears, leaving a note for her husband Lloyd saying she's gone away and not to try to find her. Lloyd becomes distraught and phones Chief of Police Jo Thibodeau and the Martini Club. Various kinds of evidence indicate Ingrid flew to Amsterdam, and Lloyd and Maggie follow her there.

Meanwhile, Declan and Ben reach out to their CIA and Interpol contacts, to help figure out what's happening.

The remainder of the novel is action packed as Ingrid, Lloyd, and Maggie run around Europe, and Jo Thibodeau and the FBI investigate the deaths of Dr. Maslow and Karen O'Brien.

The book is a page-turner filled with intrigue, danger, violence, and death. The novel kept my attention, but aspects of the story stretch credulity too much for me.

SPOILER ALERT SPOILER ALERT

I think Ingrid would have left a note for Lloyd saying she's been called away for something important, and she'll be back soon, as she did when she was an active CIA agent. Then Lloyd wouldn't have gone so crazy.

In my view, former CIA agents like Lloyd and Maggie would NOT insert themselves into what they MUST KNOW is a SECRET OPERATION. In this novel, Lloyd and Maggie just walk right in - with their suitcases - and start ringing doorbells for all the world (and the Russians) to see. Langley wouldn't approve.

I understand author Tess Gerritsen needed to propel the story forward, but I think she was off the mark here.

END SPOILER ALERT END SPOILER ALERT

That said, fans of the Martini Club would probably enjoy the book.

I listened to the audiobook, narrated by Hillary Huber, who does a fine job

Thanks to Netgalley, Tess Gerritsen, and Brilliance Audio for an ARC of the book.

Rating; 3 stars

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Barb's Book Reviews

Wednesday, August 19, 2026

Review of "The Shadow Friends: The Martini Club #3" by Tess Gerritsen

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