Critics' Opinion:
Readers' rating:
Published May 2012
336 pages
Genre: Thrillers
Publication Information
From the Tom Clancy for a new generation, a debut thriller following two CIA outcasts who must race to stop a secret Chinese weapon that threatens to provoke a world war.
After her first assignment in Venezuela goes disastrously awry, rookie case officer Kyra Stryker is brought back to Langley to work in the Red Cell, the CIA's out-of-the-box think tank. There she's paired with Jonathan Burke, a straitlaced analyst who has alienated his colleagues with his unorthodox methods and a knack for always being right, political consequences be damned.
When a raid on Chinese spies in Taiwan ends in a shoot-out and the release of a deadly chemical, CIA director Kathy Cooke turns to the Red Cell to figure out why China is ready to invade the island nation without any fear of reprisal from the US Navy. Stryker and Burke's only lead is the top CIA asset in China, code named Pioneer. But when Pioneer reports that Chinese security has him under surveillance, Stryker is offered a chance for redemption with a highly dangerous mission: extract Pioneer from China before he's arrested and executed. The answers he holds could mean the difference between peace in the Pacific or another world war.
From CIA headquarters to the White House to a Navy carrier in the South China Sea and the dark alleyways of Beijing, Red Cell takes readers on a whirlwind race against time as Stryker and Burke work to save Pioneer and discover the hidden threat to America's power: China's top-secret weapon.
CIA analyst Mark Henshaw infuses expert knowledge of the intelligence world into a pulse-pounding plot to create a fascinating, authentic, and unforgettable read.
"Starred Review. CIA analyst Henshaw's assured debut, an exciting espionage thriller, puts him solidly in the ranks of the top writers of the genre... The masterfully handled battle at the end is worthy of Tom Clancy." - Publishers Weekly
"In this deft novel of intelligence, the CIA actually shines." - Kirkus Reviews
"Red Cell is as smart as it is exciting, a thriller that makes you think from the edge of your seat. Mark Henshaw's unique perspective from the inside makes it all feel terrifyingly real." - Howard Gordon, co-creator of Homeland and author of Hard Target
"Mark Henshaw is the real deal and he delivers big-time in his debut novel Red Cell. Only a decorated CIA analyst like Henshaw could take you this deep into the psyche of CIA operatives - and even deeper into one of the most dangerous and imminent geopolitical flashpoints of our times." - Thomas Greanias, New York Times bestselling author of Dominus Dei
This information about Red Cell was first featured
in "The BookBrowse Review" - BookBrowse's membership magazine, and in our weekly "Publishing This Week" newsletter. Publication information is for the USA, and (unless stated otherwise) represents the first print edition. The reviews are necessarily limited to those that were available to us ahead of publication. If you are the publisher or author and feel that they do not properly reflect the range of media opinion now available, send us a message with the mainstream reviews that you would like to see added.
Any "Author Information" displayed below reflects the author's biography at the time this particular book was published.
Mark Henshaw is a graduate of Brigham Young University and a decorated CIA analyst with more than eleven years of service. In 2007, Henshaw was awarded the Director of National Intelligence Galileo Award for innovation in intelligence analysis. Henshaw lives with his family in Leesburg, Virginia.
The Flower Sisters
by Michelle Collins Anderson
From the new Fannie Flagg of the Ozarks, a richly-woven story of family, forgiveness, and reinvention.
The House on Biscayne Bay
by Chanel Cleeton
As death stalks a gothic mansion in Miami, the lives of two women intertwine as the past and present collide.
The Funeral Cryer by Wenyan Lu
Debut novelist Wenyan Lu brings us this witty yet profound story about one woman's midlife reawakening in contemporary rural China.
Your guide toexceptional books
BookBrowse seeks out and recommends the best in contemporary fiction and nonfiction—books that not only engage and entertain but also deepen our understanding of ourselves and the world around us.
