In her intriguing second novel, Red, White, Blue, Lea Carpenter (Eleven Days) tackles the enigmatic world of the CIA through the intertwined stories of two narrators.
Anna is recently married but also still mourning the death of her father, Noel, in a Swiss avalanche while skiing. She remembers him as a brilliant businessman and a devoted father who took care of her after her mother left. The two were very close, and his death, on the eve of her wedding day, was devastating.
On a delayed honeymoon to the south of France, Anna meets a mysterious man at the bar. She soon realizes this is not a chance encounter, as the man's stories about working for the Agency involve her father. Back home, she receives a package containing videos that provide further understanding (and confusion) about a part of her father's life she knew nothing about.
The novel alternates between Anna's life moving forward and the stories of the unnamed CIA case officer that gradually bring her father's past to light. The author uses an unusual narrative style, with short, clipped sentences and very brief chapters. It feels a bit jarring at first, but readers soon fall into the rhythm of the story as it slowly unfolds in both the past and the present. Small details take on great importance in this clever and complex spy story that provides insights into the workings of the CIA and this particular agent's life. --Suzan L. Jackson, freelance writer and author of Book By Book blog