With lean prose and spot-on local color, this plot-driven thriller pulses with tension and fraught escapes, the action capped by a courtroom drama as good as any from Grisham. A must-read for fans of legal thrillers and/or spy novels.
Robert Dugoni has crafted a thriller that echoes the best of classic Russian literature with a hint of John LeCarre added to the mix. When the storyline veers into predictability, the narrative takes a drastic turn and becomes a legal drama that will remind readers of Scott Turow’s best. This novel is destined to be a classic in the genre, and Dugoni is arguably one of the best writers in the field right now.
If you’ve eagerly devoured [Dugoni's] previous works for their cinematic pacing, tautly written thrills and wonderfully developed characters, you’re in for all of that and so much more ... Whenever I pick up one of Dugoni’s books, I know that I will be greeted with a hard-hitting issue that truly feels 'ripped from the headlines'...Dugoni does a fabulous job of filling in just enough fiction to offer his readers a reprieve from the news ... As always, I am blown away by Dugoni’s ability to tackle any genre, any setting and any type of character with any background...From the start, he pulls his readers in with an instantly likable yet complex character ... if you are willing to suspend your disbelief a bit, you will be treated to a truly action-packed, fast-paced and absolutely exhilarating thrill ride --- and, perhaps in Charles Jenkins, your new favorite character.
Dugoni scores big ... includes several clever twists and turns, and while it is a bit lengthier then it needs to be, Jenkins’ attempted escape is highly entertaining and serves as a crash course in Eastern European geography and modern-day spy technology ... The perfect pacing and brilliant intrigue of The Eighth Sister result in a page-turning, intelligent tale that will keep readers engaged until the very last page. Dugoni mixes humor, culture and history in equal measure creating a powerful and timely tale. He also proves that Russia remains a pertinent and credible foe for the United States, especially with Putin’s rise to power ... Dugoni’s exhaustive research, detailed in the Acknowledgments, constantly shines through the tale and imbues the mystery with genuine credibility and an added layer of authenticity and realism ... the perfect combination of espionage, history and quick-witted characters—a rare feat in the thriller genre.
Dugoni has outdone himself here, serving up a double-barrelled blast of action mixed with espionage in what’s perhaps his most unputdownable thriller yet. While readers may initially feel bummed out that this isn’t the next book in his Tracy Crosswhite series, most will warm to Charles Jenkins within the first few pages. Nicely developed, Jenkins comes across as an everyday Joe, displaying plenty of relatable qualities readers can identify with. Without giving anything away, the Eighth Sister is also a fantastic character, as are the rest of the supporting cast, including those who end up playing the villainous role ... Treason, moles, and plenty of misdirection . . . Robert Dugoni’s The Eighth Sister is a high-stakes game between spies, and he doesn’t take his foot off the gas pedal for a second.
