Retired CIA operative and professor of Persian studies John Farragut is slowly dying from a brain tumor when an unlikely combination of circumstances set him on one last undercover mission. Farragut is sent by Treasury agent (and former flame) Mia Kelly to find and destroy a counterfeit operation churning out Supernotes—counterfeit bills indiscernible from U.S. currency that are being used to fund terrorist activities. On his team are Omar Azadi, an Iranian-American counterfeiter, Ari Jashni, a Mossad agent, and Shareef Salaam, an explosives expert who is broken out of prison for the sake of the mission. Farragut and his team travel across the globe to Iran, where they must race against time and navigate a dangerous sociopolitical climate in order to complete their mission.
Authors Adam P. Gross and Seth K. Gross do an excellent job in developing an original story and in developing the background of each of the main characters. The plot is a complex one and Gross and Gross masterfully explore the complicated motivations of their protagonists. Through them, readers are presented with a portrait of humanity that shows that even the bad guys have some good in them and vice versa.
The book’s biggest drawback is its length. IN GOD WE TRUST starts off with a bang (literally), but most of the novel fails to live up to the excitement found in the book’s opening chapters. At times, the story unfolds sluggishly without the fast-paced action a reader might expect from a novel filled with espionage and government intrigue. IN GOD WE TRUST burns slowly, but its well-crafted plot ensures that it burns brightly.
While die-hard thriller fans might wish it to be a bit more action-packed, readers who don’t normally enjoy the genre will be pleasantly surprised at how relatable IN GOD WE TRUST is. Thrillers often tend to be hyper-focused on the action, but IN GOD WE TRUST combines elements of different genres, weaving in history, romance, politics and family drama. Gross and Gross bring in layers of nuance creating a thriller with something for everyone.
Overall, IN GOD WE TRUST is an entertaining and well-written novel. Its slower pace provides ample room for psychological exploration of the characters, allowing readers to delve into their minds. Readers will eagerly anticipate each chapter and root for Farragut and his team as they try to carry out their mission.
IN GOD WE TRUST is a well-written, slow-burning thriller that sometimes struggles to keep up the pace, but still delivers an entertaining tale of espionage.
~Christine-Marie Liwag Dixon for IndieReader