Covert

Covert
Michael V Kennedy
2010

Covert is unlike any book I've ever read. Not a bad thing, just an observation. It actually had me chuckling out loud half the time, and shaking my head the other half. A spy spoof that made me think of Get Smart! (the 2008 movie, I haven't seen the original show), and took me on an international whirlwind ride Covert is both the title of the novel and the name of the governmental agency where our main characters work.

The premise is simple enough: the prototype of a new nuclear missile has been stolen, and Paul Blaine and his partner Danny Willoughby must catch the thieves and reclaim the missile components before any other agency does. ("Other agencies" meaning the CIA, FBI and Homeland Security, of course). These guys had me cracking up as they hit brick wall after brick wall in their quest. Plus, Willoughby is working on a book of crosswords at the same time - quite a feat when you've got a limited vocabulary, and your brainiac partner is distracted trying to catch bad guys who are always just ahead of you. And what exactly is going on with everyone else in on this hunt - are all the bad guys really bad? Are all the good guys playing fair? As with any good story, things come together just when they ought to, and all ends well -- or does it?

What I really enjoyed about Covert was the 'lightness' - the tongue-in-cheek look at the way government runs, the way people are. I loved the slap-stick quality to the action and adventure, and was literally laughing out loud at times. Blaine and Willoughby are likable, realistically bumbling, characters with a good chemistry and a knack for misadventure, and I look forward to reading about their next case.

Book provided by author for review.