An Agent in Place [Paperback]

Set in the Former Soviet Union in the late 1980s, this novel by spy master Robert Littell is about an unauthorized operation hatched by a leftover surreptitious rogue agency (Intelligence Support Activity)in Washington, aimed at destabilizing "glasnost and perestroika" and the associated reforms, then taking place in the Soviet Union.

When Ben Bassett, ostensibly a low level bureaucrat arrives at the US Embassy in Moscow, the KGB takes little notice, at least at first. However, when their eavesdroppers figure out that he has met with the CIA station chief and is working out of the CIA section, they inform their superior, Viktor Prosenko, who takes a renewed interest in the inscrutable Bassett.

Aida Zavaskaya is a poet, a mother and a women's rights activist. She eeks out an existence by getting her sometimes erotic poetry published here and there. Only one of her books has made it past the censors to publication. She is proud, attractive, even with her badly set broken nose, courtesy of the KGB, and she is a celebrity of sorts to Russian women. She augments her meager earnings by occasionally reading her poetry for gatherings of women.

They meet by chance and though Aida is hesitant, Bassett persists. Bassett is charming, Aida is charming and soon they are involved and so to is the KGB. Aida's thirteen year old son has a rare type of leukemia that can be held in permanent remission by a certain American drug. The KGB cuts off Aida's supply of this drug to force Bassett's co-operation and little by little Bassett starts giving in to them and supplying what they want.

An Agent in Place, is both a love story and a spy thriller. Bassett falls for Aida and she for him. He wants to take her and the boy to America but Aida insists she loves her country and could never fit in elsewhere. Eventually when Bassett supplies Viktor with everything he wants and needs, he tries to kill Bassett and then He and Aida and the boy and with the aid of Manny Custer, the Embassy Director of Security, are on the run.

Robert Littell is a former Journalist for Newsweek, so he knows how to write. The grimness and hopelessness of Moscow is palatable. He takes the time to develop the main characters and their backgrounds. He makes you feel the cruelness and inhumanity of the KGB personnel. He also develops interesting side characters as well. In a twist of fate, Aida's "future ex husband", Vadim, a wealthy Jewish entrepreneur is sleeping with The KGB Colonel Viktor's wife. Viktor is many years older than his wife and had agreed to an open marriage and so he can't or won't do anything about it. As I read on I grew to appreciate Vadim's dependability and sense of humor.

CONCLUSION

An Agent in Place is a interesting book. I would not give it a particularly high rating but I enjoyed it and I'm glad I read it. Littell's writing style is succinct and descriptive and I found his subject matter, here at least, interesting. I'm afraid I must say that I did think the story was a little predictable. I also refuse to believe the KGB would try to kill a turned agent established inside the American Embassy. I'm sure they could come up with some other way to insure his silence and keep getting information from him.

At the time Littell wrote this book he had nine other books under his belt. I consider him a good writer and would not hesitate to read further books by him. Rating 3.5 stars

Spy novel or love story? Littell can't seem to make up his mind and that indecision, sadly, renders the book just an average read. Littell is capable of great work, as in his "The Company." But this is not one of his better works. The plot just seems to drift, the characters are not all that believeable, and the book's ending is highly unsatisfying and unrealistic. I get the feeling Littell just wanted to show off his poetry, which is average. On the other hand, he KNOWS Moscow and I enjoyed vicariously wandering around the city with him, my map in hand. But, all in all, I'd just say it's an average read.

This is one of Littell's most enjoyable books. The plot twists are quite intricate, the evocation of Moscow is very visceral, and there are the usual signs of an author who has had deep briefings in tradecraft.

There are two coincidences in the plot which I found too incredible, but everything else flowed smoothly. The touch at the end where the author is 'forced' to disavow that any of this happened in real life by the publisher is a nice touch.

If you're new to Littell, this is a good book to start with. I would then proceed to 'The Once and Future Spy', 'The Company', and 'Legends.' 'The Company' is his tour de force!