Book Notices | Evelyn, After by Victoria Helen Stone / The God's Eye View by Barry Eisler

Victoria Helen Stone, Evelyn, After

Amazon   Evelyn, After is a romantic suspense novel that explores what happens after 40-something Evelyn Tester is woken in the middle of the night by a phone call. It turns out she has to stumble out of bed and meet her husband on an old deserted highway. What happens that night turns Evelyn's life upside down. The narrative skips around in time, alternating between "before" and "after" chapters, a device that does help build suspense. In the middle of the book it seems like the story has turned into pure romance, but happily that honeymoon doesn't last forever, and things get complicated again for the protagonist. I feel like the author has done a particularly good job portraying Evelyn's emotions, the ambivalence of her relationship with her husband. What she feels throughout this crisis seems real and honest to me. All in all, an enjoyable read.

Barry Eisler, The God's Eye View

Amazon   Barry Eisler's stand-alone thriller The God's Eye feeds on modern fears of government overreach and privacy concerns in the wake of the Edward Snowden revelations. Evelyn Gallagher is an NSA analyst who winds up in serious trouble after she connects some dots her boss--the NSA director--would rather remain unconnected. Somehow she has to keep herself and her son safe, but what's the best way to do that when you're being watched...and listened to? Definitely a page turner, with a likable protagonist or two.