Lone Star Book Blog Tour: The Paris Betrayal by James R. Hannibal (Review & Giveaway)

“But the most dangerous enemy is the one you don’t see coming.”

The Paris Betrayal by James R. Hannibal has everything needed for an all-night or all-day reading session: high-octane action that does not quit, fabulous characterization, an overall plot that is frightening to the core, and, of course, betrayal. Grab the popcorn, sit back, and hold on tight because this story will keep you on the edge of your seat the whole way through.

Ben Calix is not your ordinary Hollywood spy who dodges every calamity and who is an expert in parkour, finessing his way across rooftops and stair railings. He has spy skills, for sure, but when a job is botched in Rome and Ben finds himself severed from The Company, those skills are the only thing keeping him alive and in a mad dash to prove he is not a traitor and that a bioweapon is about to be unleashed that will surpass the deadliness of the very real global pandemic. Life on the run definitely proves one thing. Ben cannot trust anyone.

“What’s the prognosis?”
“Total devastation. And I mean total.”

This story is gripping the minute you hit chapter one. James Hannibal’s writing is smooth and easy to navigate, and the reader is not buried under lengthy descriptive prose that drones on and on. The author knows how to balance beguiling dialogue with enough information to provide heft to a delicious plot that never lags, never bores, and never gives up all its secrets too soon. Ben is a likable main character, and his flaws and physical limitations, especially as the story heads toward the finish line, show he is basically a realistic guy but with the ability to hit action-figure mode when things go south, which they do in a big way and in a big hurry. Stopping Ben from finding answers will take more than bullets, frost bite, electric shock, and the plague. When he is set adrift by almost everyone he trusts, Ben ends up fighting for his life and fighting for the world. How cool is that?

In the Author Note at the end, we learn that Ben is based on the Biblical Job. The Christian aspect is somewhat low key throughout, but the comparison to Job is an interesting view that many readers might appreciate more if pointed out before the story and not after. Nothing is taken away from the overall story if the reader never makes the connection to Job, but that knowledge definitely adds a unique layer to the plot and to Ben. Besides Ben, a blue-haired girl named Clara and her dachshund named Otto, a sea smuggler named Basile, and a tech geek named Dylan are a few favorite characters who add even more spice and depth to an already remarkable story. The Paris Betrayal is a work of fiction, but no one could possibly miss the unmistakable reality of the bioweapon scenario, providing the reader with much to ponder while still enjoying the riveting intrigue, total spy game, thrilling action, and a sensational ending that seems to leave a bit of an opening for something more. Maybe.

“I guess we’ll have to wait and see.”