"The Red Room"

"The Red Room" by Ridley Pearson is his third book in the "Risk Agent" series but, hopefully, it won't the be last.  Since it was released in 2014, I anticipate he's working on a sequel because he ended it with all the markings of more to come.

John Knox is a businessman importing trinkets to support himself and his brother but he's also a former government contractor trained in kidnapping extraction, surveillance, and delicate negotiations.  The latter means that he has a sometime employer - Rutherford Risk - who offer him high paying "jobs" to supplement his income which he needs to help pay for medications and care for his brother.  His travel world wide for the import business is also the perfect cover for wherever a job might take him.

When on assignment, Knox is often paired with Grace Chu who is brilliant with numbers and a computer geek but who also has a secret desire to be a field agent.  When the duo are offered their latest assignment (which is on a need to know basis) by David "Sarge" Dulwich, Chu's wish leads them into trouble uncovering more than they were to know about this particular mission.

I didn't get into this book as quickly as usual as I slogged through the background for what was to follow but once Chu is kidnapped (I'm not giving anything away because it's disclosed on the book jacket!), everything begins to move at a faster pace and I couldn't put the book down unless absolutely forced to (Eating and work are such distractions!).

As Chu and Knox work closely together and uncover other countries and other agents involved, they begin to doubt whether Dulwich is really working for Rutherford Risk or does he have them on a rogue assignment.  This mutual distrust brings them closer together and I see the nature of their relationship changing -- something to look forward to in future Pearson "Risk Agent" novels.  pazt