Burned

By: Valerie Plame, Sarah Lovett

Narrated by: Negin Farsad

In the continuation of the Vanessa Pierson series by ex–CIA agent Valerie Plame and thriller writer Sarah Lovett, an explosion in Paris sets off an international manhunt to prevent an all-out war.

Critic reviews

Praise for BLOWBACK

“A high-octane tale of deception.” –Entertainment Weekly

“A tense spy thriller, with a smart, sexy heroine, international danger and yes, a love interest…. [Blowback] reads like Clancy, Cussler, or Ludlum…Destined to become another great part of American literary fiction.” –The Huffington Post

“A classic spy tale.” –The Daily Beast

“A fine, fast-moving spy saga…. Pierson emerges as a smart, sexy action hero, a kind of James Bond with high heels, short skirts and a Glock in her purse….Check out this seductive spy; she’s likely to be around for a while.” –The Washington Post

“I couldn’t put it down! Blowback is beautifully written, incredibly well-informed and an amazing treatment of profound female courage. This is not even a genre I follow—but this book transcends genre.” –Naomi Wolf

“A tightly wound, vigorously deployed thriller echoing the real-life stories of CIA agents and their enemies.” –Library Journal (starred)

“Propulsive and accurate.” –Salon

“Want to read a thriller about the real CIA and how it actually works? Then dive into this corker from former agent Valerie Plame and Sarah Lovett.” —James Patterson

"Great storytelling, real insider authenticity, and above all a fascinating main character in Vanessa Pierson. And maybe those initials are not a coincidence—sometimes fiction can reveal things that nonfiction can't." —Lee Child

"Plame and Lovett have hit a home run in their fiction debut.... Blowback is an outstanding addition to the thriller genre and ushers in a writing team that I hope will enthrall us for years to come." —David Baldacci

“One wild ride, a riveting cat-and-mouse game set within the world of international terrorism, covert operations, blackmarket WMDs, and brutal assassinations. Plame and Lovett know their stuff cold and have written a realistic, vivid, fast moving story full of shocking twists and unexpected turns. This is truly an epic thriller--the first in what promises to be a fantastic series. I highly recommend it.” —Douglas Preston
“Blowback is a stunning debut novel by former CIA agent Valerie Plame and suspense writer Sarah Lovett—a thriller rich with international intrigue and details of spycraft and secret ops that only an insider could bring to the genre. It’s a well-told tale of high stakes and lives on the line, starring a brilliant, edgy protagonist I can’t wait to see more of. A powerful read.” —Linda Fairstein

"With an alpha female heroine and a plot as familiar as her own backyard, Blowback is a stunning debut. Here's to many more." –Steve Berry

The complexity of a Daniel Silva novel, with a bit of realistic romance

I liked the detail the authors provide, with enough information about the main actors for me to feel involved with them. Even the elements of “business structure” like the required meetings of the agents who were on the team searching for the bad guys are reflective of how things actually work in the real world.
Most of all Vanessa, the protagonist, is likeable, fallible and believable.
JDW, August 2021

gave it another go

i felt the first book was an easy listen with the story line easy to guess and a very neat clean ending
so i gave book two a look hoping the writer matured. characters are likeable. however tue story line again was guessable and done before.
disappointed.

Interesting story, needed deeper characters

Although the story was interesting with good writing and suspense, I constantly longed to know the characters better. I never felt completely attached to any of the characters.

Amateur writing

If I didn’t have the hours to burn that I did I would not have finished this book. It was like reading a composition of a junior high school student.