The Spy Coast

A Thriller (The Martini Club, Book 1)

By: Tess Gerritsen

Narrated by: Hillary Huber, Brittany Pressley

A retired CIA operative in small-town Maine tackles the ghosts of her past in this fresh take on the spy thriller from New York Times bestselling author Tess Gerritsen.

Former spy Maggie Bird came to the seaside village of Purity, Maine, eager to put the past behind her after a mission went tragically wrong. These days, she’s living quietly on her chicken farm, still wary of blowback from the events that forced her early retirement.

But when a body turns up in Maggie’s driveway, she knows it’s a message from former foes who haven’t forgotten her. Maggie turns to her local circle of old friends—all retirees from the CIA—to help uncover the truth about who is trying to kill her, and why. This “Martini Club” of former spies may be retired, but they still have a few useful skills that they’re eager to use again, if only to spice up their rather sedate new lives.

Complicating their efforts is Purity’s acting police chief, Jo Thibodeau. More accustomed to dealing with rowdy tourists than homicide, Jo is puzzled by Maggie’s reluctance to share information—and by her odd circle of friends, who seem to be a step ahead of her at every turn.

As Jo’s investigation collides with the Martini Club’s maneuvers, Maggie’s hunt for answers will force her to revisit a clandestine career that spanned the globe, from Bangkok to Istanbul, from London to Malta. The ghosts of her past have returned, but with the help of her friends—and the reluctant Jo Thibodeau—Maggie might just be able to save the life she’s built.

©2023 Tess Gerritsen (P)2023 Brilliance Publishing, Inc., all rights reserved.

Critic reviews

“Through Hillary Huber's masterful performance, listeners are introduced to former spy Maggie Bird, who is now happily raising chickens on her small farm in Maine.… Huber convincingly portrays Maggie as a courageous, intelligent woman. Brittany Pressley voices Bella, the other key woman in this well-paced thriller. Pressley's performance as a spoiled, moody teenager is particularly effective. The result is a totally engaging launch of this new series.”—AudioFile Magazine

“This is a nice take on retirement—five old spooks whose bones may ache but whose minds remain sharp. You can expect mystery, action, and bloodshed in this exciting thriller launched straight from the peaceful shores of Maine.”—Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

“Gerritsen…branches out into the world of espionage…expertly mixing spy drama with romance and wry comedy… Gerritsen fans and readers of Richard Osman’s Thursday Murder Club mysteries will love this.”—Booklist (starred review)

The Martini Club is the best…

I am hoping the cast of characters that make up The Martini Club show up again in a new adventure. They are truly the stars of this story. As a 56 yr old I really appreciate the positive way these retired spies are portrayed. They’re smart, experienced, resourceful and interesting. I loved the way they were introduced to us and the integral part they played in furthering Maggie’s story. The young sheriff was a character I could have done without. She was unlikeable, irritating and not necessary. If she is going to make a reappearance in future stories I hope she’s less irritating. I truly hope to see more of these characters and to see how Maggie and Declan’s relationship plays out.

Very entertaining

Fun and lighthearted. Not too serious and an enjoyable listen. Narrators are good. Recommended to anyone.

This story never stops or slows down

This story was hard to put down for sleep or other activity, The story progresses with no slow spots and holds the reader/listeners attention. It was a creative and original plot that I have not encountered in other works. And it was also nice to read about senior citizen characters who could still "kick butt" when needed. I haven't enjoyed a story this much in a long time!

Good story

I did not like the nasal tone of the narrator. Otherwise, it was a good listen.

Entertaining!

I very much enjoyed listening to this book. I was surprised at the ending, which is generally not easy to do. While this could be a stand alone book, I truly hope to read more about the Martini Club's adventures. As I am also retired (maybe not from the CIA, but...), and getting older, this book really resonated with me. The character development was on point, and while it focused on Maggie as the lead character, there is plenty of intrigue left for the rest of the supporting characters. The narration was spot on, and kept the story moving quite well.

Could not put down

This was an amazing by listen - great plot, good character development, and strong writing. Plus, the narration was spot on and I’m usually super critical about this.

Brilliant!!!

Can’t wait for more in this series. I loved everything about this book and can’t wait for more.

Not Boring, Great audio performances.

This is a very enjoyable read with a good mix of danger, intrigue, and suspense. I believe this new series, The Martini Club, has the potential to have a large following. The characters are a hoot and funny in a, "I could tell you, but I'd have to kill you", way. I enjoyed the audio performances by Hillary Huber and Brittany Pressley. -Mr.Bill

This story felt pretty real. Even though I’ve never been a spy it just seemed believable.

I loved the narrators voice and inflection. She made it very real when she was afraid or mad glad or any emotion at all.

Start of a good series

The story was well composed. I did feel some characters were predictable. However I enjoyed the older and younger versions of the characters and life in rural Maine so much that I’d follow the series.