Former spy Kate Swift has been living quietly for years when her cover is blown in spectacular fashion after she subdues two gunmen who attack her daughter’s Vermont elementary school. Forced to flee before unfriendly forces can track her down, she heads to Canada, then to Berlin, in search of the one man she is convinced can help her escape from her pursuers—the legendary operative Harry Hook. She eventually tracks him down and pleads for his help. The spur-of-the-moment plan he concocts is both inspired and risky: success means another chance at a normal life for Kate and her daughter Suzie, failure means death for them and those who’d help them.

James Rayburn is a pen name for Roger Smith, a South African filmmaker and author of some acclaim. His experience and talent permeate The Truth Itself, wherein he writes with great wit, assurance, precision, and flair, capturing readers from the very first sentences of this extraordinary thriller. Every character is a standout, each with a unique voice and intricate backstory. Every situation demands your attention, whether it be an action set piece, or merely dialogue between two old comrades. It’s one of those books in which the chapters end so cleverly, you are virtually compelled to start its successor. It also teems with surprises and reversals, so many that I have had to force myself to avoid going into too much detail here, for fear of inadvertently providing spoilers.