Flight of the Starling
A review
Flight of the Starling is the debut collaboration of Christine Merser and Carol Rea. Its contemporary themes of trafficked women, clandestine black ops maneuvers, and justice in all its forms are interpreted/felt/lived through the lens of Justine, a wealthy divorcee from The Hamptons who becomes involved in a daring rescue.
As the plot unfolds, we understand why Justine—a woman with no espionage skills or training—is uber-wealthy Robert Bradbury’s choice to lead the rescue of his daughter, Caroline, who was abducted twenty-five ago and whose trail has finally been picked up in the Middle East by the retired CIA agents Robert has been contracting for years. The more intricate question is why does Justine say yes? This question is the essence of the tale.
There is no lack of strong female characters in this book, and we assume we know their motivations and stories—right up until we don’t. Flight of the Starling lays out a plot you think you know, then gives twists you don’t expect while creating emotions that are unheard of in the mostly male world of espionage. We are used to seeing female characters who are hardened, jaded—opposite-sex replicas of their male counterparts. Not in this story. We hear the first-person doubts of a middle-aged woman wondering how she got here and whether her instincts will allow her to complete this mission on her terms. Great character arcs! I found myself conflicted over every player in the story.
If you have an Audible account, I suggest you use it for this novel! Narrator Francis Mercanti-Anthony does a wonderful job of keeping the intrigue going while seamlessly volleying between male and female characters.
Flight of the Starling is a fast and entertaining read that handles the topic of trafficked women with a read-between-the-lines style that allowed me a closer look without the urge to turn away. In fact, I couldn’t put it down.
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