Broken Angels

The CIA has just posted an agent in the Ukraine, hoping to get a bead on unchecked uranium. But Victoria Pierce’s mission collides with a second insidious business – rampant sex trafficking – dragging Victoria deeper into two criminal conspiracies with potentially global consequences. Half a world away, Victoria’s mentor Maud Olson is nearly killed before she can issue a report on the Ukraine. Can Victoria unravel the web of intrigue she’s stumbled into? And with Maud out of the picture, who can she count on for help?

Broken Angels is the second adventure for Victoria Pierce, who previously appeared in Satan’s Chamber. Here Tinsley unleashes a host of hot button issues – terrorism, nuclear threats, sex trafficking, organ thefts, and the influence of religion on politics – adds a dash of post-Soviet paranoia, and dumps Victoria in the middle. It’s a recipe for espionage, gamesmanship, and no small amount of following-the-money.

While the pacing suffers a bit with all the jumping around between locations and plot points, Broken Angels is sharp and well-crafted, with rich characterization and a firm knowledge of modern geopolitics. I suspect Victoria Pierce will have more than a few fans clamoring for her next adventure.