Desperate Spies
- Judith D Collins
- 2 days ago
- 6 min read
Secret Lives #3
ISBN: 9781448316700
Publisher: Severn House
Publication Date: 11/04/2025
Format: Hardcover
My Rating: 5 Stars (ARC)
Badass 75-year-old retired FBI agent Ethel Fiona Crestwater is back—stalking mobsters, dodging bullets, and pulling off Bond-worthy moves as she tracks down missing state secrets in this fun and pacy new installment in the Secret Lives mystery series
“Ethel’s adventures will appeal to fans of Richard Osman’s Thursday Murder Club series and Deanna Raybourn’s Killers of a Certain Age”—Library Journal Starred Review
“Ethel looks like Marple but acts like Marlowe”—Kirkus Reviews
“Plucky Ethel is an elderly Nancy Drew”—Publishers Weekly
For seventy-five-year-old former FBI agent Ethel Fiona Crestwater, her age is nothing but an advantage when it comes to ferreting out secrets. Who's going to notice the little old woman in the corner? Besides, Ethel might be officially retired, but she knows everyone in DC law enforcement—and is smarter than all of them combined.
When a former colleague asks Ethel for help, she agrees without a second thought. But the favor throws Ethel back eighteen years, to the botched sting operation that resulted in the murder of an innocent young woman by a Russian gangster—and nearly ended Ethel’s own life too.
Soon, Ethel and her young tech-whizz sidekick Jesse, her double-first-cousin-twice-removed, find themselves in the crosshairs of some very bad—and very desperate—men who’ll do anything to get their hands on the state secrets they’re seeking. Ethel will have to use all the skills she’s learned during her long career if she’s to save the day, and keep both herself and her beloved cousin alive.
Secret Lives Series
My Review
Mark de Castrique returns with a captivating addition to one of my favorite series, featuring the unstoppable Ethel Fiona Crestwater in the thrilling third installment of the Secret Lives series—DESPERATE SPIES.
Secret Lives Series:
Genre:
Political thriller with cozy mystery and P.I. caper elements
Themes:
Intrigue, action, and humor
Main Character:
Ethel Fiona Crestwater, a feisty and fearless 75-year-old retired FBI agent and now landlord, reclaims her spotlight in this action-packed adventure.
Residing in her boarding house for government FBI and Secret Service agents in Arlington, Virginia, she juggles her time between watching over her tenants—including FBI and Secret Service agents—and mentoring her ambitious young cousin, tech-savvy Jesse Cooper, a grad student eager to be part of her thrilling world.
Ethel fiercely adheres to her own code of conduct, unafraid to bend—or even break—the rules to unveil the truth. With Jesse as her only living relative, she is fiercely protective, demonstrating a blend of maternal love and steadfast loyalty.
In this riveting tale, the stakes are higher than ever. The narrative unfolds with relentless action, sinister stalking by mobsters, hair-raising bullet-dodging, and dazzlingly daring escapades, while Ethel races to unravel the puzzle of missing state secrets and save Jesse in this enthralling edition of the Secret Lives mystery series.
About...
The Past:
Ethel finds herself pulled back into the treacherous world of espionage when a lawyer linked to an old unresolved case is murdered. This shocking death reconnects her with a haunting memory from 18 years ago—a ruthless Russian mobster who left a trail of destruction by killing the daughter of an informant and nearly taking Ethel’s life during her active years with the FBI.
The Present:
As the plot thickens, the recent release of the ruthless, vengeful Russian mobster Mikhail Golubev from prison casts a looming shadow over Ethel, making her a target once more. The tension escalates when Jesse, her bright and spirited protégé, is kidnapped by those seeking the state secrets entwined with the unresolved case.
The Investigation:
Ethel’s resolve intensifies as she embarks on a perilous quest to rescue Jesse and piece together the murders from both the past and present, all while trying to keep the FBI at arm’s length from her investigation. The murder of Tony Bagatelos, a lawyer intertwined with her previous case and friend to FBI agent CiCi Crawford, reignites the flames of suspicion and danger—the perfect storm for Ethel.
The New Threat:
As Ethel steps back into the lethal game of espionage, she must navigate a labyrinth of cracks and shadows while using every ounce of her seasoned skills. With her network of old contacts and the elements of traditional spycraft at her disposal, she deftly skirts the official police investigation, all while remaining unseen in a world bustling with peril.
A complex web of suspects:
The plot thickens with the introduction of numerous characters, including FBI Director Rudy Hauser, Senator Herman Wilkes, and various Russian villains.
Caught in a deadly game, Ethel and Jesse face a slew of sinister adversaries who will stop at nothing to retrieve the secrets that could upend their lives. Ethel’s life experiences provide her with the edge as she turns her age into an asset, utilizing the stereotypes others tactically hold against her.
Ethel’s life is a whirlwind of intrigue, humor, and danger, showcasing the resilience and dynamism of a woman who refuses to be defined by age. Get ready for an exhilarating ride alongside this dynamic duo, where adventure and excitement lie at every turn!
My thoughts...
I am absolutely enamored with this series, particularly with the empowering portrayal of women in my age group who refuse to fade into the background. In DESPERATE SPIES, Ethel is the embodiment of toughness, resilience, and razor-sharp wit, brimming with clever tricks at every twist and turn.
The narrative expertly melds the elements of a gripping spy thriller with the exhilarating pace of a high-energy caper, each page turning with purpose. Ethel's clever harnessing of her age, turning others’ underestimations into an advantage, highlights her brilliance in navigating a dangerous landscape of espionage, violence, and deceit.
Jesse is Ethel's loyal partner, providing crucial tech skills to complement her old-school investigative methods. Showcasing age is just a number when it comes to crime-solving.
Leveraging her extensive experience from years in the FBI, Ethel possesses a wealth of knowledge and connections that younger agents could only dream of having. This vast network of contacts becomes paramount as she embarks on her covert mission to save Jesse.
Ethel adeptly blends into the background, with underestimated appearances allowing her to strike swiftly from the shadows. Now liberated from the confines of the FBI’s bureaucracy and corruption, Ethel operates on her own terms, driven by a personal agenda that resists the constraints placed upon her by an ever-evolving agency.
The author's insightful note and expertise in the field add depth to the narrative, bringing authenticity and life to every twist and turn of the story.
Recommendations...
DESPERATE SPIES is a must-read for fans of the author and the Secret Lives series, as well as anyone who appreciates tales of clever septuagenarians who continue to defy expectations.
Those who enjoyed Tess Gerritsen's "The Martini Club series," Samantha Downing's "Too Old For This," Elle Cosimano's "Finlay Donovan Digs Her Own Grave," (Mrs. Haggerty), Richard Osman’s "The Thusday Murder Club," Jesse Q. Sutanto's "Vera Wong's Unsolicited Advice for Murderers," Robert Thorogood's The Marlow Murder Club series, "An Elderly Lady Is Up to No Good" by Helene Turstenand, Dorothy Gilman's Mrs. Pollifax series, and "Killers of a Certain Age," by Deanna Raybourn will find a thrilling and relatable experience in this extraordinary journey. Highly recommended!
Special thanks to Severn House and NetGalley for sharing an advanced reading copy in exchange for my honest thoughts.
@JudithDCollins | #JDCMustReadBooks
My Rating: 5 Stars
Pub Date: Nov 04, 2025
Praise
“Ethel’s adventures will appeal to fans of Richard Osman’s Thursday Murder Club series and Deanna Raybourn’s Killers of a Certain Age.”
—Library Journal Starred Review
“Ethel looks like Marple but acts like Marlowe”
—Kirkus Reviews
“Plucky Ethel is an elderly Nancy Drew”
—Publishers Weekly
About the Author
Mark de Castrique's mystery novels have received Starred Reviews from Publishers Weekly, Library Journal, and Booklist. The Chicago Tribune wrote, “As important and as impressive as the author’s narrative skills are the subtle ways he captures the geography – both physical and human – of a unique part of the American South.”
Mark is a veteran of the broadcast and film production business. In Washington DC, he directed numerous news and public affairs programs and received an EMMY Award for his documentary film work. His years in Washington inspired his Secret Lives series, featuring Ethel Fiona Crestwater, a seventy-five-year-old retired FBI agent who now rents rooms to active agents and is the smartest and most fearless of anyone in her household. Secret Lives was a finalist for the Edgars 2023 Sue Grafton Memorial Award.
Mark lives in Charlotte, but he and his wife Linda can often be found in the NC mountains or the nation’s capital. WEBSITE
