Amazon.com
One of the oldest chestnuts in the thriller genre--someone waking up with no memory and discovering they might be a murderer--is given a lively and original roasting in this, Gayle Lynds's first novel, which had reviewers comparing Lynds to Robert Ludlum and Ian Fleming. Lynds, whose background includes journalism and high-level involvement with international security, makes her amnesia victim, Liz Sansborough, a poignant and recognizable character. Is she really a CIA agent turned rogue killer, as the people who are looking after her insist? Or is she the innocent victim of some diabolic plot? You won't know for sure until you turn the very last page.
From Publishers Weekly
The publisher's claim that Lynds will be the "first bestselling female author of international suspense" is hollow-and a bit surprising, given that at least one bestselling female author of international suspense, Linda Davies (whose Wilderness of Mirrors is reviewed below), is a fellow Doubleday writer. But Lynds does an admirable job in her debut novel of aping some of the top male international suspense writers of our era, especially early Ludlum, as she tosses into a swiftly moving narrative stream a vast and dangerous conspiracy, an array of improbable coincidences, several rogue government agents, a legendary international assassin (the "Carnivore") and a nearly friendless innocent caught in the middle of it all. Amnesiac Liz Scarsborough awakens to a house and husband she can't remember, to be told that she's an ex-CIA agent who has been living in hiding from the Carnivore. Liz believes that story for only a little longer than readers will, and she soon finds herself on the run from a gallery of threatening figures, heading for Paris in the company of a very neatly introduced fellow agent and incipient love interest. The resourceful heroine is captured but escapes, is recaptured but escapes again, in a dizzying sequence of action scenes that eventually involves a doppelganger, mind-bending drugs and brainwashing. Thriller fans may not find plausibility in Lynds's first, but they certainly will find the sort of teeth-grinding suspense that they crave. Major ad/promo; author tour. Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.
From Library Journal
With its appealing heroine, this novel, written by an author who dares to tread in the predominately male bastion of CIA suspense novels, should cause a splash. A woman wakes up with no memory and is told that she is Liz Sansborough, a CIA agent. She comes to realize that she is really Liz's cousin, Sarah, and that the CIA has altered her body and mind in order to use her in an elaborate plot that will benefit a multinational company owned sub rosa by the CIA's chief operations officer. Sarah knows too much to be allowed to live and too little to know whom to trust, and spends most of the novel on the run with another agent. There's a lot of blood and guts here, but also an interesting story about how a woman who preferred to be on the sidelines of life becomes a passionate, committed actor in this drama. The author has pseudonymously published several YA novels. Recommended for most public libraries.Marylaine Block, St. Ambrose Univ. Lib., Davenport, Ia.Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Sue Grafton
Masquerade is a bravura performance by Gayle Lynds, whose maiden race in the international thriller sweepstakes should make "the boys" turn around and take note. Watch out, Robert Ludlum! She's coming up fast on your left!
John T. Lescroart, author of Dead Irish
Masquerade is a fantastic read -- a plot full of surprises, delivered with an unerring eye for detail, that moves at a ballistic pace.
Review
"A mirror-maze of perils and pitfalls."--The Wall Street Journal
"You won't sleep until you finish."--Cosmopolitan
"A gloriously paranoid, immensely satisfying international thriller." -Los Angeles Times
A People Magazine "Page Turner of the Week"
"A disturbing link to recent headlines."-The New York Times
"Watch out Robert Ludlum! A bravura performance by Lynds, whose maiden race in the international thriller sweepstakes should make 'the boys' turn around."-Sue Grafton
"Page-turning suspense...An edge-of-the-seat spy novel."-Faye Kellerman
"A master of intrigue and adventure. Her rush-to-the-next-page excitement never stops."-Clive Cussler
"Move over Ian Fleming...an engrossing story of internaitonal intrigue with (at last) a femlae heroine who can hold her own."-New Woman
"Teeth-grinding suspense."-Publishers Weekly
"Masquerade is a ball." -Santa Barbara News Press
"Rivals those of established masters." -Chattanooga Free Press
"Elaborate charade...nonstop pace." -Library Journal
"A female author blasts into the old boys' club of the international thriller." -San Diego Union-Tribune
"An impressive debut." -Winston-Salem Journal
"Hard to put down...a surprising conclusion." -The Omaha World Herald
Review
"A mirror-maze of perils and pitfalls."--The Wall Street Journal
"You won't sleep until you finish."--Cosmopolitan
"A gloriously paranoid, immensely satisfying international thriller." -Los Angeles Times
A People Magazine "Page Turner of the Week"
"A disturbing link to recent headlines."-The New York Times
"Watch out Robert Ludlum! A bravura performance by Lynds, whose maiden race in the international thriller sweepstakes should make 'the boys' turn around."-Sue Grafton
"Page-turning suspense...An edge-of-the-seat spy novel."-Faye Kellerman
"A master of intrigue and adventure. Her rush-to-the-next-page excitement never stops."-Clive Cussler
"Move over Ian Fleming...an engrossing story of internaitonal intrigue with (at last) a femlae heroine who can hold her own."-New Woman
"Teeth-grinding suspense."-Publishers Weekly
"Masquerade is a ball." -Santa Barbara News Press
"Rivals those of established masters." -Chattanooga Free Press
"Elaborate charade...nonstop pace." -Library Journal
"A female author blasts into the old boys' club of the international thriller." -San Diego Union-Tribune
"An impressive debut." -Winston-Salem Journal
"Hard to put down...a surprising conclusion." -The Omaha World Herald
Review
"A mirror-maze of perils and pitfalls."--The Wall Street Journal
"You won't sleep until you finish."--Cosmopolitan
"A gloriously paranoid, immensely satisfying international thriller." -Los Angeles Times
A People Magazine "Page Turner of the Week"
"A disturbing link to recent headlines."-The New York Times
"Watch out Robert Ludlum! A bravura performance by Lynds, whose maiden race in the international thriller sweepstakes should make 'the boys' turn around."-Sue Grafton
"Page-turning suspense...An edge-of-the-seat spy novel."-Faye Kellerman
"A master of intrigue and adventure. Her rush-to-the-next-page excitement never stops."-Clive Cussler
"Move over Ian Fleming...an engrossing story of internaitonal intrigue with (at last) a femlae heroine who can hold her own."-New Woman
"Teeth-grinding suspense."-Publishers Weekly
"Masquerade is a ball." -Santa Barbara News Press
"Rivals those of established masters." -Chattanooga Free Press
"Elaborate charade...nonstop pace." -Library Journal
"A female author blasts into the old boys' club of the international thriller." -San Diego Union-Tribune
"An impressive debut." -Winston-Salem Journal
"Hard to put down...a surprising conclusion." -The Omaha World Herald
Book Description
When you gaze into the mirror--and find a stranger looking back? Liz Sansborough has no recollection of her past as a CIA agent; no idea what her future holds. For her, there is only the present...and the chilling knowledge that the world's most lethal assassin has set his sights on her.
When your only link to your identity is a stranger who claim to be lover? Gordon is so gentle, so loving--and so secretive. If Liz dares to put her life into his powerful hands, will he guard it with his own--or snuff it out?
When violence explodes around you, when nothing makes sense, when nobody--including you--is whom he or she appears to be? As Liz unravels a series of lies, she begins to suspect that the truth she encounters might be far more sinister--and deadly--than the original deception...
From the Publisher
"A Bravura performance...should make 'the boys' turn around and take note.Watch out, Robert Ludlum!" --Sue Grafton
A Novel of International Suspense
Hallenbek Lynds
From the Back Cover
What Do You Do...
When you gaze into the mirror-and find a stranger looking back? Liz Sansborough has no recollection of her past as a CIA agent; no idea what her future holds. For her, there is only the present...and the chilling knowledge that the world's most lethal assassin has set his sights on her.
Who Do You Trust...
When your only link to your identity is a stranger who claims to be your lover? Gordon is so gentle, so loving-and so secretive. If Liz dares to put her life into his powerful hands, will he guard it with his own-or snuff it out?
Where Do You Turn...
When violence explodes around you, when nothing makes sense, when nobody-including yourself-is who he or she appears to be? As Liz unravels a series of lies, she begins to suspect that the truth she encounters might be far more sinister-and deadly-than the original deception...
About the Author
Gayle Lynds is the New York Times bestselling author of four international thrillers including Masquerade and The Coil. She is also the co-author with Robert Ludlum of three bestselling novels in the Covert-One series including The Hades Factor and The Paris Option. She has been a newspaper reporter, a magazine editor, and a think-tank editor with top-secret clearance before turning to fiction. She lives in Santa Barbara with her husband, writer Dennis Lynds.
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