Sargon the Third is a work of thriller fiction by Scott Shinberg. The titular character is a self-proclaimed king rising to power in the Middle East with the help of corrupt and power-hungry political figures. He is at once a myth, a phantom, and a shadowy terrorist who has proclaimed deadly war on the United States. To counter this threat, the Director of the CIA sends his premier covert ops team and Sargon is sanctioned – their mission is to kill him. There is a race against the clock and non-stop action across multiple exotic locations as the team is pushed to its limits. Led by Michelle Reagan, a female protagonist known as Eden, the team teaches us the spies' tradecraft in rapid-fire action. Eden, a master of the tools of her trade, uses spies, surveillances, propositions, and even prostitutes. Her emotional and physical limits are pushed in rapid Interrogations and deadly fights with bodyguards, and she finally finds herself perilously overmatched in a fight for her life. At the end of her rope, Eden must resort to something she had hoped would never come. She must point her deadliest weapon at herself.

Sargon the Third is everything a fan of Clancy, Koontz, and Ludlum seeks in a story: the heart-pounding action, the suspense, and the unexpected twists we love in the thriller genre. Rare and most refreshing, finding a female protagonist in this genre is a treat. Michelle Reagan, code name Eden, does not disappoint. Strong, smart, and tough in the extreme, she brings action and emotion to a fast-moving, challenging mission. Scott Shinberg reflects his own career in intelligence and law enforcement as he teaches us the tradecraft of espionage, shares peeks into exotic places and scenarios, and otherwise delivers a classic page-turning thriller that was a pleasure to read on many levels.

Sargon The Third: A Riveting Spy Thriller (Michelle Reagan Book 4) by Scott Shinberg is an exciting journey from go to Woah! One of a series that follows the activities of CIA operative Michelle Reagan, code name Eden, as she and her team travel the world targeting terrorist operations and the people who fund and facilitate them. Eden has just stolen a laptop and two cellphones from a small village in Iran that they hope will help them find the true identity of the latest self-proclaimed ruler of the Muslim Caliphate, one grandly titled Sargon the Third. A bullet tags Michelle in her boot as she escapes to the safety of the Osprey that will take her to safety. So begins the long and arduous journey around Europe and the Mediterranean.

Sargon The Third is an enthralling spy thriller that will keep readers turning the pages in anticipation of the next move. Author Scott Shinberg has been developing his lead character Michelle Reagan for some time now. She is perfect in her role as a CIA action hero cum hitwoman. Befitting of a thriller, the action is fast-paced, and the three main story arcs are beautifully tied together to create a cohesive narrative. I particularly liked the interpersonal relationships between the three members of the CIA team as they played off each other with sarcasm and drollness. The plot was intricate enough without becoming overly complicated. Indeed, throughout the narrative, the author left several avenues open and unexplored, which kept the focus laser-sharp on Michelle and her team’s activities. This is an action and plot-driven thriller and, as such, character development is necessarily curtailed. Still, I’m pleased to say the author did a fine job of illuminating the characters of some of the fascinating minor players in the drama, which gave a roundness and completeness to the story that is often missing from other thrillers.