UNDERTOW OF LOYALTY

3 stars out of 5

All things considered, this is a good choice for those interested in espionage and high technology with a few twists added in. Getting the most enjoyment out of it, though, requires buying into the notion that jealousy has a place in a marriage and that otherwise reprehensible behavior performed while under the influence of that emotion can be rationalized as acceptable. For better or worse I do not, thus making it impossible for me to empathize (or sympathize) with either of the two main characters.

One of them is Neil Henberlin (a.k.a. Neo Henbrin, for no apparent reason); he's in the business of sales for a company called R.E.S., which manufactures some kind of super-secret processor/work station/software related to the oil and gas industry. Unbenownst to anyone except his handler, he's also a Canada Security Intellilgence Service spy, helping his country by pretending to have an affair with, and providing secret information to, the beautiful Chinese double agent Yanmei Albin during meetings in Neil's secret apartment. 

But early on, the second main character, Neil's wife Leyna - a woman who is unable to deal with no longer being the apple of her successful politician father's eye (and being a media darling) - discovers the existence of both Yanmei and the apartment. Immediately, she concludes that her husband and Yanmei are having an affair, thus adding another facet to her emotional misery.

Of course, Neil fiercely denies any romantic liaisons; but he is under orders to not reveal his spy status or the real reason for his meetings with Yanmei. Leyna takes no comfort from her husband's denial, and her imagination grows wilder by the minute. And then, something terrible happens in the secret apartment that puts Neil between a rock and a hard place - in trouble with his R.E.S. family, his CSIS handler, Yanmei's elderly but powerful father and yes, his wife. To whom does he owe the most loyalty? Can he keep the government's secrets safe, resolve all the issues and satisfy everyone concerned without someone getting killed or put in jail?

If you want to find out, you'll just have to read the book. As for me, I thank the author for providing a copy to read in exchange for an honest review.

Undertow of Loyalty by M.D. Davies (Creativia, November 2017); 279 pp.