Review “Shaping up to be one of the year’s biggest new thrillers.”—Entertainment Weekly   “So timely . . . Think of the perfect mix of Homeland and The Americans. . . . Need to Know needs to be read by all who relish spy novels. As entertaining as it is informative and as irresistible as it is impossible to put down.”—Providence Journal   “Pulse-pounding.”—O: The Oprah Magazine   “Accomplished . . . a nonstop thriller tapping into a hot mix of contemporary digital counterintelligence, old-school spying and ageless family drama.”—Shelf Awareness“An early contender for next year’s Gone Girl.”—GQ (UK)   “The Russia page-turner that should be on everyone’s list.”—New York Post“Perhaps there will be two or three readers out there who manage to finish the first chapter of this terrific debut and put it down for more than an hour. But they’ll be back. And they’ll devour it like the rest of us, skipping lunch, losing sleep, turning pages until the end, where we’re all left waiting for more.”—John Grisham “Prediction: If you read chapter one, you’ll read chapter two. If you read chapter two, you’ll miss dinner, stay up far too late, and feel tired at work tomorrow. This is that kind of book. Superb.”—Lee Child “Karen Cleveland is the real deal—an exciting new voice in thrillers. Scarpetta would call her friend.”—Patricia Cornwell “I am consumed with awe that this a debut novel. Breathtaking, heart-pounding, it manages to be at once intimate and sweeping, characterful and plot driven. Need to Know is a really astonishing achievement for any writer, let alone a first-time novelist. I love it!”—Louise Penny, #1 New York Times bestselling author “I raced through this gripping tale of domesticity and deceit. Karen Cleveland deliciously ratchets up the tension at every turn. You won’t be able to put it down until the final, stunning page!”—Shari Lapena, New York Times bestselling author of The Couple Next Door “Need to Know carves out a uniquely compelling space among thrillers: high-stakes international intrigue combined with high-drama domestic suspense. These richly overlapping layers of tension create a fast-paced, relentlessly gripping read.”—Chris Pavone, New York Times bestselling author of The Expats “Heart-poundingly suspenseful and heart-wrenchingly insightful, Need to Know hums with authentic detail, crisp storytelling, and characters that will long stay in your thoughts—a gripping thriller with real psychological depth.”—JP Delaney, New York Times bestselling author of The Girl Before Read more About the Author Karen Cleveland is a former CIA analyst. She has master’s degrees from Trinity College Dublin (international peace studies) and Harvard University (public policy). Cleveland lives in northern Virginia with her husband and two young sons. This is her first novel. Read more See all Editorial Reviews
J**E
A 4.5 star
I won this Kindle in a Goodreads Giveaway. Thanks to all, as I really enjoyed this book. I'm not normally a spy/CIA reader but this one had me hooked. What impressed me most was that there wasn't a single swear word throughout the book. I enjoyed Vivian and Matt and their four children - they seemed real to me. The deep backstory of Vivian's and Matt's life was also enough to keep me going. When Vivian isn’t fretting about her family, she’s trying to extricate herself from a colossal treasonous mess that results from a startling discovery that she makes in the course of her research. From then on, things really start to get tense. The end was a shocker for me. This was an easy read and a great book.
D**R
One of the better spy books I've ever read.
Wow! This book has it all. An edge of your seat thriller that does NOT bog down into the same old same old halfway or even three-quarters of the way through it. The suspense keeps up right until the final paragraph.It has hints of The Americans (TV show) in it. Not directly, but if you watch that show you'll understand the comparison I'm making.The characters were very well defined, believable, and the plot was excellently constructed and never flagged. Great dialogue, some very good twists and turns.I loved it. I definitely want a sequel. The only thing I didn't like about it, being an author myself, is that it made me jealous that I haven't written something like this, LOL.Obviously with reviews that are this glowing, the average reader will think,'Is this a friend or relative giving her a great review?' and the answer is NO. In fact, I rarely ever read women writers, LOL. But the concept that this book presents was intriguing enough that I decided to read the first couple of pages, and at 1:30 a.m. I forced myself to put it down or be sleepy all day the next day at work.If you are a fan of spy fiction, police procedural s, urban/family drama, thrillers etc, you need to read this book. I read 2 + novels a week and have done so for over twenty five years, and this is simply one of the better books I've read in years.Note to the author: Give us a sequel, or sell this for movie or TV, or both!
P**A
So disappointing! Great premise that turned quickly to just plain dumb
This book started out with a great premise. The first couple chapters were interesting. Way too wordy without anything happening and the main character was completely stupid. Her husband is a Russian spy who has been living a lie for 22 years, including marrying her as part of the ruse, and she spends the ENTIRE book trying to decide if she should trust him! Hard to believe the author wants you to believe she’s is a CIA analyst.I wouldn’t recommend to anyone!
D**D
There better be a sequel!
I loved this book!!! I started it later in the evening, otherwise I would've read the whole thing in one sitting. As it was, I read about 3/4 of it last night and the rest over breakfast this morning.Most of the (few) negative reviews mention that they hated the parts talking about the childcare, daily life routines, marriage, etc. Funny because that's what I loved so much about this book! I felt like I could really relate to Vivian. I'm married with four kids as well and I loved the contrast between the domesticity and the shadowy underbelly of the Russian sleeper cells. The scenes showing their daily life helped me really bond and empathize with Vivian. I felt like I could truly understand her life, feelings, and decisions.And the plot itself? Incredible! You may think you know who to trust and what's going to happen, but every time you think you have a grip on it the floor gives out beneath your feet again. And the epilogue? Brilliant! Karen, I'm hoping you're furiously writing a sequel to this book, because I can't wait to read it!!! I want more of the Miller family stat!In summary: Read this book. Now.
P**Y
NOTHING I SAY IS GOING TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE IS IT?
NEED TO KNOWBefore you hit the third page of this book, you know something is not right. Not at all. Viv, who works for the CIA, seems to have it all. A loving husband, happy marriage, four kids. Her days are long and hard, but she works hard for her family and furthermore, for her country. She is loyal and true. Her job is to work the Russian spectrum, looking for cells and spies here in America. And then, and then --To say more would spoil this book and the excitement, suspense, and surprises for others. The writing is superb. Yes, at times you can almost tell what is going to happen next, but even if you may figure out a thing or two, there are still plenty of shockers in this book. I could not put this book down. At times I was on the edge of my seat while reading. Viv isn't perfect and that what makes this story even more authentic. But this is a fun, nerve-wracking, edgy book.This is a debut novel for author Karen Cleveland. Cleveland knows her stuff as she was a CIA analyst, just like Viv. If you were put in Viv's shoes, I wonder what YOU would do?Film rights have already been sold to UNIVERSAL PICTURES for a major movie with Charlize Theron. I think the movie will be great -- the book was spectacular!Find out for yourself -- if you enjoy intrigue, mystery, Russian spies, CIA workings, the whole spy versus spy thing, and just a plain good story, this is a book you would enjoy. I know I did.
K**R
Spies and suspense
This is such a captivating story, I read it in a single sitting. The characters are all believable, so realistic that it's easy for the reader to put herself in their place. Throughout, it was difficult to know who was the bad person, who the good, and who might overcome the fears and external and internal threats.At first I felt it was just going to be a variation on a theme that channeled "The Americans." But this was a misconception and the novel is full of its own intrigue and modern developments that keep the reader, with twists, turns and ultimate surprises, totally engaged throughout.An unusual and masterful, character-driven spy/suspense novel.
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