2007 Book Log #6: Masquerade, by Gayle Lynds

[annathepiper]

cafiorello had mentioned in a comment on my post about The Ambler Warning that she preferred Gayle Lynds' writing over Robert Ludlum's, so I decided to check out one of her novels. My selection was Masquerade, her first. Pico-summary: Agent Liz Sanborough can't remember her past (what is it with federal agents losing their memories in thriller novels, anyway? ;) ), and doesn't know who to trust--including the seemingly loving Gordon--as she tries to figure out what's happened to her. You have your multi-national jaunts, your agents playing multiple sides of the game, your double and triple crosses, your obligatory plot to ruin the world and make a truckload of money out of it--all the things you'll expect out of a thriller.

I give this book points for a suitably convoluted and suspenseful plot, but I have to admit that Lynds' style of writing didn't quite sit well with me. I found it too clunky at any number of points all throughout the book, particularly in describing the aforementioned Gordon, and in the love scenes later on in the book as well. The love scenes, especially, fell completely and utterly flat for me, which is not a good thing at all to have happen in a thriller. Oh well.

Anybody wants to recommend a specific later book of hers as being better than this one, I'll give Lynds another shot. Otherwise I shall have to pass on any other works of hers. Two and a half stars, since I did like the complicated plot.