When Saudi Prince Omar bin Talal visits Houston to seek cancer treatment for his mother, an attempt on his life puts all agencies on high alert. FBI Special Agent Kord Davidson is the lead on the prince’s protective detail because of their long-standing friendship, but he’s surprised—and none too happy—when the CIA brings one of their operatives, Monica Alden, in on the task force after the assassination attempt.
Kord and Monica must quickly put aside interagency squabbles, however, when they learn the prince has additional motives for his visit—plans to promote stronger ties with the US and encourage economic growth and westernization in his own country. Plans that could easily incite a number of suspects both in the US and in countries hostile to Saudi Arabia. Worse yet, the would-be assassin always seems to be one step ahead of them, implicating someone close to the prince—or the investigation. But who would be willing to commit high treason, and can Kord and Monica stop them in time?
High Treason is an interesting look at the family of a Saudi prince, what it means to trust, and how to respond in the face of betrayal.
I was very interested in the plot and trying to decipher who was behind the assassination attempt on Prince Omar. While a couple threads were left loose (this involved the case Monica was working prior to being put on the prince's detail, but it came back later in the novel and wasn't explained), most everything wrapped up in a satisfying way.
Kord and Monica are both likeable main characters. They each have things in their past that make it difficult to work together as partners (he's an FBI agent; she's a CIA operative), but they slowly come to trust each other ... and they discover there may be more to their relationship than just a work partnership. That's complicated, though, by the fact that Monica is a Christian, while Kord is fairly skeptical of religion.
All of the characters, even the minor ones, are well-developed and interesting. Especially enjoyable to me were Fatima and Yasmine, Prince Omar's sisters. As wealthy women from a prestigious family, they still were slaves to the Middle Eastern view of women. They relied on men for everything—not because they wanted to, but because that's the way it was. Yet they each were spirited women with their own dreams and ambitions, and I'd love to read more about them in the future.
The one part of the novel that didn't ring true to me was the romance. Monica and Kord are attracted to each other; I know this because I'm told they are, but I didn't feel the chemistry between them. I didn't care at all if they ended up together. In fact, I think I would've enjoyed this novel more if they'd just been platonic partners—and I think the plot is strong enough to stand on its own without the romance.
Overall, I enjoyed High Treason, but I wasn't captivated by it—and when I read suspense, I want to be glued to the book, flying through the pages. So while this wasn't my favorite suspense novel, I know that others will enjoy it more than I did. In fact, if you check out the Goodreads reviews, you'll see that I'm definitely in the minority. So if you enjoy suspense novels with a strong faith thread, this may be a book to check out. 3 stars.
Note: This is the third book in Mills' FBI Task Force series, but it stands alone. I haven't read the other books, and I had no trouble following along.
Buy the book.
Her titles have appeared on the CBA and ECPA bestseller lists; won two Christy Awards; and been finalists for the RITA, Daphne du Maurier, Inspirational Reader's Choice, and Carol Award contests. Firewall, the first book in her Houston: FBI series, was listed by Library Journal as one of the best Christian fiction books of 2014.
DiAnn has been termed a coffee snob and roasts her own coffee beans. She's an avid reader, loves to cook, and believes her grandchildren are the smartest kids in the universe.
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Disclosure of Material Connection: I received an ARC of this book from the author and publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."
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