The Last Operative by Jerry B. Jenkins -- Book Review

A suspense filled post 9/11 retelling of his first stand-alone novel, The Last Operative, by Jerry Jenkins is a superb read.

Being an NSA intelligence officer has cost Jordan Kirkwood a great deal. He barely knows his children. His wife, Rosemary is supportive, but he knows she deserves more than he's been able to give. Meeting Rosemary in London to explore Europe as a tourist, is part of Jordan's commitment to his family. But when horrifying intelligence is confided to him in Frankfurt, everything changes. Even worse, someone inside the NSA may be behind the greatest threat since 9/11. During one of his most dangerous missions, Jordan must figure out who he can trust, knowing the fate of his country hangs in the balance.

Having been a fan of Jerry Jenkins since the release of the first book in the Left Behind series, I was eager to read his latest book. When I heard about a contest to win a free autographed copy of The Last Operative, I entered my ideas for how I would promote the book online. I won a copy of the book and a cash prize (something I didn't know about when I submitted my ideas).

I have to admit this wasn't a book I got into immediately, but because I had enjoyed every book in the Left Behind series, in fact, liked each new book more than the last, I knew I had to stick with it. I am so glad I did, because by Chapter 5 I was totally hooked.

With The Last Operative, Jenkins blends family, faith, suspense, and international intrigue to come up with a winner. While faith doesn't play a huge role in this novel, some of the conversations between characters touch upon faith in God.

With Jordan Kirkwood, the author creates a character who struggles with knowing his job has always needed to come first; a struggle that increases after London. The reader sympathizes with Jordan, his family, and those who are drawn into this newest threat that demands Jordan's attention, and again, pulls him from his family.

In the Author's Note, the reader discovers The Last Operative is a retelling of the author's first stand-alone novel. In addition, Jenkins pulled off an experiment with this book, by eliminating any "he said" or "she said" tags. Jenkins says no reader has told him they were confused by who was speaking, and I certainly didn't find this experiment to be an obstacle to my own reading enjoyment.

Lovers of suspense and international intrigue will certainly enjoy The Last Operative by Jerry Jenkins. I know I'm looking forward to his next release.


Title: The Last Operative
Author: Jerry B. Jenkins
Publisher: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.
ISBN-10: 1414309201
ISBN-13: 978-1414309200
SRP: $14.99