In Massawa by Pam Webber, espionage, danger, and love swirl during World War II as OSS agent Kit Thomas and British M16 agent Mark Williams team up in North Africa to investigate the theft of millions of dollars from the military payroll, engaging in a mission to unravel a conspiracy by Nazi sympathizers to shut down the only Allied naval base protecting the Suez Canal and the rich oil fields of the Middle East.
Fresh out of her first OSS training camp, Kit is tasked by her boss, Jake Morgan, with uncovering what’s happening to millions of dollars in military payroll destined for Massawa—the only American naval base on the Red Sea—which is somehow being diverted. Joining her is MI6 agent Mark Williams, a former Royal Air Force pilot, who’s quietly evaluating whether Kit can handle what lies ahead.
Kit’s cover is that of a courier, but between the threat posed by the Vichy and the oppressive Massawa heat, she must stay sharp or risk being exposed. As she and Mark close in on the truth, danger tightens around them, forcing both to rely on every ounce of their training if they hope to make it out alive.
Massawa slowly unfolds like a mirage forming on the horizon. You follow Kit into the desert of Massawa, a coastal port city in Eritrea, where high heat and humidity, combined with little rainfall, make the environment almost as dangerous as her mission. As a novice agent, she is critiqued with and without her knowledge. As events unfold, the line between who you can and cannot trust is blurred, and she must tamp down her feelings for Jake and ignore the chemistry between Mark and her as she focuses on the mission.
When I start an espionage novel, I typically expect a fast pace with tons of action. Massawa bloomed more slowly, like a spring flower, which allowed for deep character development, a focus on main character relationships, and exploration of the setting. Most of this I enjoyed. The abundant details, the constant reminder of needing water and salt pills to survive there, and the numerous times characters regrouped to discuss what they learned during the investigation also hampered the pacing of the story. While the danger increased over time and there were tense moments, this methodical plot approach left me feeling as if I wanted to edit away some of the extraneous material to get to the level of action I sought. Now, the publisher did not categorize this as a thriller. Webber is an award-winning author of historical fiction, which is where this story falls. Based on the book's description and title, however, I would have expected more action, a faster pace, and a bit more romantic tension.
Massawa is a book I enjoyed from beginning to end, but it did take a commitment to refocus my brain on the fact that this was not the type of espionage novel I typically read. If you relish stories that dive deep into their characters, explore unique settings, and end with the hint of new adventures, then Massawa is a novel worth exploring.
- ASIN : B0FWZXTSLQ
- Publisher : She Writes Press
- Publication date : June 23, 2026
- Language : English
- Print length : 336 pages
- ISBN-13 : 979-8896360988
I received a copy of this book from the author through their publicist. This review contains my honest opinions. I have not been compensated in any way.
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