Past Perfect

by: Susan Isaacs

Published by: Scribner

Reviewed by Lauren Segelbaum

In the mid-seventies, Susan Isaacs got the urge to write a novel, and we are so glad she did. Past Perfect, her latest novel of espionage, is a great mystery with a strong, funny and gutsy female character.

Katie Schottland, a TV writer, wife and mother, is dropping her son off at overnight camp for the summer when she gets a mysterious phone call from Lisa, a former co-worker. Before becoming a TV writer for Spy Guys, a weekly cable television series based on her novel of the same name, Katie worked for the CIA. She was fired unexpectedly, never told why, and never forgot it.

Lisa's call for assistance in a matter of "national importance" is coupled with Lisa's offer to finally explain why the CIA fired Katie. Katie promises to call Lisa back after saying goodbye to her son for the summer. When Lisa mysteriously disappears without a trace, Katie begins her quest to find her and the answer to the nagging question of her expulsion.

Past Perfect takes you on the trail to the CIA during the collapse of the Soviet Bloc and the last days of the Cold War to the new American identities of several high-level refugees from East Germany. This is a fascinating journey that leads you to a nail-biting conclusion.

Past Perfect appeals to both the smart women reader and the man who likes a good espionage thriller. It is not very often a book will do that, but this one sure does.

The author is a champion of sharp, plucky heroines. They better have a good screenwriter waiting in the wings.

Armchair Interviews says: Love those strong female characters!

Author's Web site: http://www.SusanIsaacs.com