Rizzoli and Isles was such a good series, the balance between policing and pathology, so I’ve been following Tess Gerritsen for a while now.

The first book in the Martini club series wasn’t all that, the second was okay… But the third I did enjoy. I know you shouldn’t compare series, not even when written by the same author, but I do miss the Rizzoli and Isles dynamic.

The Martini club members are all retired agents; their time in service a mystery even among them as friends. Retired live in Purity, Maine has been nice. Sticking their noses in police investigations and drinking their martinis at night.

There is a conference in Purity, one that takes place every year(?).

When a spokesman didn’t arrive at the conference in time; Maggie is tasked with getting him from his room as the people speaking at this conference are all staying in the same inn. When no one answers the door, Maggie persuades a housekeeper to open the door. Only to find a room that smells like vomit and the spokesman in question on the floor, non-responsive. Yelling to the housekeeper to call the police, Maggie starts mouth to mouth immediately.

There’s a whole Ebola scare since the spokesman has been stationed in Uganda, so Maggie had to stay isolated in hospital for days, multiple tests and blood draws each day.

In this book Rodrigo who was once Ingrid’s colleague visits her in Purity. Names of new identities for Russian defectors are leaked to volt (Russian assassins) and they are offed one by one. When the spokesman from the conference dies and how he died, they know Russia is involved.

Rodrigo set up his own company and tries to talk Ingrid in joining him on a mission, to find the fifth person that escaped an assassination attempt many years ago which left their target and two agents dead. She reluctantly agrees, but can’t tell her husband and friends what she’s up to.

Once Ingrid is gone on her mission that her husband and friends don’t know about, Lloyd (the husband) panics. What happened? Is she save? While her friends are wondering why she would skip town without mentioning why.

Lloyd will search for her even if it means he needs to travel the world; he will find her. It takes him and Maggie to Amsterdam, where a whole lot happens but they don’t find Ingrid. Next stop, Madrid! Will they find Ingrid? What happens in Purity? Will Ingrid find the fifth person? And who is the Mol that is leaking the new names?

This book was a solid ⭐⭐⭐⭐ star read.