The Paris Betrayal

Written by James R. Hannibal

Narrated by James Babson

After a rough mission in Rome involving the discovery of a devastating bioweapon, Company spy Ben Calix returns to Paris to find his perfectly ordered world has collapsed. A sniper attack. An ambush. A call for help that brings French
SWAT forces down on his head. Ben is out. This is a severance—reserved for incompetents and traitors.

Searching for answers and anticipating a coming attack, Ben and a woman swept up in his misfortunes must find the sniper who tried to kill him, the medic who saved his life, the schoolmaster who trained him, and an upstart hacker from
his former team. More than that, Ben must come to grips with his own insignificance as the Company's plan to stop Leviathan from unleashing the bioweapon at any cost moves forward without him—and he struggles against the infection that is swiftly claiming territory within his own body.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Recorded Books, Inc.
• Release date: May 4, 2021
• ISBN: 9781705029763

James R. Hannibal

James R. Hannibal is no stranger to deep dark secrets or hunting bad guys, having served in the US Air Force as a stealth bomber pilot and a Predator mission commander. Like Jack Buckles, James “suffers” from synesthesia, an intersection of the senses that was once considered a mental illness and often causes hyperobservance. If you bake him a cake, he might tell you that it smells blue and sticky—and you should take it as a compliment. You can learn more at TheLostPropertyOffice.com.

Reviews for The Paris Betrayal

[Jim · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

His best book yet. Which is saying something. The word that keeps coming to mind is compelling. It kept drawing me to the next page, anticipating the next twist, looking for the next surprise. It's a well played out drama with a clear message, you need help. Even at your best you need a Director watching over your footsteps, picking up where you've misstepped. But even at the darkest moments keep your faith, don't lose hope.

[claudia.castenir · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I was so glad to have two rainy days in which to devour this book. I can only hope for a sequel. This is one I will definitely be recommending to my husband. It is not always easy to find books that appeal to both men and women. A well-written spy novel with a hint of romance is just the ticket. Ben Calix is a man of honor who has been labeled a traitor, a man who finds himself without support or resources while trying to save thousands from a horrible death. The author's background as a stealth pilot, one who has not only been shot at, but who has been chased down winding German roads by an armed terrorist, gives him insight into his protagonist's life, adding to the intrigue of his story.I am grateful to have received a complimentary copy of The Paris Betrayal from Revell via Library Thing without obligation. All opinions expressed here are my own.

[bbofje · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I won an ARC copy of The Paris Betrayal by James R. Hannibal from The LibraryThing. It took me a while to actually start reading it, but when I did, it didn't disappoint. Intrigue, spies, romance, it hs it all. Very entertaining. Definitely recommend to someone who enjoys mysteries and spy novels.

[kimpotter-309059 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

The Paris Betrayal by James R. Hannibal is a stand-alone modern-day suspense novel. Ben Calix has been abandoned by his covert agency. Now on his own without all his fancy resources he must try to stop a bio attack. This story starts off with a bang in Rome and moves to the beautiful city of Paris. It’s a non-stop, James Bond kind of story. Never knowing who you can trust made each new person in the story a potential liability. Without the resources you need, how are you to save the world? I really enjoy Mr. Hannibal’s ability to weave an intriguing tale without becoming just another action story! If you love heart-pounding, edge-of-your-seat suspense then pick up a copy of The Paris Betrayal. You won’t be disappointed!I received this book from the author for my honest review.

[fcplcataloger · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Action, danger, and intrigue begin in the first pages and they never let up in this thrilling suspense novel by James R. Hannibal. Ben Calix is a spy, and he is totally dedicated to serving, but he soon learns that giving your all may not be enough. Ben is exposed to a deadly virus, and the descriptions of his symptoms hit very close to home! Hannibal shares in his author notes that this manuscript was 85 per cent completed when Covid 19 entered our world. Along with a deadly illness, Ben also faces being labeled incompetent and being banned for severance. It appears that everything and everyone has turned against him, including his own Director. "You volunteered." The Director drew in the air with an imaginary pen. "You signed your life over to me, so I could create something new. And for my part, I housed you. I fed you. I trained you. I made you, son. And I can unmake you at my pleasure."I don't often read spy thrillers but this book grabbed my attention from the get-go with its fascinating characters and unpredictable plot. Hannibal throws several curve balls in The Paris Betrayal, and he definitely gives readers a wild ride!I received a copy of this book from Revell. There was no obligation for a positive review. These are my own thoughts.

[lifeofliterature · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

What a thrilling ride! This book is exciting from beginning to end. I liked how the action kept the plot moving and didn’t slow down one bit. The book definitely held my attention and I had a hard time putting it down. I found Ben an easy character to like and I enjoyed reading the book from his perspective. The dialogue and characters’ interactions felt natural and were well woven among the action. There were some twists that I did not expect and I found myself surprised by more than one part of the story. I enjoyed this novel and look forward to more by this author!I received a complimentary copy of this book from Revell Publishing. Opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.

[cherylk_44 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

This book is right up my reading alley. I was feeling it right away in the beginning and was hooked for the first third of the story. This is not to say that the rest of the story was not good. It was and it was full of action and intensity. For some reason, I just struggled with fully being focused on this book. When I think about it and I saw another reader's review, it clicked as to the reason why. Because I will tell you that I was puzzled. It is because there were so many different characters introduced very fast in a short amount of time. Therefore, it was kind of hard to keep everyone straight and develop any connections. So I in turn was a bit lost and disconnected with the characters and some with the story. Other than this I did like this book and could see it playing out on the movie screen.

[jillrey · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Author James R. Hannibal is no stranger to the fiction novels surrounding spies and espionage. After reading his Talia Inger series I was quickly drawn into this, his latest. The Paris Betrayal releases into the world on the heels of an actual pandemic making it easier to feel the urgency as Ben Calix works to stop a bioweapon from starting a global pandemic of its own. On the outs from “the company” Ben is on his own to stop the looming attack as readers following him through Europe in his quest to save the world.Hannibal successfully uses his own history as an Air Force pilot and contacts with real-world spies to craft another thrilling and realistically terrifying read.  This Jason Bourne-esque read treads just a little to close to the actual Jason Bourne stories to feel wholly original, but nonetheless offers the action readers have come to love from Hannibal’s writing.*Disclaimer: A review copy was provided by the publisher.  All opinions are my own.

[marypo-3 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Hannibal's latest spy thriller contains the edge-of-your-seat suspense I've come to expect from him, but with a twist on the protagonist that I've not seen done in an espionage book. It weighed the story down at times, but it led to some poignant moments as well. The scenes between Ben and his mentor, for instance.

Ben himself is an interesting character. At one point, he tells someone, "Don't be fooled by my confidence. It's a spy thing. Fake bravado. I don't have a plan. I have a loosely formed idea that will probably get us both killed." And that sums up his personality beautifully. He's a tenacious character with a loyal streak, and that's how he faces whatever the antagonist and his own people throw at him. It made for an interesting narrative as those aspects of his character are called into question and he is made to think that his loyalty is worthless.

There's a sort of camaraderie in Hannibal's works that isn't fully absent here. Because the people Ben can call friends are few, the most memorable exchanges of dialogue occur between hostile characters. There's the sniper, Sensen: (I'll do my job. And when the bullet enters your skull, you'll know I had no choice."), Hale: ("Wake up, kid. It's over."), Dylan: ("You could've put a little less shock in your shock and awe."), and others I don't dare mention for spoilers. It made for a lot of moments in which I was cringing, inwardly laughing, or cheering someone on.

However . . .
The protagonist is based on an actual person, and this is where I felt the ending fell short. The two events did not reflect each other, and I felt shortchanged by a couple things that are loaded with spoilers. I suppose parts of the story might have been inspired by that individual, but it didn't stay true to that goal, as far as I saw.

The narrative itself explores different sides of loyalty and betrayal and takes readers on a quest to stop a virus outbreak with a multidimensional cast of characters. Recommended for those who love suspense, characters with the odds stacked sky-high against them, and dry humor.

I won an ARC of this book through a LibraryThing giveaway. A positive review was not required.

[virginia51-1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

If you like spy thrillers you will love this book and this series. Ben has an op go bad and then his life falls out from under him. There is a lot of action and some romance. This has everything you want in a spy novel. Ben is great and you are not sure till close to the end who he can really trust. I received a copy of this book from Revell for a fair and honest opinion that I gave of my own free will.

[true54blue · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

A great thriller that keeps up the pace. Ben Calix is abandoned by his agency and must stop the release of an engineered plague. This is an action packed ride through Europe as Ben both flees and confronts his enemies and former teammates. The plot comes together and the characters are mostly believable. I highly recommend this book and I hope that Hannibal will write more about Ben.

[rufusraider · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

The Paris Betrayal by James R. Hannibal is a good thriller. I enjoyed the story line. The pace of the story was good and did not leave you with any long tedious sections. The character development was good. The best part was that the ultimate ending was very much a surprise in some ways.The story line is about a secret deniable agency set up by the US for handling projects that could not be traced back to the government. This story is about the search for a new explosive that had been used in several terror attacks around the world and to find the responsible party. The story evolved into identifying a planned attack on the US with a bioweapon and how to stop it.

[sherripo · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This is the first book I have read by James Hannibal. It was a good book and had many twists and turns. Every time I thought I knew what was going to happen, something else occurred instead. He writes a very good thriller. I would recommend this book for anyone who enjoys suspense novels with a lot of unpredictability.

[milibrarian · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

When a job goes bad in Rome, Ben Calix, a top spy, finds his life in jeopardy. He returns to Paris to find that he is a wanted man and receiving no help from his agency. At the same time, he is trying to prevent the global chaos which would be triggered by the release of a lethal bioweapon. But who can Ben trust? Nothing is as it appears, and his faith in his agency is tested.Non-stop action action propels this story loosely based upon the Biblical Job. The pieces finally come together in a satisfying ending; however, there is so much action that it becomes implausible. This may appeal to Joel Rosenberg's fan.

[alohaboy_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I became a fan of James Hannibal after reading The Gryphon Heist and have since consumed most of his earlier well written novels. The action packed The Paris Betrayal is the author at his best.This one hit a little closer to home (Covid-19 in 2020) as the protagonist, super spy Ben Calix, has to battle a deadly virus along with numerous intelligence operatives sanctioned to eliminate him. Ben, unknowingly set up by his Director as bait to catch a traitor, goes on the run after an assassination attempt. He then teams up with an attractive partner (read love interest), relies on his considerable experience at survival under the worst of conditions, and falls back on his quick thinking to stay alive regardless of how dire the situation might be. All his unique and well honed skills are needed to meet the challenges that he faces at every turn. Several times throughout the book I kept asking how will Ben handle this life or death situation and each time the author had me guessing wrong. The Paris Betrayal is an enjoyable thriller that kept my attention all the way through. I highly recommend it.