Blue Madagascar

Written by Andrew Kaplan

Narrated by Andrew Kaplan

“Kaplan takes the thriller genre at its word, moving as fast as Ludlum, but with ten times the eye for settings and crisp characterization.” –Kirkus Reviews

A candidate for U.S. President ahead in the polls and about to win the election suddenly commits suicide, and no one knows why. A mysterious woman the media has dubbed “the Invisible Woman” may hold the key. 

An American bystander is killed during a botched jewel heist in the French Riviera. This triggers a worldwide hunt by global intelligence agencies for something the dead American left behind - a secret so explosive they will let nothing get in their way.

U.S. Homeland Security Special Agent Casey Ramirez uncovers a clue involving the dead American in France.The discovery catapults her into a deadly cat-and-mouse chase across Europe to find the dead man’s secret before it’s too late. Her quest will put her life at risk as she races to unravel the bombshell secret that threatens the foundations of the American government.

Master storyteller Andrew Kaplan weaves these disparate elements into a stunning tale of international intrigue that is being hailed a “must read” of the mystery and thriller genres.

“Flawlessly conceived . . . The characters are unforgettable. Kaplan is up there with the best.” –Readers Favorite

• Language: English
• Publisher: Smugglers Lane Press
• Release date: Jun 30, 2021
• ISBN: 9781736809921

Andrew Kaplan

Andrew Kaplan is a former journalist and war correspondent. He is the author of the spy thrillers Scorpion Betrayal, Scorpion Winter, and Scorpion Deception, along with his earlier bestselling novels, Hour of the Assassins, Scorpion, Dragonfire, and War of the Raven, and, most recently, the groundbreaking official series tie-in: Homeland: Carrie's Run. This is his second Homeland novel.

Reviews for Blue Madagascar

[rufusraider · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Just finished Blue Madagascar by Andrew Kaplan. This was a very fast paced book set over a six week period. A very enjoyable book that kept you guessing on what was going to happen next and the ultimate outcome.The novel starts with a prologue describing the suicide of the leading presidential candidate several days before the election and a mystery woman shown in headlights of a cell phone video. The start of the novel is set six weeks earlier in a jewelry story in Nice, France where one of the customers is killed and his girlfriend joins the robbers in their exit. The story then jumps to a Homeland Security agent in Zamora, Mexico where she is trying to find links a Thai girl that was abducted. These seemly random events are tied together into a fascinating story involving an ex-CIA agent and something called Blue Madagascar. Don't want to say to much more about the plot, because I don't want to spoil an excellent plot and well told story. There is a whole laundry list of alphabet agencies from CIA, DHS, Secret Service, FBI, KGB/SVR, Russian mafia, French Intelligence, French police, etc. that are involved in this story.

[jfe16 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Review of eBookThe shocking suicide of a presidential candidate on the verge of winning the election leaves everyone stunned. Why? Why would someone on the verge of being elected to the highest office in the land kill himself?On the French Riviera, a botched jewelry store heist leaves a bystander dead. American, unidentified; his death triggers a worldwide for something left behind by the dead man. United States Homeland Security Special Agent Casey Ramirez uncovers a clue about the American killed in the jewelry store and finds herself thrown into a deadly cat-and-mouse game that keeps her barely one step ahead of a deadly assassin. Racing against time, other agents, and assassins, every major intelligence agency is in the hunt for the explosive secret left behind by the dead man. Who will emerge victorious? And what is Casey’s role in this deadly hunt?This amazing, thrill-a-page, heart-stopping, can’t-put-it-down tale of secrets and cover-ups is guaranteed to keep readers on the edge of their seats as the plot twists and turns, leaving readers to wonder just who can be trusted . . . and exactly what is the explosive secret? The narrative, bolstered by a strong sense of place, a cast of believable, interesting characters, and an all-too-believable plot, keeps the suspense building. Tension underlies every page as the unfolding story reveals unexpected secrets. There’s a pervasive sense of peril in this tale that is both intriguing and captivating. Fans of the genre will find much to appreciate in this well-crafted tale of international political intrigue.Highly recommended.I received a free copy of this eBook from Smugglers Lane Press and NetGalley #BlueMadagascarThrillerSuspense #NetGalley

[cathygeha · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Blue Madagascar by Andrew KaplanThe prologue grabs,The story unfolds,Speeding up rapidly,As the end is in sight.Never having read this author I was intrigued by the book description. As one thread after another was introduced with numerous characters named, I wondered where the story would go, how the characters would intersect, and if the threads would be woven together and completed seamlessly. It was slow, or seemed so, at first but the pace picked up and I felt I was in the middle of what could easily be a movie or perhaps a TV program ~ Perhaps not a surprise if I had twigged to the fact that Kaplan authored Homeland and that did become a popular TV show. What I liked: * Jessica’s Rules and how they played a huge part in one character’s life ~ If this IS to be a series, perhaps she will eventually take part in the cast of characters.* Casey: Government “employee” with a wicked skillset, nerves of steel, quick thinker, lethal, and intriguing.* Natalya: lethal, chameleon, working for a government other than and often opposed to the one that Casey works for, intelligent, pragmatic, could be a sister of another mother to Casey* Bochard: the French connection and sometime counterpart working with Casey* Not knowing everything too soon* Wanting to find out what lead up to the prologue…as it actually occurred before most of the rest of the book.* The way evil was often thwarted* Feeling immersed in the story* That feel of La Femme Nikita and/or the movie SALT that popped up from time to time* Rooting for a positive conclusion to the story with my favorite characters surviving till the end* Wondering if this is the first in a series and if so, what will happen next. What I didn’t like: * Exactly who and what I was meant NOT to like. The wicked evil people were easy to hate and wish the worst for. * Not knowing what will happen next in the lives of the characters I became invested in…including Jessica.Did I enjoy this book? YesWould I read more by this author? YesThank you to NetGalley, Smugglers Lane Press, and Book Whsiperer for the ARC – This is my honest review. 4-5 Stars

[fernemysteryreader · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

As I begin to write my review I’m wondering if I can truly capture the adrenaline spikes, the unforeseen adventures, the detours leading to more breathtaking twists, and the wonder if truth will prevail. There can always be various interruptions by the news outlets favorably titled, "Breaking News" especially days prior to a U.S. Presidential Election. However, no one would anticipate the death of the most likely-to-succeed candidate. The exquisite presentation in the "Prologue" introduces 5 ½ seconds of video from a cell phone across the sphere of news outlets and social media to a person that becomes known as the “Invisible Woman.” Speculation is rampant to learn if she is relevant to the news headlines. In the ensuing chapters the reveal beginning "Six Weeks Earlier"to "Four Weeks Earlier" to "Two Weeks Earlier" to "Two Days Earlier" to "The Night Of" the "Breaking News" leads to international intrigue at its finest!How many adjectives may I use without being excessive? Edge-of-the-seat, galvanizing, spectacular, high-voltage, and powerful convey only a tingle of the goose bumps, the grip of nerve-endings, and acceleration of suspense that is a complicated puzzle to unravel. I found Mr. Kaplan’s writing in a class by itself and any quantity of descriptive adjectives should not be deemed extravagant. It’s a disquieting and thought-provoking thriller that captivated this reader from beginning to end. Each detail heightened my awe to share it is the "best-of-the-best" suspenseful writing I’ve ever read.My sincere thanks to Andrew Kaplan, and Smugglers Lane Press for my complimentary digital copy of this title, via NetGalley, in exchange for my honest review.#BlueMadagascarThrillerSuspense #NetGalley