The Syndicate Spy: A Juliet Arroway Novel

Written by Brittany Butler

Narrated by Amy Landon

“Sacrifices must be made; battles will be lost. It is always this way in a quest for change.”

In the near future, Earth’s oil reserves are depleted. Nations grapple to find an alternative energy source. Terrorists race for control over world resources. And the Syndicate—a conglomerate of allied intelligence agencies—struggles to maintain peace.

Syndicate operative Juliet Arroway and her best friend, Mariam, a progressive Saudi princess, are tasked with hunting down terrorists and putting an end to the global energy war, the same mission that cost Juliet’s father his life. But when multiple terrorist attacks result in devastating losses, including the death of Juliet’s longtime boyfriend, and the Syndicate begins to suspect that Mariam’s family is somehow involved, Juliet must rise above her heartbreak to discover the truth.

In her quest, Juliet is paired with Graham—a dashing yet arrogant FBI agent—and embarks on a dangerous journey toward love and survival as they race to obtain the formula that could solve the energy crisis. But when peace demands a stunning betrayal, Juliet must decide how much she is willing to pay for the success of her mission. Brilliantly weaving fact and fiction, Butler tells a story seldom told—how female heroics can change the course of war.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Greenleaf Book Group
• Release date: May 22, 2023
• ISBN: 9798886450996

Reviews for The Syndicate Spy

[nx74defiant · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

In the near future, times not very different from our own. I struggled to feel invested in the story. There was a lot going on.

[caspaulding · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This was received as a part of the early reviewer’s program. I liked the book. The writing and story is suspenseful enough to keep your attention. It’s refreshing to have an action type story with a female lead character. The fight scenes, while slightly unrealistic, were not any more so than those in other books with a male lead (The Grey Man series, David Baldacci characters, etc.)I also enjoyed the romantic twists that were much more realistic than what I’ve found with most male authors. I look forward to reading more of the series in the future. I gave it less than 5 stars for the serious technical flaws. Things like an artificial oil. Really? It got more goofy as the author tried to describe the concept in more detail. Nuclear, I could believe. Other energy alternatives, yes, but artificial oil, no way. I admit, I’m a scientist and a nerd so the technical issues really bothered me. Like another reviewer who commented on copper not rusting. Grr. Yes, rusting is oxidation of iron and copper oxidizes to a pretty greenish turquoise color. So, not rust, but similar.

[bookwallah · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Spy thriller set in the near future. Basic premise is what would the world order look like if we actually ran out of oil. With that as a backdrop enter two women spies (or maybe special ops soldiers), one from the West and one from East. It is a great landscape for follow on books. Every modern thriller I have read in the last decade seems to rely on some entirely new government agency that does not currently exist. This one is no different. It seems like this weakens the believability of the plot lines. It affected this plot as well. Still the action moves right along, even if some of the scenarios seem a tad far fetched.Recommended for readers of the modern thriller genre and for people who like to see women kick but.

[cats57_1 · Rating: 1 out of 5 stars]

When looking at the description for this book on Amazon, I am struck by the fact that though this book is being advertised as a futuristic book, "In the near future, Earth’s oil reserves are depleted. " it was set (according to the very first page) in 1938. Unless this is a significant typo, it sure put a different spin on this book for me. So which is it? A book set in the past with all sorts of modern tech, or a futuristic book with old-fashioned tech?In the very first paragraph, I found a distracting mistake on the author's part. COPPER DOES NOT RUST, NOR DOES IT SMELL OF RUST. Yes, this may be nit-picking, but it still made me question how good this book would be. Mistakes such as this tend to pull me out of the story and question what I had been reading.As I kept reading, I realized that this author has an interesting command of the language. For instance, Juliet's eyes can speak to her partner Mariam. Ohhkay. "Juliet took a SHARP swig of water" ??? "A silo of light poured into the compound."This is most likely a very good book. I do so love futuristic novels, and having two kick-butt heroines would have been just perfect. However, too many things distract me from what could have been the perfect story.*ARC supplied by the publisher.

[libstaff2 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

3.5 StarsAn action-packed spy thriller with lots of twists and turns. I like the strong female characters and the diverse backgrounds. Good job on culture descriptions and the detail. Some parts dragged on, but overall, a good choice if you're a fan of this type of novel and want something a little different. Net Galley Feedback

[waltnoise_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

A near-future terrorist hunt with a female main character, the book is not badly written, but I didn't enjoy it. I've read too many 'thrillers' with unrealistic combat and shooters who think too much.