Two Nights in Lisbon

gripping & very re-readable

Two Nights in Lisbon is a fabulous read and definitely one of my favorite novels so far this year. A smart, fast-paced suspense novel with a unique premise and subtle surprises in store for the reader, it starts with a newly-married couple on a short business trip to Portugal but quickly turns into a kidnaping story, complete with false identities, ransom demands, a frantic out-of-her-depth wife, and less-than-helpful police officials. As the hours tick by, we're increasingly aware that we don't know the whole story behind this adventure which means we're frantically flipping pages to learn what's actually going on. How far will Ariel go to save the man she loves? And who will believe her and step in to help? When the police fail to treat her seriously, she pulls in all her contacts, both at the US Embassy and back home in America to get someone, anyone, to help her locate her missing spouse. The author took his time to spool out the plot and I for one enjoyed that pace as it gave me time to muse about what I would do in the same situation and provided me with several evenings of reading enjoyment as opposed to other thriller/suspense novels which practically race through the narrative at breakneck speed. If you're looking for a political thriller with subtle clues and a surprising denouement, this is one I'd highly recommend. Plus I loved that this was set in Portugal, a setting I rarely see used in novels.

My thanks to NetGalley for providing me with an advanced reader copy.