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Summary
Summary
Charles McCarry is widely considered one of the greatest espionage writers of the all-time, and in THE SHANGHAI FACTOR he returns to his roots with an absorbing tale of global skullduggery that leaves the reader guessing at every turn.
A young, unnamed spy is living in Shanghai in order to observe and absorb the culture and language so as to aid a shadowy U.S. agency known only as 'HQ'. However when he meets a sultry and mysterious woman named Mei, they begin a torrid affair that threatens to expose him to HQ's enemies.
Soon the head of HQ, Luther Burbank, gives the spy a task that will force him to risk everything: go undercover as the American ambassador for a massive Chinese multinational conglomerate, and learn the secrets of their powerful CEO Chen Qi, whom HQ believes to be a front man for the nearly uncrackable Chinese Intelligence, known as the Guoanbu.
Soon the spy finds that HQ isn't the only one tracking his every move, and the deadly Guoanbu may be aware of his true identity. Danger lies around every corner, as the enigmatic Mei flits in and ouf of his life, yet every time he thinks he's closer to the truth, he finds himself drawn further into a deadly cat-and-mouse game between HQ and the Guoanbu that might not only end his life, but could upend the East/West balance of power.
Author Notes
Albert Charles McCarry Jr. was born in Pittsfield, Massachusetts on June 14, 1930. He enlisted in the Army, where he wrote for Stars and Stripes and edited a weekly Army newspaper in Bremerhaven, Germany. He was a dishwasher and newspaper reporter before becoming an assistant and speechwriter to Secretary of Labor James P. Mitchell. After two years, McCarry was recruited by the C.I.A. He worked for nine years as a deep cover operative in Europe, Asia and Africa.
He became an author of both fiction and nonfiction. His fiction works included Ark and The Paul Christopher series. His nonfiction works included Citizen Nader and three memoirs - two written with Alexander Haig Jr. and one written with Donald T. Regan. McCarry died from complications of a cerebral hemorrhage caused by a fall on February 26, 2019 at the age of 88.
(Bowker Author Biography)
Reviews (4)
Publisher's Weekly Review
A nameless American who lives in Shanghai is recruited by a secret U.S. agency known as "HQ" to infiltrate a Chinese business conglomerate, the CEO of which may have ties to Chinese intelligence. But as he settles into his life undercover, he comes to learn that nothing is what it seems, and any wrong move could cost him everything. Stephen Bowlby adopts the perfect tone in this audio edition. His dry, laconic delivery of the unidentified hero's tale conveys the world-weariness of a man who has seen it all and, in the retelling of his story, is not surprised by the perfidiousness of the men and women of his past. Bowlby's characters are distinct and he differentiates between each of them subtly, never going over the top into caricature. Fans of McCarry will be as pleased, both with this latest outing and with Bowlby's smooth, professional reading. A Head of Zeus hardcover. (June) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
Kirkus Review
Nuanced, devilishly intricate thriller sends an enigmatic hero to China and far-flung ports to scope out agents, double agents and enticing women. That a semi-colon ("That archaic punctuation mark") turns up here as a clue signals the level of subtlety that characterizes the plot of this latest from thriller and CIA veteran McCarry. Early on comes a harrowing action scene on the Yangtze, but otherwise, quiet and only occasionally violent moments drive the plot. In a tale in which characters are seldom what they seem, it's significant that the protagonist and narrator (hereafter "Spy") is never named. Known only to his handler, but not even to the U.S. intelligence agency he works for (also never named but located near Langley, VA., if you need a hint), Spy is a former football jock, a former fighter in Afghanistan and a man who may or may not care about his survival. He's also intensely hirsute, which prompts Mei, a woman with whom he's besotted, to call him "the chimpanzee." But when six thugs abduct Spy, tossing him to the rats in the Yangtze, a contact tells him to get out of China. Back in the States, and desperately missing Mei, he checks in with his handler, Burbank, who makes visitors feel insecure and, literally, unsteady by seating them in a chair with sawed off front legs. Burbank wants Spy to find out what he can about a Chinese conglomerate's ties to the Goanbu, the Chinese Intelligence Agency. Spy goes to work for the conglomerate. He's soon jumping continents, gathering data. Before long, he finds himself in mortal danger, shadowed, in chilling scenes, on planes, in restaurants and on city streets. The biggest twist of all comes, well-timed, in the narrative's final chapters, when McCarry's largely cerebral puzzle reaches a breathless, emotionally resonant denouement. Meticulous plotting, literate prose and mordant wit make this a thriller for connoisseurs of the genre. ]] Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Booklist Review
*Starred Review* McCarry's unnamed protagonist is a young spy for a shadowy U.S. intelligence agency. His assignment is simply to live in Shanghai, absorb its culture, and hone his language skills. He does this and other, more intimate things with lusty Mei, whom he assumes is an agent of Guoanbu, the secretive Chinese intelligence service. In time, he comes to the attention of Luther Burbank, head of counterintelligence, who thinks the young man may be his key to penetrating Guoanbu. Character is crucial in The Shanghai Factor. The unnamed spy is nearly a perfect isolate, a third-generation spook raised by proper but emotionally remote New England WASPs, close to no one except his current lover. His isolation suits him. Burbank is both ascetic and eccentric and possibly modeled on legendary CIA counterintelligence chief, James Jesus Angleton. He relishes the long game necessary to compromise Guoanbu. The plot is appropriately sinuous, but it is the narrator's voice and worldview that make this a must-read for espionage aficionados. The Shanghai Factor is wildly entertaining and further proof that McCarry is a modern master of the genre on a par with le Carre and Robert Littell.--Gaughan, Thomas Copyright 2010 Booklist
Library Journal Review
McCarry, a former CIA operative who worked deep undercover in Europe, Asia, and Africa, writes from personal experience in this twisty thriller that pits a young, unnamed American spy against Guoanbu, China's intelligence agency. The appealing agent becomes reckless when he meets the lovely Mei and they begin a relationship in which neither asks the other too many questions. Things turn even more harrowing for him when he realizes there's literally no one he can trust as his desperation mounts. McCarry particularly excels at description; when the agent is thrown into the Yangtze River, the portrayal of its contents is graphic and gross! Unfortunately, the climax, which seems hurried and almost forced, will leave some disappointed and bewildered. Narrator Stephen Bowlby handles the text, excellent description, and accents (particularly the Chinese) most commendably. Verdict Fans of espionage and those who prefer a mostly Chinese locale will most enjoy.-Susan G. Baird, formerly with Oak Lawn P.L., IL (c) Copyright 2013. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.