January and July

January Holte works for an intelligence agency nicknamed the Annex. An op in Paris crashes and burns, and she’s deemed responsible. Now back home and trying to make amends, she secretly sets out to uncover someone in the Annex who’s selling secrets. The clues lead her to a small town in Texas and a possible suspect named Bill Connors. July Whitlock begins a job as a bodyguard-for-hire, and his first client, Bill Connors, convinces him to wait outside while he meets with someone for a few minutes. Bill vanishes, and feeling guilty for leaving his side, July goes searching. His investigation takes him to a small town in Texas. January and July might not find Bill, but they do find deception, animosity, and their lives threatened. Abbott has crafted two terrific characters in January and July, and readers will quickly become invested in how things work out for them, even though they might be on opposite sides. The pacing is lightning-fast, the mysteries are complex and hard to decipher, and the story begs for a sequel featuring more of their adventures.—Jeff Ayers