The Greek Gambit by Charles A. Salter was an enjoyable read. The story is told from the perspective of Colonel Blake Hunter, head of the US military’s Nuclear Response Team. Colonel Hunter perfectly fits into the movie archetype of a secret agent – extremely intelligent, quick on his feet, always narrowly escaping death, beauty pageant wife, and children who are carbon copies of their finest traits. Colonel Hunter is always in global demand for his expertise, experience, and impeccable work. However, the story begins in a particular week when he just so happens to be on a family vacation in Santorini, Greece. Hunter’s sixth sense tells him that something horrible will happen while on this trip. Unfortunately, he is not wrong. After some enjoyable moments with his wife, Mia, and his two children, what appears to be a local steals Mia’s purse. Hunter takes off in hot pursuit, eager to catch the man who dared rob his wife in front of him. Being in the immaculate shape he is in from extensive military training, Hunter catches up to the thief but is met with a gun to his face and the words, “Welcome, Colonel Hunter. We’ve been expecting you.”
From this point of the story, the reader follows Colonel Hunter on this vacation gone amiss. He soon finds himself knee-deep in work, forced to protect his family, country, and fellow citizens from new terrorist threats. Along the way, the reader meets Colonel Hunter’s right-hand man and right-hand woman – Lacey, and Jim. Both of these agents are similar to Hunter in fitting the stereotypical definition of a movie-type secret agent. Lacey is physically stunning, exceptionally talented, and an overall badass. Jim is extremely strong, even after losing an arm in a previous firefight, and is the perfect ally to have on a team mission. This dream team trio is excited and honored to take on a new challenge, knowing that together they can conquer anything.
Overall, I very much enjoyed reading The Greek Gambit . You can tell Salter has extensive knowledge of nuclear and combat weapons, as well as how military forces work. I appreciated his attention to detail and expertise regarding this. I think this book is the perfect read if you are into action books, FBI-type films, or espionage books. As stated previously in the review, the characters in this novel play perfectly into the classic spy persona. If you enjoy any of the above or even just classic thriller novels, you will enjoy The Greek Gambit .
