Review of A Spy at Home

A Spy at Home
by Joseph Rinaldo
Self-Published
From Author for Review


From Goodreads:


When Dad becomes the lone caregiver for a dependent adult son, Dad has to answer the terrifying question: What happens if I die first?

A retired CIA operative comes to believe he wasted his professional life not only promoting questionable American policies, but missing life with his family. After his wife dies in a tragic accident, he must learn all that she knew about caring for their mentally retarded son. After a life of planning for contingencies, the former spy must deal with the possibility that he may die before his son. Who will care for the son when the dad spent a life out of the country and now has no one to lean on?


My Thoughts:


A Spy at Home was an enjoyable read. I don't often read books written in the first person and it was a different experience. The premise of the book is so serious I was worried that it might be too heavy for me. It wasn't though. The story opens up on the narrator, Garrison Stonebrook, telling his wife how he came to steal 9.5 million dollars from the US government.


There are plenty of times in the book that I found myself laughing at the way these two very "normal" characters handled being criminals. I loved Louisa. She made me smile often throughout the book.


I never quite knew what to expect, from how Garrison and Louise became parents, to the tragic death of Louisa, all the way to the unexpected end of the novel! This book was full of surprises and I found myself completely enjoying the story.


There were some typos and a handful of awkward sentences that tripped me up, but nothing that took away from the overall enjoyment of the novel. The first person narrative jumps around a little bit, so not everything is completely chronological, but I never got confused so I didn't mind that too much.


A Spy at Home was delightful, I look forward to seeing what else Joseph Rinaldo comes out with
.