The Kingmaker
Sean Drummond Series, No. 3
By Brian Haig

     When U S Army General William Morrison, a Russian specialist, is accused of espionage, his wife Mary, along with the CIA, request that JAG lawyer, Sean Drummond, be assigned for his defense.

    Drummond is reluctant to take the case. He doesn't like the arrogant and power hungry Morrison. Furthermore, Sean and Mary have been lovers in the past and Drummond is still carrying a torch. When ordered to take the case, Drummond selects Katrina Mazorski as co-counsel because of her knowledge of Russian. Together, they sift through the mountain of evidence presented against the irascible and uncooperative, Morrison who stubbornly denies his guilt. Searching for possible clues to his innocence, they travel to Moscow to interview a turned Russian intelligence agent. After experiencing two unsuccessful attempts on their lives, Drummond begins to believe that Morrison is being framed. His pursuit of this leads him to question the motives of the CIA, of Mary, and of a Russian power broker wielding untold power.

    The action is fast. The characters are well-drawn and believable. We are never sure who are the bad guys or the betrayers.The author treats the Washington establishment, the political scene and the investigative agencies with sarcasm and with irreverence. The dialogue is witty, and often sarcastic. The suspense is maintained throughout.