AVAILABLE October 3, 2023
You never know quite what to expect with a Charles Martin book, and that philosophy certainly carries over with his upcoming novel, The Last Exchange.
Despite the serene-looking cover, a lot happens in this story, centering around the bond between the oddly-named young actress Maybe Joe Sue and her Scottish bodyguard, Pockets. Yes, Charles Martin wins the award for unique character names!
“Joe” skyrocketed to early fame after being discovered while waitressing, garnering awards, millions of dollars, and plenty of unwanted attention. But a troubled childhood has left a lot of emptiness that she attempts to fend off with pills and bad relationships.
Kelly MacThomas Pockets, with his experience in the military, has now been hired as Joe’s bodyguard while her husband films on location and philanders with other women. Pockets is a firm believer in “the line,” that boundary of emotion and physicality that you never, ever cross with an employer.
Yet, within this platonic team is fierce devotion, and it goes in both directions. Between Joe’s resources and Pockets’ unusual methods, they go to great lengths for each other in a story that has suspense, action, and a plot that grabs hold of you until the very end. I don’t want to give anything away, so this vague review is done by design, but I really enjoyed this surprising book!
9/10 Stars
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