The Tears of Autumn (Paul Christopher Series #2) Book

McGarry is growing on me as nearly as worthy as le Carre and Deighton for enthralling espionage tales set during the Cold War. In this second in the series, CIA spy Paul Christopher comes to suspect that the assassination of JFK was masterminded by a Vietnamese faction in retaliation for the American's facilitation of the coup associated with the assassination of the dictator Diem a few weeks earlier on November 2, 1963, which put in place a more pliable dictator for America's global war against communism, Thieu. Christopher's insight is founded on his deep knowledge of the power structure there and their ancient traditions for avenging wrongs done to a clan member. However, the political head of the agency, upon hearing of the agent's request to pursue the matter, shuts him down. Just the concept that a third world country could topple the head of the mighty U.S. is too dangerous politically even to ponder. The theory that the Cubans could pull it off in response to the Bay of Pigs invasion would be equally damaging to the American's reputation in the world, and the more plausible prospect the Oswald was a KGB operative held the seeds to war. The story that Oswald was a lone madman was the only solution to be adhered to. Christopher resigns and goes off-reservation with his own resources to investigate the truth.

Christopher bids farewell to his woman in Rome and pursues leads from contacts and sources he has leverage with in far-flung places such as Paris, Switzerland, and the Congo, and then he homes in on various members of Diem's family in Vietnam. He is not quite James Bond, but his courage and skills in the face of danger and set-backs at every turn were fascinating and thrilling to experience. Spies from his own former agency are being used to thwart and put him out of commission. Luckily, an agent who has been both friend and competitor helps him along the way. The complex intrigue among factions in Vietnam and atmospheric details of life in this mysterious and dangerous society were nicely done. I recommend the review by Jeffrey Keeten for a more in-depth background and coverage of this tale.