A couple of my reading groups post what they’ve been reading each month.  As many of the others do, I get a lot of my ideas as to what to read next from those lists. My reading of Need To Know was based on the last month’s reports at 4-Mystery Addicts.   

Need To Know 
by Karen Cleveland 
2018 / (353 pages)
Read by Mia Barron / 8h 39m
Rating: B+ / thriller-suspense

Because the characters all work at the CIA I figured this was a spy novel.  It’s not really that – not as I know spy novels anyway.  It’s a thriller/suspense of the domestic variety with some CIA activity involved. 

Matt and Vivian Miller are both employed at the agency and fall in love.  After 10 years of marriage and 4 children Vivian accidentally finds out Matt is a Russian agent.  Legally, she is supposed to report this type of thing to her superiors, but she can’t bring herself to do that because it will mean the end of life as they know it. And therein begins the suspense-thriller. 

It’s almost more of a romance suspense novel than anything as they try to preserve their family and keep everyone alive and out of jail while doing the right thing. he suspicion Vivian can’t quite get rid of festers. Their children are a prime concern.

So … it’s okay – not great – the domestic aspect is usually overridden by suspense. I’ll not be seeking out more books by this author. The narration is very good.