I've loved Morrell's storytelling every since I discovered him, and although it took me some time to get into this particular book...the further I got into it, the more I couldn't stop. And, as usual, Morrell surprised me with where he took the story and characters, and I loved every moment.

I'm not much for holiday-themed fiction, so I'm not surprised it took me a bit of time to be sold on this one. The fact that I *was* sold on it by midway through means that much more.

Absolutely recommended. ( )

A reasonably good thriller. The real plus is a retelling of the Biblical Christmas (particularly the part about the three wise men) as a spy story.

It was a little late to be reading a Christmas book but I enjoyed it never the less. A cute Christmas story from a little bit of a different angle, and a happy ending. What more could you ask for? I particularly enjoyed the "spy's version" of the nativity. Quite creative!
( )

On Christmas Eve in Santa Fe, undercover spy Paul Kagan is on the run from members of a Russian Mafia gang he's infiltrated. He's trying to save the life of a baby the mafia is trying to kidnap. Kagan is able to elude his pursuers long enough to seek refuge in a home of a battered woman and her twelve-year-old son. They're on their own if Kagan's pursuers find them since the home is cut off from all access to the outside world.

The story alternates between the events of the present Christmas Eve and Kagan's back story (and to an extent the back story of the family who live in the house where Kagan finds shelter). I've listened to other audiobooks that jump back and forth in time without any problem, but this one was difficult to follow. It didn't help matters that the reader's delivery is rather uninspired. A reimagining of the Christmas story from the perspective of the wise men is at the heart of the story. The story might work for readers who don't accept the miraculous events in the biblical accounts of the Nativity. Readers at the evangelical/conservative end of the Christian spectrum will probably find it as difficult as I did to suspend their beliefs in order to accept the premise at the heart of the plot. ( )

Those who like a twist on an already told story will simply devour this book. David Morrell puts an interesting twist on the Christmas story of Jesus birth. Imagine, if you will, that it is told from the perspective of a spy, and that the 3 wise men could very well have been double agents and may have had help from Mary herself! I enjoyed reading this version of the Christmas story. ( )