Two Nights in Lisbon by Chris Pavone

 

"This reporting is why the very First Amendment of the US Constitution enshrines freedom of the press. This is something Americans have always known, even if sometimes we neglect it: Nothing is more important to democracy than holding the powerful accountable for their transgressions."

         -from the novel, journalist Pete Wagstaff's thinking

I saw a review of this book somewhere a while back and put it on my to-read list. I was in Lisbon a few years ago---for 2 days, as a matter of fact---and I was hoping to be reminded of our tour. Sadly, there was very little---a mention of the lovely blue tile work all around and that Portugal is the number one cork producer in the world.

In this international thriller, Ariel Pryce wakes up in a hotel in Lisbon and finds her husband, John Wright, is missing. He left no message and is not answering his phone. She is sure something bad has happened to him. She takes her concern to hotel security then to the local police and finally to the American embassy. In each case she is met with skepticism and faces many questions. Eventually, it becomes clear that the only person who can help her is the one she least wants to ask.

I enjoyed this novel. The foreshadowing and twists and turns of the plot kept me guessing. Numerous flashbacks to 14 years prior were sometimes confusing but overall, it was a compelling story. And the ending? A BIG surprise to me! My rating is 4.