NOTE: there is always a chance for spoilers.
When I watched the first season of the show that is based on this novel, I somehow missed that it started as a book. I chose to watch the show because one of the writers of the show - Imogen Browder - co-created one of my favorite webseries, and it's cool to see what different creators whose content I consumed in college are doing now. But when I found out that this was a novel, I had to pick it up.
The Night Agent by Matthew Quirk was published in 2019. It's a thriller-espionage novel that follows Peter Southerland, an FBI agent who has been tasked with working the night shift to answer a special emergency line for a special branch of the FBI - the Night Agents.
Peter Southerland's main handicap is that he is the son of a former FBI agent who was accused of selling secrets. So Peter tries harder to do everything by the book to hopefully prove to himself and those around him that he is not his father. There is also a hope that he will prove his father's innocence by continuing to do what he is doing.
When Peter's path crosses with Rose Larkin - the niece of two Night Agents - he has to decide if he is going to go by the book or go with his gut. Because Peter also has a strong sense of justice and a great amount of compassion. He has to make several difficult decisions about how he will (or will not) respond to what happens to Rose and her aunt and uncle. The choices Peter makes initially raises a flag for the FBI and the White House.
I think something that makes the novel so enjoyable is how authentic Peter comes across. There is no reason, as a reader, to distrust him and his movitations. Some times, with this particular genre, the main character toes the line of trust and distrust for the audience, and it can become very frustrating when you're not sure which character is being honest. With Peter, it is very much a "what you see is what you get", which made it easier to connect and get lost in this particular universe.
If, like me, you have already watched the show, I think you will also enjoy the novel. I certainly enjoyed the novel just as much as I enjoyed the show. I also think you will enjoy it if you like things like Jason Bourne, State of Play, or Jack Ryan.
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