Stuff I've Read: The Paris Diversion by Chris Pavone

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Old habits die hard for the expatriate Moore family. After a tumultuous year in Luxembourg, semi-retired CIA spook Kate and her day-trader husband Dexter now live a quiet and sedate life in Paris with their two children. When they’re not navigating the Parisian expat social strata, the Moores retreat into their secret lives. Dexter finds himself embroiled in yet another get-rich-quick scheme, and Kate runs a CIA substation in Paris, each unbeknownst to the other. And after a series of unrelated events send their secrets once again crashing into each other, Kate and Dexter find old enemies have followed them to their new home. All’s fair in marriage and espionage, and The Paris Diversion is Chris Pavone at his subversive best.

The Paris Diversion by Chris Pavone

The Paris Diversion picks up a little over a year after The Expats, Pavone’s debut novel. Dexter is still a high-risk stock trader, and Kate isn’t as retired as she lets on. The two of them live in a sort of détente. After all the stuff that happened in Luxembourg, the Robin Hood-like crime Dexter found himself embroiled in, and their encounter with a couple of enterprising spies named “Bill” and “Julia,” Dexter and Kate have given each other a wide berth in regards to the secrets they keep. They have fallen into a routine living in Paris, even making friends with other expats. However, a series of seemingly random events—the kidnapping of a tech CEO just before his IPO and a bomb threat outside the Louvre—brings Kate into action, and the secrets she uncovers leads her once again to a situation that threatens her family and sedate expat life.

The Paris Diversion does a marvelous job of layering multiple plots and weaving them together. There are four separate and compelling stories all happening at the same time, and when they intersect, it never feels forced or contrived. As usual with Pavone’s work, it’s expertly plotted and once the plot gets moving, it never loses momentum and barrels its way to a satisfying finish. Also, he hints at a connected shared universe by dropping bits from his other spy novel, The Travelers.

The downside to Pavone’s approach is that it makes The Expats and The Travelers almost required reading to completely understand what’s going on, with emphasis placed on the former novel. Plot threads left over from The Expats play heavily in this book, and the last third of The Paris Diversion features characters that are difficult to care about if you haven’t read The Expats. These are minor gripes because (a), I read The Expats, and (b), it’s a solid enough read that I can confidently recommend it.

With slick action, past pace, and a tense and compelling plot, The Paris Diversion is a thoroughly entertaining read that rewards fans by resolving leftover plots and dangling a few Easter eggs. Chris Pavone lays a bold claim as king of the espionage-thriller mountain.

Pros: Well-paced, well-plotted, action-packed balancing act, pulled off with style

Cons: Definitely need to read The Expats first.

Rating: 4 of 5 stars