Deep Cover

The Unknowing Agent

Fiction - Thriller - Espionage
181 Pages
Reviewed on 09/01/2024
Buy on Amazon

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Author Biography

Jeffrey Jay Levin is a commercial real estate attorney and crime fiction author based in Cottonwood, AZ. Balancing a successful legal career with his passion for storytelling, Jeffrey crafts intricate narratives that delve into the shadowy world of espionage and intrigue. His latest novel, "Deep Cover," explores the enduring fears and conspiracies of Cold War-era spycraft, weaving a suspenseful tale of deep-cover Russian spies embedded within the United States.

Jeffrey’s journey into writing began as a creative escape from the demands of his legal profession. Known for his methodical approach, Jeffrey often finds himself 'possessed' by his stories, constantly exploring new plot twists and character developments. His novels are marked by a blend of meticulous research and imaginative storytelling, offering readers a thrilling ride through complex plots and moral ambiguities.

Outside of his professional life, Jeffrey is an avid car enthusiast, currently restoring a classic 1976 Corvette Sting Ray. He also enjoys spending time with his grandchildren, who inspire his relentless pursuit of creativity. Jeffrey welcomes readers and fellow writers to join his online community, where he shares insights into his writing process and encourages others to explore their own creative paths.

Jeffrey's works include "Deep Cover" and "Watching, Volume 1: The Garden Museum Heist," both of which reflect his fascination with the unseen forces that shape our world. Whether through his legal career or his literary endeavors, Jeffrey Jay Levin continues to explore the depths of human motivation and the hidden stories that lie beneath the surface.

    Book Review

Reviewed by Asher Syed for Readers' Favorite

In Deep Cover by Jeffrey Jay Levin, Stephan Beck attends a reunion with his girlfriend Lisa Jones, and her friends. Lisa and Jennifer Turner secure funding for their genetic research, but then receive trance-inducing calls with cryptic Russian messages. As the machinations of politics tick away in Washington, the mysterious calls leave Lisa feeling exhausted and seeking isolation. Stephan shares a discovery with Lisa, connecting to the deciphering of mysterious recordings. Lt. Fowler investigates a computer breach involving someone close to Stephan, leading to concerns about his safety when it is discovered. When transferred, Lisa's deep-cover spy status and mission to carry out a scientific assassination are revealed to Stephan by Director Ferguson at Homeland Security, triggering shock that is ultimately overridden by the urgency of saving Lisa and stopping Russian operatives.

What happens when a person is so covertly manipulated that they do not even know they have become a spy? Not in the way someone is blinded by love to the truth, a la Martha Hanson in The Americans, but on a truly biological level. Well, we get the spectacular Lisa Jones effect in Deep Cover by Jeffrey Jay Levin. The star of this story is actually Stephan Beck, and he's the imperfectly perfect hero that every story must have, and Levin gets him right. He comes across as authentic; he experiences emotional turmoil, and we later see guilt, and he feels deeply human. Levin paints Lisa in a light that allows us to freely vacillate between empathy and distrust. Her evolution is thrilling because we are shown a woman who is brilliantly disconnected from her subjective experience of reality and the objective truth of her experiences, which raises questions about the reliability of her perceptions. Between the suspense and thrills, cool prose, and an engrossing storyline, Deep Cover is a win. Very highly recommended.