The Superpower of Age: The Spy Coast by Tess Gerritsen
© Thomas & Mercer
The Spy Coast by Tess Gerritsen represents an intriguing departure from the author’s well-known Rizzoli and Isles series. A group of five sleuths has replaced the crimefighting duo; instead of the classic big-city police procedural, we find ourselves immersed in the world of international spies. Perhaps most interesting, though, is that the main characters in this new Gerritsen endeavor are of a certain age. This take on the classic cloak-and-dagger novels sets the book apart from many current examples of the spy genre.
The central character in this thriller is Maggie, a retired CIA operative, who is slowly but surely settling into her life in rural Maine tending to her chickens after 16 years as a nomad hopscotching across Europe and Asia trying to escape the haunted memories of a mission gone wrong.
Though ostensibly securely sequestered away from the bustling metropolitan centers of action, she has nonetheless maintained a connection to her previous international lifestyle. Her former colleagues from decades ago have also sought refuge in the same Maine hinterland. This group of five meets regularly for their book club, which really amounts to a Martini Klatsch focusing on gossip and cocktails. They are bound by the shared experience of being unable to share and a healthy dose of skepticism, allowing them to be open to what is not necessarily obvious. The group trusts each other as much as spies can trust one another.
So, it is no surprise that when Maggie’s past catches up with her, she would turn to her greying compatriots for guidance and support. What makes this group of sleuthing retirees so effective is that they are not what they seem. Their age renders them harmless, and they are readily dismissed, which allows them to operate largely unnoticed. We are familiar with this quickly disregarded sleuth who poses little threat, for instance, fellow Maine denizen the congenial Jessica Fletcher, the poised and irrepressible Miss Marple of Agatha Christie fame, or even the disheveled and absentminded Inspector Colombo. Like these counterparts of crime fiction, the members of the Martini Club are initially barely a blimp on the radar of law enforcement and perhaps even the bad guys. They are both taken for granted and deemed harmless. It is a comfortable anonymity that comes with age, ironically not unlike the one so carefully cultivated by the spies when they were younger and actively working for the agency.
There is also another discriminatory shadow side to this equation. Our relevance is sometimes questioned as we age and transition into life after work. Ben, one of the members of the Martini Club, conveys this sentiment when he exclaims, “Frankly, retirement hasn’t been much fun for any of us. This gives us a chance to see if we still have what it takes. It’s good to feel useful again. Back in the game, so to speak.” Age brings with it another advantage, namely, experience. Maggie reflects on the power of the Martini Club at some point, referring to the group as “five old spies with five lifetimes of experience. Retired does not mean useless. Everyone here has brought their individual tricks of the trade”. There is strength in numbers when it comes to the Martini Club that goes beyond the quorum and is also reflected in the cumulative age of the members. Maggie and her companions have eschewed attachments their entire lives. Attachments in the world of the CIA operative come at a cost, as we witness only too vividly as the narrative of her past unfolds.
Interestingly, this group of individuals, trained to mistrust others and so wary of attachment, can move beyond their personal narratives and fears and rely on each other. In this respect, the Martini Club is a plaidoyer for the importance of connectedness at any age. The loneliness epidemic has been much in the news lately, brought into particular focus in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic isolation. United States Surgeon General Vivek Murthy’s recent advisory on the negative health impact of loneliness and Dr. Ruth Westheimer’s appointment as the honorary loneliness ambassador for New York come to mind. Though people of all ages and walks of life report feelings of loneliness, the older generation does seem to be disproportionately affected. Ruth Westheimer prescribes an antidote for loneliness, which she labels meaningful busyness. The crime-solving activity of the Martini Club is a perfect manifestation of meaningful busyness. We get that sense that if even this group of mistrusting cynics can leap over their own shadows and engage in meaningful connection, why can’t we?
Character development has always been a strong suit of the author. The Spy Coast is rife with well-crafted and relatable characters, such as the small-town police officer Jo Thibodeau, who embodies the no-nonsense demeanor of Jane Rizzoli and the ever-questioning curious mind of Maura Isles. However, Tess Gerritsen skillfully uses characters to muse on larger themes in this thriller. Through the lens of the ensemble of characters that constitute the Martini Club, she reflects on a range of pertinent topics: the intricacies and challenges of intergenerational relationships or what a retrospective life review might look like. How do we contend with our inner ageist and ageist tendencies in society at large? She skillfully addresses themes of aging, teasing out the dichotomies that emerge during the Golden Years: between being and doing, freedom and dependency, purpose and disorientation, beginnings and endings. A highly effective and entertaining group of elders emerges in this dialectical interplay.
As the author herself has noted in a podcast, this is but the first installment of a series, with number two scheduled for release in the spring of 2025. It will be wonderful to witness what this talented and wise group of investigators will be up to as they continue to dispel any aging myths that lurk under the surface.
Many thanks to MB Communications for providing a review copy of the book.