THE DOUBLE EAGLE is book that, frankly, surprised me. James Twining has managed to craft a very entertaining book that balances Bond-esque adventure with several well developed characters. While the first 10% of the book seems to wander a bit as the author finds his way, the remaining 90% is a well crafted story that keeps the reader entertained and engaged.

THE DOUBLE EAGLE takes us on the hunt for fantastically rare gold $20 coins, survivors of FDR's effort to take the United States off of the gold standard and rescue the country from the Great Depression. Originally stored at Fort Knox, the coins have disappeared with the only clue as to their whereabouts a dead de-frocked priest in Amsterdam. The unlikely team sent to track them down is Tom Kirk, an ex-CIA agent turned jewel thief, and Jennifer Browne, an FBI agent seeking redemption for killing her partner in a case of mistaken identity. The tension between them is well balanced and does not distract from the story. The two form a likeable pair, the reader cheering them along in pursuit of the prize.

From Kentucky to Istanbul, the story is a wild ride that takes several unexpected turns. The author manages to keep the story satisfyingly complex without crossing over into the absurd or bogging down into overly confusing story layers. While the story lacks a bright central star, it compensates with a constellation of good guys that flesh out the cast nicely. The bad guys are a bit more comic book than the heroes -- more like Indiana Jones Nazis than fully developed characters, but we can feel comfortable disliking them and satisfied with their eventual demise.

If you like James Bond style, Dirk Pitt adventures and Hercule Poirot mysteries, you'll enjoy THE DOUBLE EAGLE. The story flows quickly, has plenty of twists and turns, and wraps up with a fulfilling conclusion.