Search - A Matter of Honor

ISBN 067164159X - Ironically, I picked this one up right after I finished Ludlum's The Gemini Contenders, and they have a lot in common - a secret hidden during WWII comes to light and becomes the responsibility of a later generation and the chase is on. I gave Ludlum 4 stars and give this one 5 for two reasons; Archer's book is an easier read and the hero of his book is around long enough to care about.

Thought to be a traitor, Gerald Scott resigned his commission from the army. When he died, he had little to leave his family, other than the taint of that resignation and an unopened letter from a Nazi war criminal. Adam, his son, inherits the letter and takes a simple one day trip to Switzerland to retrieve the contents of a bank box the letter refers to. From that moment on, Adam's life is anything but simple. Chased by the Americans, the Russians, the Swiss and the British, and unaware of the secret he's got in his possession, Adam has to get to safety. First, he has to solve the mystery of his inheritance, figure out where safety is and who he can trust, and manage to stay alive doing it all.

The secret itself seems a tad silly, but other than that, the story is fast-paced and very easy to follow, putting it a little bit above some overly convoluted thrillers I've read.

- AnnaLovesBooks

As Adam Scott opens the yellowed envelope bequeathed to him in his father's will, an incredible drama begins. The terrible secret that shadowed his father's military career unfolds a time bomb of intrigue, passion and greed, reaching back to the Nazi plunder of Europe...into the mysterious heart of Tsarist Russia. In the deepest vault of a Swiss bank, Scott discovers a priceless icon, the key to a shocking document that could forever change the balance of power between America and the Soviet Union. Few men know of its existence. All will kill for it. When his lover is suddenly kidnapped, Scott is forced to flee across Europe, fighting desperately for his life against the KGB, the CIA, and even his own countrymen.