The Book:
The Takedown by Carlie Walker
Published October 3, 2023 by Berkley
Date read: December 21, 2023 (re-read Oct 31, 2024)
The Takedown spoilers can be found below, but they’re hidden under a spoiler tag so you’re safe to keep scrolling if you’d just like to read my review.
The Characters:
Sydney
Her sister Calla
Calla’s fiance Johnny
Johnny’s bodyguard Nick
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The Plot (from Goodreads):
It’s been a long time since Sydney Swift has gone home. An unrelentingly successful CIA field officer, she has spent the last three years pretending to be someone — anyone — other than herself.
But this year, the festive season is coming with some added surprises. Sydney’s beloved little sister has just announced that she’s engaged to Johnny Jones, the heir of an organized crime dynasty. With her built-in cover and her best-in-class reputation, Sydney is approached by the FBI as their way to infiltrate the Jones family at last.
Sydney has until Christmas to gather enough evidence on Johnny to take him down before he pulls off his most dangerous heist yet, all without losing her sister forever. But she hasn’t counted on the challenge of pulling this off right under her family’s nose or the complications of a romantic entanglement with Johnny’s handsome friend and bodyguard, Nick. Sydney always gets her man — but this time love is a target she can’t afford to miss.
The Takedown Spoilers
The Reveal:
Nick was an agent for CSIS, the Canadian version of the FBI (I think). He had been undercover for years–Johnny was his roommate in college, and once he joined CSIS they encouraged him to become Johnny’s bodyguard to get information on his family. Sydney was forced to reveal herself to Nick after she headbutted a man trying to attack children at a Christmas pageant, but luckily she and Nick were on the same side.
Calla did not know that Johnny was a crime lord. Eventually Sydney came to her senses and realized she needed to warn Calla about Johnny. When she did, Calla disappeared for a day to get her head on straight. Sydney was worried, but Calla came to her senses and realized Johnny was bad.
At the party that was supposed to be their wedding, Sydney was on high alert. She realized that all of the presents that Johnny’s family had brought were suspicious–she opened one and it contained the stolen diamonds. I’m not exactly sure where the diamonds came from or what the Jones family planned to do with them, but when Sydney found them Johnny tried to escape. Sydney and Nick car chased him into town, where he crashed near the parade and tried to escape on foot. Then Sydney’s grandma showed up and crashed her car to stop Johnny.
The Ending:
Johnny was arrested. Gail was not the mole in the FBI, she was just a little weird. Sydney and Nick both left their jobs for a quieter life, and they stayed a couple. Sydney repaired her relationship with Calla and Grandma Ruby.
I hope these The Takedown spoilers were helpful.
The Review:
This is the Die Hard version of a Christmas book. Okay, The Takedown is Christmassier than Die Hard, since multiple scenes take place at Christmas events and not just on Christmas day. There’s a pageant and everything. And there’s romance. So maybe it’s Die Hard meets Love Actually?
Regardless, I loved this book. It was an unexpected five-star read on my first read-through, and absolutely held up the second time around. I read it last year and didn’t take notes, but I knew it was worth a re-read this year.
The undercover spy scenes are suspenseful, the romance is steamy, and the holiday cheer is cheerful. I highly recommend adding The Takedown to your December TBR!
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