Incognito Series

Karen Wiesner
(Karen's Site)

Having this be the first book of the Incognito series, Karen Wiesner really set the bar high.  This romance/thriller introduces us to The Network.  This is an undercover agency that is funded through the government. It is almost like the CIA, but this is even more secretive and only the top government officials, including the president, know of its existence.  The operatives that make up The Network go through the most extreme training of every sort and learn how to act as computers with no emotion. They spend their life getting justice and stopping crime and terrorism, regardless of the danger. 

Kira doesn’t remember her past, including who her parents are.  She is now in her twenties and for the past fifteen years has been living her life with her friend and savior, Vincent. She at first does not know how he came into her life except that he is very protective, and from a young age has taught her how to shoot weapons, how to get to an underground hiding place is they ever need it, and made her excel in school.  Kira now owns a multibillion dollar fashion business and Vincent is again, her right hand man.  Who is he really? Does he have more to do with the tragic night that tore her away from her father and caused her memory to go blank and cause her nightly flashbacks and occasional seizures?

Slowly but surely Kira starts to piece together her past. At the same time, Kira is also noticing Vincent more and more; his smell, his body, and the way he looks at her.  Could he want her as much as she is realizing she wants him? One night Kira takes the chance and kisses him, feeling more desire for this man than she has ever known, knowing that he feels the same for her. She tries to push her love for him aside and demand answers about her childhood, knowing that he is hiding something from her.  Vincent finally admits that when she was younger she witnessed her father’s death. Vincent was an operative at the time and he and his superior were involved in trying to save him, but were unsuccessful. Kira’s parents were operatives as well. As is the custom with any survivors that witness the doings of the operatives, they either kill them or surgically alter their minds. Vincent saw the trust in little Kira’s eyes that night and decided from then on out he would protect her with his life. He took her, knowing full well that they would be hunted by The Network forever. They never leave witnesses’ behind.  Now knowing all this, Kira demands to go back to The Network headquarters to find out who her parents are; not understanding the true danger and certain death she would face.

This book is not only action pact, but it is also a sizzling romance. Kira is not only confused about her childhood, but is also blown away by the feelings that she has for Vincent.  I read this book straight through because where was not one appropriate place to stop reading. The story never slowed down, never got boring, and makes you want to pick up her second book and keep on going.  Karen Wiesner writes very fluidly, and gives us detail just where we need it.  This is an excellent book and I hope her other books will follow suit! 

Book Two: Until Death Do Us Part

thought it would be tough to beat the first book in the series, but the second book came close.  Although I don’t think it is better, I think that it definitely stands on its own two feet with all new action and romance.  Karen Wiesner continues the story with The Network, a secret agency that is all but invisible to the rest of the world. They take justice from the bad guys.
This time around, the Network realizes that the 2^nd in command, Giles Jameson, has fled and is trying to bring down The Network. As a child he saw something he shouldn’t have, and he was given a choice; become an operative for The Network or die. He worked his butt off to gain power within and once he did that he worked from the inside to tear the organization down for forcing him to become a part of it. 

Reb, who is employed as a radio host, witnesses his father’s death by the hands of Giles. He vows to find out who this man is and get even. He and his radio partner, Raven, find evidence against Giles that proves he is working for known criminals. They also find out about The Network during their investigation. They go public with their information by talking about what they find on their radio show. Giles will stop at nothing to get that evidence and kill then them. He sends a message to both Raven and Reb by having Raven's 9 year old son and Reb’s wife killed. The Network finds out that Reb and Raven breached The Network and that they have valuable evidence against their leader.  They send two of their best operatives, Kirsten and Ash, to go undercover as Raven and her husband's neighbors. Reb has gone MIA and no one knows where he is for the time being, so they focus their attention on Raven.  They are told to stop at nothing, to stay undercover and to protect her.  Being undercover means that Ash and Kirsten need to act like a couple in love.  This isn’t hard for them to pull off.

Things get sticky when their staged flirtations, intimate touches, and gestures become more real than they realize. They try their hardest not to let their budding love for each other and steamy passion cloud their judgment.  Karen Wiesner does a great job at keeping this story both steamy with romance between these two forbidden lovers and with action. Their lives are constantly in danger, and more times than one Giles and his crew try to get to Raven and kill Casey.  Will they succeed?

At the end of their mission, Ash and Kirsten realize that The Network’s #1 found out about their passion for each other. She sends them a bone chilling message, letting them know that it is absolutely forbidden to engage in any sort of personal relationship as an operative.  Ash and Kirsten realize their mistake, but find that it may all be worth it, even if that means certain death.  Karen Wiesner gives us just the right amount of detail and keeps the story flowing from scene to scene, urging the reader to keep reading.  This series appears to keep getting better, so hopefully book three will live up to its expectation… This is definitely a series to read if you are someone that likes a little bit of steamy romance, and a whole lot of action packed, edge of your seat fun.  She shows us that regardless of what job you are asked to do, you can’t ignore your human emotions and feelings, regardless of the consequences. It is the ultimate sacrifice. 

Book Three: Bounty on the Rebel's Heart

Book three of the Incognito Series was pretty good. I don’t think it was as good as the first two, and it was much shorter, but it still was filled with some action and great twists; especially at the end. 

Natalie Francis is a level 6 Operative, which means she is towards the bottom end of the food chain within The Network.  She is assigned a mission that most level 6’s are never given.  She undergoes plastic surgery and is put in place to go undercover as Adrienna, a former girlfriend of Reb’s.  Reb was in the last book. He witnessed the murder of his father. He decided he would stop at nothing to uncover Giles Jameson, his father’s murderer.  Jameson was the second in command in The Network, but has turned against them.  Reb finds out about the existence of The Network as he digs into Giles’ life.  Jameson is after him because he wants the evidence that Reb has, and The Network is also after him because he has the evidence to publicize The Network, and if that happens, it is their undoing. 

Natalie finds where Reb has been hiding out from Jameson for the past two years and finds out he is very sick. She nurses him back to health and realizes that she is falling for him.  Her focus is supposed to be on Reb revealing where he hid the evidence, then to bring him in to her superiors, but she finds herself unable to focus on much but his body, how he smells, the shape of his face, etc. 

In the first two books it seemed as though there was more to the stories.  With this one, Natalie goes undercover right from the get go, gets what she needs, a few twists here and there, and then the mission is over.  I still really enjoyed the story, but it felt different than the other two.  What doesn’t change is the action and romance. Karen Wiesner does a great job at paralleling these.  She doesn’t overload you with too much romance and action, but at the same time you are definitely not lacking either.

The ending is something I won’t give away, but it is wonderful and is something you wouldn’t predict.  Natalie finds herself hopelessly torn.  She loves being a part of The Network and is loyal to them, but at the same time she knows she cannot continue her love relationship with Reb because The Network forbids it; especially to level 6 operatives.  They aren’t allowed to leave the compound unless they are on a mission. How can she choose? It is a lose/lose situation either way for her.Her choice is shocking.

Book Four: Dead Drop

Just as in the third Incognito book in the series, I found that this story felt different than the first two.  I feel as though the first two are filled with more detail, and have more life to them. I also fell in love with the characters more because you really got to see what they did within The Network.  In saying that, this book was by no means bad.  It was very worth the read. In comparison to other books in this genre, it is one of the better ones. 

Perry is a FBI agent. Her son is a very intelligent man who spends all of this time in his lab at the university.  Twenty five years ago her husband, David disappeared without a trace. The only clue was his car that was set ablaze in the middle of nowhere with a drop of his blood.  Everyone assumes he was killed in a freak accident, but Perry thinks differently.  She knows that right before he disappeared he was confronted by a man asking him to join their organization. He did not tell David much, but did say that he would be a great value to their cause.  David said no, and then disappeared.  Perry has a thought that it is some secret group that took him from her.
Roan Emory is the best of the best. He is the most dangerous and feared man within The Network. He is successful at all of his missions and is like a machine; he has no emotions.  Roan went undercover for years as a double agent and recently has returned to The Network. Everyone except for the top agents thought that he had double crossed them and started to work with terrorists.  That is what everyone was supposed to think so that he could get into the deepest part of this dangerous terrorist group and help to bring them down. Being a double agent really took its toll and Roan finds himself not caring if he lives or dies, becoming very unhappy within The Network.

It is around this time that he finds out that his son, whom he has never met, is being recruited by the same people that forced him to work for them.  He makes contact with his estranged wife, Perry, and finally reveals to her that he has been alive after all of these years.  She sees a man that resembles her husband, but is just his shell. He is void of all emotion.  Torn, she finds herself trying desperately to get him to help her hide her son so The Network won’t take him from her. Roan is also torn. He forgot what it was like to smell her, look at her, and touch her…
This is an exciting book that has some nice action to it.  There is not as much as in the first two books, and I believe that it focuses more on the romance aspect, but it is still worth the read, especially for romance lovers.  I feel as though it was a good romance with a little bit of action instead of a good action book with a little bit of romance, like the first two books.  Will Roan find a way to be with Perry and pick up where they left off twenty five years ago, or will The Network do what it always does and keep its operatives prisoner until they are ready to dispose of them indefinitely?

Book Five: Under the Spell

I really liked this book in the series.  It did not go into much about the Network, which was a little disappointing, but I loved the characters. This book felt like a western romance to me, because it takes place out on a ranch with a cowboy. 

Justine Fielding is the communication and systems analyst for the Network.  She has been working for them for awhile now.  One night she finds herself visited by Shannon McKee, who is the second in command, as well as a few others of her superiors.  They visit her in her apartment, which is odd, so it alerts Justine that something is up.  She is told that she needs to go undercover.  The kicker is that she is told she needs to go undercover as the person she used to be before she gave her life to the Network.  She needs to back to the ranch she grew up on and happily got away from and interact with people that think she is dead. 

Justine is confused enough because she doesn’t go out on missions.  She spends her time at the computer; not actually going undercover.  Her superiors tell her that a hacker is on the ranch and is doing some illegal things that involved some people she once knew.  She needs to weasel her way back into her old life and act like she is back for good so that she can figure out who it is.  Justine can do nothing but accept the mission.

Once Justine makes her entrance she quickly realizes that Alex, her past lover is sexier and more available than ever.  She once wanted to marry him but he turned her down because she thought the ranch meant more to him.  This mission becomes ten times harder for her because she knows that he is a very likely suspect in case.  Is Alex just a sweet talker with a horrible secret? Or does he really just love the ranch and

The romance aspect of this story was incredible.  It was hot and spicy and I found myself falling for Alex as well.  I really enjoyed Justine’s character and felt that she was very believable.  The ending is a big surprise; something that I would not have guessed, including finding out that someone within the Network is dirty.  Finding out about someone within the Network being dirty was an added bonus of excitement.

Book Six: Renegade Rose

Hunter Savage, a level 1 operative and 5^th in command within the Network is now the most dangerous man in the world.  Roan Emory, from book 5 in the series used to be in that position, but he is now presumed dead, so Hunter has taken his place. 

Hunter and his sister, Dr. Celine Savage, who also is a part of the Network, are very close.  When he finds out that she has been taken by the worlds most dangerous terrorist in an effort to capture him, he will stop at nothing to get her back.  Knowing that time is of the essence because they want information from her regarding weapons, and once they get it, they may have no need of her, he immediately starts his search.  Hunter knows that the Network is not behind him on this because they feel that she is replaceable and not worth the man power to extract her. Through a lot of effort on his part, Hunter finally gets himself away from the Network, even with their efforts to bring him back.

This story was full of twists and turns and was non stop excitement.  I loved every minute of it and loved all the characters.  Hunter meets Tanya, Kovac’s wife (leader of the terrorist group) and realizes that he needs to kidnap her in order to barter with Kovac for his sister.  More twists and turns take place and Hunter realizes that Tanya is more than meets the eye.  He falls head over heels in love with her; she somehow gets through all of his barriers.  His new found love for her does not make it easy for what he knows he needs to do.

I don’t want to give away the second half of the story because there are so many amazing surprises.  Karen Wiesner does a great job keeping her readers at the edge of their seat and makes it impossible to figure out what is going to happen next.  Nothing in this story is predictable.  I recommend this story to everyone.  It can be read on its own, or with the rest of the books in her series.    

Book Seven: Undercover Angel

I was waiting to see how long it would take Karen Wiesner to focus one of her stories on the head honcho of the Network, Capitan Shannon McKee.  Book seven does that and more. I found this story to be one of my favorite out of the seven. It was amazing, exciting, nail biting, and romantic.  I loved every word of it!

You finally learn the whole story surrounding why Shannon McKee is in the position she is in.  In the other books you learn that it is due in part because of her father, but there is much more to it.  What you also learn is that Shannon had a younger brother that was killed due to an overdose of drugs.  She spends her life finding and killing the people who were involved in selling the drugs until she reaches the top guy; Mareno Ortega.  She vows to catch him and dispose of him with her own two hands.  When a chance for just that to happen falls into her lap she cannot pass it up. Instead of her field operatives going out on this job, she decides to do it herself.

 Forth in command, Capitan Ron Blair has always looked out for Shannon. They go way back.  At one point at another time in their lives they were even lovers for a short while.  Since then Shannon has pushed all of those emotions down and sworn that she will never let them surface again; she feels they get in the way of getting things done, like bringing Mareno Ortega to justice. 

Because Shannon is the second in command, she has power over everyone, so no one is able to argue with her about going undercover for this mission.  She learns a lesson in femininity and goes undercover as the cousin to a DEA agent that is already undercover. His name is Martin Shay, and he owns a diving business on Shell Island in Florida.  When Shannon arrives they bump heads because Martin wants this to be his bust, but he calms down a bit after Shannon assures him he will have the credit.  Shannon is hoping to catch the eye of Mareno Ortega so that he can learn to trust her. What she doesn’t count on is the fact that he has two children who learn to love her and he is incredibly seductive and attractive.  Shannon is already having a hard time getting Ron out of her head, how can she possible take this double whammy? 

The ending of this book is absolutely amazing and I assure you that you will never see it coming.  I wish this story would have gone on forever and ever.  I was so sad when it ended.  I fell in love with the characters, I learned that Shannon is not the cold hearted woman she likes everyone in the Network to think, and you really learn a lot of cool things about the Network and how and why they run things the way they do.  I think that is partly why I liked this story so much. Not only did you have a great action piece and great romance pieces, but the Network has been a piece of each and every book and I really feel like this story involves it even more so into the story and I really enjoyed that.  I find it fascinating.