A Lion in the Grass

Reviews

Diane Donovan
Senior Reviewer
Midwest Book Review
Author of San Francisco Relocated

A Lion in the Grass covers six decades in a sweeping epic story of a spy with dubious ethical and moral values. It is narrated from the viewpoints of three characters (Raymond, his protégés, and the French villain) whose lives entwine in an uncertain dance of danger.

Readers of historical fiction and intrigue will appreciate that the story line moves between social, political, and psychological drama as Mark Zvonkovic considers the evolution of international conflicts and how the acts of individuals affect outcomes not only in their lives, but those around them.

Portraying the main character as a killer who is adept at his job and yet able to mentor others to foster the underlying goals of spying makes for a different focus than most suspense stories with a black-and-white approach to good and evil forces.

Raymond Hatcher’s development, as is those of his entwined compatriots and enemies, is an intrinsic thread to a multifaceted story that offers no linear progression or easy answers. This may stymie readers who look for a set course in the action and character influences, but it will delight others who look for more complex stories with a multitude of threads and subplots that wind up fairly neatly concluded by the story’s end.

The action is fast-paced without losing track of character development and many of the subplots built along the way. Time is taken to present and consider underlying motivations and influences as each character grows into their job and psyche: “...it was comforting to think he could match the pace of the river. He believed the river’s greatest power came from its steadfastness, and it was exhilarating to think he could imitate it...He had changed dramatically on account of his training and he was afraid that she, a pacifist, would see it and be disappointed.”

Cognizant of the fact that many lies will be told, with fabricated lives invented for the sake of his involvement in the OSS and beyond, Raymond’s changing orders preclude ordinary relationships and endeavors. He struggles with his choices and their consequences, both in the world arena and in his own life’s evolution.

Fans of Ludlum, Clancy, and other writers who hold the ability to craft high-impact spy scenarios within the broader scope of world events and interpersonal relationships will relish the attention to detail and the realistic action and perceptions cultivated in A Lion in the Grass.  

Its strong ability to weave thriller and suspense elements into a historical saga steeped in spicy psychological entanglements makes A Lion in the Grass a top pick for those who like their spy novels sweeping, embracing changing times, changing relationships, and characters who grow into their duties and abilities.

Zohar Laor
Reviewer, NetGalley
Man of la Book, A Bookish Blog

A Lion in the Grass by Mark Zvonkovic follows the life of Raymond Hatcher, a lifelong professional spy. Mr. Zvonkovic is a published author living in California.

Raymond Hatcher is a talented young man with an affinity for languages. Raymond is son to State Department parents and lived in Europe much of his youth. Knowing the landscape, language, and culture made him a very attractive recruit during World War II. Throughout his career in the military, OSS, and CIA, Raymond and his friends are hounded by a psychotic French spy

This was a surprising book, unlike many of the espionage novels I’ve read before. The story takes place over 70+ years in which the protagonist finds himself on the edge of history, like many of us do.

A Lion in the Grass by Mark Zvonkovic shows both the excitement and boredom of espionage work. The novel had wonderful insight into the psychology of its characters and the occupation which they chose for themselves. The protagonist, Raymond Hatcher, grows up before our eyes, from a teenager protégée working during World War II in Yugoslavia, Indochina, Vietnam and more, to a master spy with worldwide contacts. The antagonist, a psychotic French spy is on the outskirts of Raymond’s life and career.

The narrative is uneven, three quarters of it is flowing and interesting, but about a quarter is choppy and I got lost. I trudged through those parts, even though they were not clear, however at the end much of it came together to tell a good story.

This is a smart book, the author really understands the characters, and makes the readers understand their motivations and conflicts. None of the characters are perfect, or super human, quite the opposite as they all have their faults, like the rest of us. Mr. Hatcher says several times in the book that he doesn’t believe in coincidences, but there sure are many coincidences that happen to move the story along. That’s fine, but at times it felt artificial and an overused in a novel which seemed to be proud of its realism.

The novel was very enjoyable, it was a different take on the espionage genre from what I’m used to. The span of the novel, for some many years, was certainly a challenge for the author but he did a wonderful job setting it up and walking the reader through the ups and downs of a life living in the shadows.

Interviews

Mark Zvonkovic - War, Spycraft, Love and Obsession

Please give us a short introduction to what A Lion in the Grass is about.

Set over the course of six decades, A Lion in the Grass documents the despair and hope of a spy, Raymond Hatcher, who suffers the murder of friends and enjoys the success of mentoring protégés. The novel digs deeply into questions of love, self-doubt and hatred, all foisted upon Raymond during a career from which, he discovers, it is impossible to retire.

What inspired you to write this book?

I love character driven stories and I love history. The novel was a way to explore how World War II affected our lives, both at the time it occurred and during the decades following.

Tell us more about Raymond. What makes him tick?

Raymond was born in 1925. His father was an aide to Robert Lansing, the Secretary of State during World War I, and thereafter a career foreign service office in Europe. Raymond was exceptionally intelligent. He graduated from college at eighteen and joined the Navy in 1943, seconded to the Office of Strategic Services, and serving in the Pacific theater. He spent the rest of his life in the government intelligence sectors until he died at age ninety. His life was more dramatic than most lives. During his lifetime he affected many people in various ways. Some he killed. But many more he befriended and a few he mentored.

Why did you decide to write this story over six decades?

The story is about one life that affects many other lives. Raymond was a much different man when he died than he was at seventeen sitting in the café in St. Paul. It took six decades to show that.

Besides writing, what other secret skills do you have?

I don’t know if it’s secret, but I am a keen observer of what happens around me, both the places I go and the people I come across. And I’m not too bad a photographer and a bird watcher.

How has your work as a lawyer influenced your writing?

It was actually recovering from being a lawyer that most influenced my writing. As a lawyer, what I wrote was meant to be precise and grammatical. Living isn’t that way, and, accordingly, neither is writing fiction. I suppose that in order to do one thing, you have to know how to do the opposite.

Your novel explores deep themes like love, self-doubt, and hatred. Why did you take this approach?

My novel is about people. If you are to know a person, you have to explore these themes. They’re in all of us. A person’s life is more than a plot line.

How much research did this require from you to make the history-part ring true?

An enormous amount, perhaps two years in addition to books I’d already read. There are many substantial texts about World War II and Vietnam. And there are many writings that are difficult to find, particularly presentations given to adventure clubs by former OSS officers. And then there are some excellent historical novels about the war years. And I talked to many people who served in the armed services and the CIA.

In which way is A Lion in the Grass different from your regular run-of-the-mill espionage stories?

The plot and action in the novel are secondary to the characters. Their lives and interpersonal relationships are what illustrate the historic events depicted, and how those events affected future generations.

Readers found your characters very relatable. How did you pull this off?

I’m not sure really. I thought about them much more than I thought about the plot. And I tried to put myself in the times and places they experienced.

Do you have a favorite line from the book, and can you explain what that line means to you?

That’s a hard question because many lines are meant for particular circumstances and don’t necessarily have meaning outside of the context in which they’re written. Of course, I particularly like the line where Raymond is thinking about hunting a lion: “If you didn’t have a clean shot and you only wounded the lion, the lion would hide on his belly in tall grass, patiently harness his rage, and wait for an opportunity to charge.” Raymond was wounded in an emotional sense many times in his life, and this line rings true as to how he reacted in those times.

Talk to us about your writing routine; what’s a typical writing day for you?

I don’t really have a routine. I generally start in the morning by reading back through what I last wrote, and then proceeding. And I often spend some time laying down with a pillow over my head, imagining how a character will react. Of course, sometimes I fall asleep when I do this, which means what the character was doing wasn’t all that interesting.

What are you working on right now?

A Lion in the Grass is the first in a group of books I am calling The Raymond Hatcher Stories, which are about Raymond and all the people he interacted with during his lifetime. The second book is The Narrows, which will be published this November. I actually wrote that novel before A Lion in the Grass and recently finished rewriting it. It takes place during the 1970 and involves the descendant’s of Captain Bradley Wright from A Lion in the Grass. I have written a third novel that involves Jay Jackson, Raymond Hatcher’s protégé. It is with an editor now and won’t be published until next year.

Where can our readers discover more of your work or interact with you?

A reader can find me at www.markzvonkovic.com, where they can contact me and sign up on my mailing list. I write book reviews, and I have a review page for those on Midwest Book Review. I also have an author’s page on Goodreads and one on Facebook.