I was hesitant to start reading Honorable Lies when I discovered that it was the tenth book in a series; but, since I was obligated to review it, I decided to give it a go. I am very glad I did.

I found it to be a well researched adventure story that made me want to go back and read the rest of the series.

Unlike some of the other reviewers, I picked this title from the early review titles because I am a fan of Robert Macomber and have enjoyed each of the earlier volumes of this series. Honorable Lies did not disappoint me. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book.

Honorable Lies is number ten of the volumes in the Peter Wake series by Florida resident and naval historian Robert Macomber. The protagonist is a sailor from a Connecticut seafaring family, Peter Wake, who joined the navy during the Civil War. Each of the books includes the word “Honor” in the title, beginning with At the Edge of Honor. They then proceed from the Civil War years into the 1880’s and beyond. Wind powered ships are replace by coal fired ships.

Cuban revolutionist José Marti again appears in this adventure which takes place in Cuba in 1888. Macomber has a gift for making the history we read about in school much more accessible than the dry school texts ever did.

The books are based on meticulous research and first hand experiences by the author. When Peter Wake sails into Havana harbor on an intelligence mission, under the guns of a Spanish fort you know that Robert Macomber has sailed the same waters himself, studied charts and maps and accounts of the times, and gives as realistic a view of the experiences as possible.
I had the good fortune to meet Robert Macomber in December 2010. He explained the thorough research and experiences he goes through in preparing to write his books. He is typically working on three advance books at a time, planning his travels and research around the events he is to write about. At that time he mentioned an upcoming trip to Cuba, and I imagine he used that research in this book.

He is a very entertaining storyteller, and his books never get mired down in the details. His books are fast reads and very rewarding. ( )

No fault to the author I do not like entering a series in the middle or most current book. That said this was easily a stand alone book that has encouraged me to read the whole series. Love the Masonic connections, spies, conspirators and heros. Easy to read, a great vacation book to sit back relax and enjoy the adventure. ( )

WOW! A ‘grabber’ from start to finish – and beyond. It’s always a gamble when jumping into the middle of a well-developed series (this is the 10th book) but in the first few pages it was clear to me that what the reader would need to know about the ‘back story’ would be provided if necessary. My intuition proved correct as I was drawn into the fascinating world of Peter Wake, US Navy. Drawn to this book by the promise of spy fiction, naval matters and Freemasons, there was lots of potential for disappointment as a great amount of my reading focuses on these areas. The author was excellent in his character development but, more importantly, provided a plot that was unanticipated from page to page and yet entirely plausible. Upon reaching the ‘back matter’, I learned of Macomber’s writing methodology but don’t you skip to it first: it’s much more impressive after finishing the book. The ‘Forrest Gump’ aspect was well-done and the story of Freemasonry in Latin America is something that few books today (even the non-fiction ones) understand. The downside? I’ve now got nine more books to buy and read: this is a series that MUST be read entirely and this book is a great place to begin! ( )

In an adventure novel, particularly a series, you don't really have to worry to much about character. This is going to be more about swashing the buckle than growing as a human being. All well and good, if the action and intrigue grab you. Neither did for me with this title.

A clever but unlikable protagonist followed around by his flagrantly stereotypical Irish brute trying fulfill a mission I didn't really care anything about wasn't enough to keep me reading past the first half. Perhaps if I had come into it with knowledge of the previous books in the series I would feel differently.