"Bestselling and beloved author Terry Fallis' tenth novel, The Marionette introduces readers to a new hero, James Norval, a world-famous thriller writer whose life takes an unexpected turn from the pages of his novels into the perilous world of espionage. James Norval has built a successful career crafting the thrilling adventures of his fictional hero, Hunter Chase, a character admired by readers and movie-goers worldwide. But despite his fame and fortune, Norval has always harboured a secret dream of living the life he writes about--a life as a field operative for CSIS, Canada's Security Intelligence Service. That dream becomes a reality when a series of unfortunate events lands Norval in a foreign prison. Rescued by CSIS, he is given an unexpected opportunity: to use his unique position as the favourite writer of the Malian president to assist in a delicate and dangerous mission. With the help of agent Lauren Cooper, Norval must infiltrate the Malian government and execute a daring plan to exfiltrate fifteen Canadian nationals before the corrupt powers that control the country uncover their true intentions. The Marionette is a comic thriller by a master of the craft. Full of Terry Fallis' signature wit and combined with a pulse-pounding high-stakes plot, this is a must-read for fans of espionage and intrigue."-- Provided by publisher.