See How They Run (Embassy Row #2)

Grace is still reeling from the events of All Fall Down, and is glad to see her brother, who is back in Adria on leave from his military academy in the states. He's brought a friend with him, but when the friend ends up dead, Grace spirals back into her paranoid delusions. Of course, they might not be all delusions- Ms. Chancellor takes her aside and tells her all about a secret society of daughters of Adria, and of course, Grace's mother was a part. Things get weird in Adria as well, when the yearly celebration of a horrific event in history is replayed. Grace's friend Alexi is accused of being a terrorist/spy, which gives Grace a good excuse to run all over town with him in the tunnels. She runs in to Dominic, the Scarred Man, at regular intervals, but he doesn't really shed much information on anything.

Ally Carter is back with SEE HOW THEY RUN. It's the sequel to ALL FALL DOWN, and the first book in the series leaves everyone in a huge, huge mess. We finally know the truth behind the murder of Grace's mother, and it's a very dark time for Grace. Of course, we, as the readers, struggle to figure out what the truth, the lie, and the figment of an elaborate hallucination is from the very beginning of the story. It's a much darker story than THE GALLAGHER GIRLS, and I love it. I can't seem to put it down while I was hanging out at a Christmas party.

The plot is very fast-paced. This time, the conflict centers around a murder of an American citizen that sends everyone into an uncontained panic. The entire situation, which involves the United States and Russia, has the potential to cause World War III (which Ally Carter seems fond of mentioning). (Yes, she talked about World War III in UNITED WE SPY. Yes, I'm surprised that I still remember about that little detail.) Grace is smacked right in the very middle of the crisis, and her brother, who we barely have even heard about in the previous book, is finally in the series to make a promising debut as her protective and also distant brother.

Grace, the narrator, is a bit unreliable (but not as unreliable as the previous book). Very close to the international crisis, she is the last one to know the full details about it. Her grandfather, brother, and etc. keeps secrets from her, and they all view her as unhinged ever since her mother died. Because of her reputation, she definitely has a hurdle to jump over. We can call her Cassandra (after the cursed seer), who is still trying to uncover the truth. But despite all of her opposition, Grace remains strong to the very end and keeps seeking the answer. She runs very well, by the way.

Espionage. No, there really isn't any espionage. A few international disasters, but nothing that is spy-worthy. Sorry, Gallagher fangirls (and fanboys).

The cliffhanger ending is shocking, and it's very jarring. I seriously can't wait for the sequel, and I need to add it to my Goodreads to-read list. I have to know what happens next, and from her achievements, Ally Carter is guaranteed to give readers exactly what they've been looking for.

In conclusion, SEE HOW THEY RUN is an excellent and exciting continuation to ALL FALL DOWN. It is mixed with just the right amount of drama, mystery, treasure hunting, and lies to make it work. Though a bit far from the usual spy/thieves books Carter is better known for, ALL FALL DOWN and SEE HOW THEY RUN are worth a read.

Rating: Four out of Five