The Operative by Willard Boyd Gardner

"Consumed with unbearable guilt, Kam Daniels, an ex-Seattle policeman, is unable to forget the horrific accident he is certain he could have prevented. Desperate to escape his anguish, he takes a job halfway across the world and leaves everything behind: his home, his career, and his beautiful, bewildered wife — CIA agent Rhiana Daniels.

When an undercover operative is kidnapped by a fanatical Arab faction in Yemen, Kam's knowledge of the language and culture prove to be invaluable, and he is recruited to help rescue the agent. However, the mission becomes even more complicated when he learns that one of the team members is his estranged wife.

Traveling with a research group sponsored by Brigham Young University, Kam and Rhiana attempt to navigate the obstacles that distance and time have placed between them, even as they confront dangerous militants determined to prevent the agent's rescue by any means necessary."

This book was full action and intrigue and always kept me guessing at who the "good guys" really were. There was a great sense of place through the author's descriptions. Sometimes I felt like the plot got lost in all the action, but I did enjoy this book and how faith was woven into the story. My favorite character was actually a minor character named Darrin who I would like to read more about.