One loose thread is all it takes for fabric to unravel, and
after London's West End is the scene of a multiple
terrorist attack, Gabriel Allon has found that elusive
thread. Allon,
now chief of Israel's Secret Intelligence Service will need
to work with friends, foes, and a dangerously enigmatic new
MI6 recruit to capture Saladin, the man whose name spells
terror the world over.
I had mentioned previously that Daniel Silva had reconciled
me with the notion of the spy thriller in the twenty-first
century, and with HOUSE OF SPIES, Mr. Silva has even
surpassed last's years fantastic THE BLACK
WIDOW. HOUSE OF SPIES is so meticulously researched and
plotted, it's had to believe that it's fiction, although
it chillingly mirrors reality. It's uncanny how Mr. Silva
is able to create a feeling of intimacy while describing
terrorism and mayhem; how some unsavoury characters become
cogs in the machine for the right cause, willingly or not;
where good and evil often depends on which side you're on,
and every action is intended for the greater good and where
sometimes very difficult and sometimes unethical choices
must be made in the blink of an eye. The characters are so
sharply defined, that their backstories are nearly as
captivating as the story itself, and it also makes us aware
of why and how some people choose the paths they took. I
also find very interesting to see how the author deals with
an aging spymaster, Gabriel Allon, whom one wishes were
real. Or is he?
The author's vast knowledge of the various intelligence
agencies -- British, French, American, and Israeli -- and
his astute observations made me feel as if I were an
insider, as if I were actually along for the mission, albeit
in the comfort of my own home, and seeing how they operate
was utterly captivating; in fact, for a book this size,
there is not one unnecessary paragraph. Aside from the
exceptional tightly and flawlessly plotted story, Daniel
Silva's literary abilities contribute to make HOUSE OF
SPIES an outstanding book: the flawless pacing; the lack of
superfluous nonsense; the always elegant yet smooth writing;
the superbly easy dialogues, with an occasional bon mot that
shine like a shooting star in the blackest night.
Daniel Silva is God's gift to spy thrillers lovers, and for
any other author, I might wonder how one could ever top such
a fabulous book, but somehow, I am not worried at all for
Mr. Silva, as I feel he still has many, many exciting
stories to tell. HOUSE OF SPIES is the best post Cold War
thriller I have ever read, and the best spy thriller in the
last several decades.
From the #1 New York Times bestselling
author of The Black Widow comes the thrilling new
summer blockbuster featuring legendary spy, assassin and art
restorer Gabriel Allon.
A heart-stopping tale of suspense, Daniel Silva’s
runaway bestseller, The Black Widow, was one of
2016’s biggest novels. Now, in House of Spies,Gabriel Allon is back and out for revenge – determined
to hunt down the world’s most dangerous terrorist, a shadowy
ISIS mastermind known only as Saladin.
Four months after the deadliest attack on the American
homeland since 9/11, terrorists leave a trail of carnage
through London’s glittering West End. The attack is a
brilliant feat of planning and secrecy, but with one loose
thread.
The thread leads Gabriel Allon and his team of operatives to
the south of France and to the gilded doorstep of Jean-Luc
Martel and Olivia Watson. A beautiful former British fashion
model, Olivia pretends not to know that the true source of
Martel’s enormous wealth is drugs. And Martel, likewise,
turns a blind eye to the fact he is doing business with a
man whose objective is the very destruction of the West.
Together, under Gabriel’s skilled hand, they will become an
unlikely pair of heroes in the global war on terror.
Written in seductive and elegant prose, the story moves
swiftly from the glamour of Saint-Tropez to the grit of
Casablanca and, finally, to an electrifying climax that will
leave readers breathless long after they turn the final page.
But House of Spies is more than just riveting
entertainment; it is a dazzling tale of avarice and
redemption, set against the backdrop of the great conflict
of our times. And it proves once again why Daniel Silva is
“quite simply the best” (Kansas City Star).
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