Book Review – House Of Spies

House Of Spies by Daniel Silva (HarperCollins) ISBN 9780008104740

The recent Islamic terror attack in Washington DC is the worst since 9/11. Gabriel Allon, a spy master, had seen the terrorist Saladin in a Washington hotel two days before. Four months later, the West End of London is his next target.

Gabriel and a British spy are deployed to find Saladin. They are led to an ISIS arms dealer and a French Moroccan criminal, Jean-Luc Martel. He lives in luxury with his partner Olivia Watson, an art dealer. Martel’s wealth has been accumulated through illicit drug dealing, and he ignores the fact that he is in business with terrorists. They skilfully lure Martel to assist them and so begins the quest to catch Saladin.

The characters are cleverly integrated, creating a compelling story spiced with action, intrigue and some humour. All loose ends are tied, resulting in an entertaining and satisfying read. However, although the story is fiction, Daniel Silva points out that there is a message here.

Dawn Blankfield
3.5/5