English Spy doesn't Disappoint
923422
The "English Spy" is a once-arch rival to Gabriel Allon, the Israeli assassin turned art restorer, who now teams with Allon to solve a royal assassination. From the Caribbean to Europe to the Middle East, this work of fiction, Book #15 in the Gabriel Allon series, doesn't disappoint. It begins with a deadly explosion on a luxury yacht-for-hire, and ends with the columniation of the chase in a big South American city. I rate this with 4 of 5 because it isn't his best, most suspenseful work. But, this book will keep you interested with a steady pace with developed characters from past books. I highly recommend this to any fans of mystery and fiction, but especially to Daniel Silva disciples. Silva has another winner, and you'll enjoy it.
615287
Matthew Dunn's "Sentinel" is a fast-paced story with the main character, Will Cochrane, leading us all over the world. The story of political tension and intrigue between the U.S. and Russia, and the plot's twists and turns, keeps you interested. The author is a former MI6 field officer, which gives the story depth and authenticity, and gives the reader insight into the inner workings of that organization. I would recommend this for all those that enjoy spy thrillers.
2373885
Charlie Muffin, MI5 British Security Service, doesnt always play by his agencys rules. Although he is quite an effective agent, when he is on assignment he worries about consequences and collateral damage after the fact. For this reason, he, many times, has a rough go of it. Some while ago he managed to marry Natalia Fedova, a Russian FSB spy, and have a daughter, Sasha, without either the Brits or the Russians having any clue. In this tale, Charlie is in his own countrys protective custody following his escape from Russia. He is, obviously, frustrated and longs to bring his wife, who may have been compromised, and child to the UK. Using his cunning, Charlie convinces his superiors to send him to Russia where he will attempt just such a feat, not knowing, of course, that there is another game being played by the British spymasters. The plots and counter-plots of both MI5 and MI6, as well as the Russians, reads well with enough essentials of the espionage tradecraft, as well as back story, provided to make Charlies goal and actions somewhat believable. Freemantle does a very good job building the suspense and tension to keep the reader turning pages to the end.
332811
This is another interesting and very entertaining story in the Guy Winter series.  The feel of London during WW2 and the uncertainty of the outcome of war comes through well in this story. There is Intrigue, deception, old relationships that come back to haunt and a tangled web of lies, even Guy is suspected of being a spy, in this story. Once again the narrator really brought the characters and the story to life. She did an excellent job with all the different accents and brought out the emotions in the story well. The characters grow in depth with each book, revealing different facets to their personalities and relationships, and the subtle complexities in the plot are great. I will look forward to seeing just where this story goes next.
283931
I am enjoying this series more and more. It is nice to read a spy thriller that is relevant to current events. Not your average spy novel taking place during the cold war. A very nice read. Just wish the price was lower to match the page count. A little expensive for the time it takes to read it.
1478568
This book is a fast paced thriller in the modern spy genre.  The twists and turns require some concentration as the machinations of MI5 and MI6 play out.

Nobody is a nobody in this book.
1901048
Cold War espionage brings together old enemies and dubious allies. British M15 head Spencer joins forces again with CIA agent Stein and Scotland Yard head Garvan to unravel a dense web of espionage involving Russia, Germany, England and the U.S. In the aftermath of WWII, tense relations between former enemies and dubious allies fuels a story full of suspense and action, deftly showing the complex ties in the intelligence communities. Several strong, well-drawn characters enrich the experience, notably the former Nazi-now U.S. scientist for NASA, Zimmerman, and the seductive yet volatile German double agent, Joyce. Hidden agendas drive the actions of several characters, keeping readers guessing about what is true and what are the ulterior motives. The inside look given into workings of British intelligence is fascinating, as well as the continued lethal presence of German and Russian spy networks using undercover tactics to accomplish their goals. Duty and betrayal, revenge and compromise, love and suspicion play out in London of the sixties, with a surprising twist at the end.
832006
I've read every one of Daniel Silva's books regarding the exploits of Gabriel Allon. I'm looking forward to more about the English Spy.
1571092
A good story about spys and what they go through to survive. It was hard to put down figuring the main character might get killed on the next page.  A good espionage story that kept my interest to the very end.
318408
Don Brun's characters come into the story fully fledged, at least they appear to be, although from the Prologue it would suggest the story is being told by a dead man. Nevertheless, the characters at the beginning are definitely like comfy socks, well-worn and comfortable, and so they should, this is the third book in the "Stuff" series.

Still acting in their high school personae, these two bumbling lifelong friends are still chasing the American Dream.  Even with Skip's Business School training he is still floundering in the security business he is now working for, while James works for Cap'n Crab.

An underachiever, Skip is put in charge of installing security for a government department (a big secret everyone seems to know), the Department of Defense, and it begins to look like they may finally be getting somewhere in life.  He hires his crew, including James, and as an afterthought he also hires their neighbour who has not particularly been of interest to them, but seemed to have some knowledge of the equipment.

Skip's first order of business though is to play the part of boyfriend to the boss' girl-friend to throw his wife off the scent of infidelity.  The plot is complicated and fun, I loved the interaction of all the characters, including those who have made their first appearance in this book.  I am at a slight loss because I have not read the first two, but this works just as well as a stand-alone and is a very enjoyable and fast read.

However, Skip is no sooner introduced to the project than the first body turns up his feet under his desk and is found laid out behind said desk, very dead. Then they learn that other people on the government project have gradually gone missing. To complicate matters more, there are some very strange characters populating the book, and more spy intelligence equipment is soon purchased, or borrowed in order to get to the bottom of things.  Skip is overwhelmed with women wanting his attention, not a common state.  James is the Hardy Boys fan who is the catalyst to getting the equipment, but who to spy on? There are so many possibilities, not to mention that they are being tracked themselves.

Overall, this is definitely an entertaining book, complete with espionage, mystery, murder, spies spying on spies, and a romp that kept me reading. It was hard to put the book down. I most certainly will read the first two in the series.<a data-hook="product-link-linked" class="a-link-normal" href="/Stuff-Dreams-Are-Made-Of/dp/1933515678/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8">Stuff Dreams Are Made Of</a>
1530289
I always enjoy Daniel Silva's books with Gabriel Allon as the hero.  This was another great spy thriller with the added intrigue of involving the Pope and Vatican City.  I also like the way the past is interwoven into the story in a way that one doesn't feel as though they have missed anything if they are a new reader to this series.
3293238
Marc Portman code name Watchman is a freelance covert operative hired by the CIA to escort a state official out the Ukraine which has just become one of the hottest spots for an U.S. Official. From the start he believes he is being sold out or at least his mission is being undermined but by whom. Can he trust his minders at Langley or does the problem lie elsewhere? This is a classic spy thriller where there any many interests in play at any one time and the spy is always left out in the cold. It is not a complex book but is very entertaining for the spy thriller enthusiast. The writing is clear and concise, which I personally like. You are never left hanging for too long and answers are available for most of the plot, but it still feeds your imagination as to what it must be like in these impossible situations.
3103589
As one who usually does not like spy genre novels, I was quite surprised by this book. Plot twists and turns aplenty. I like that this book is set in the era of the 40s. It is interesting that the female characters are so strong and have a voice. I have found that not to be the case in most of the novels I have read. No simpering damsels in distress are found here. The characters are well developed and interesting. I can see myself enjoying a drink with Alan Stewart and am excited to see his next adventure.
I am so impressed I bought Mr. Low's other books and am excited to start in reading them.  Well done Mr. Low for writing a book that has changed my mind on the spy genre.
440090
Was a good spy novel with plenty of turns.  Was a little hard jumping back and forth in time but I enjoyed it.  Good ending too.
1032703
Starting out like a classic spy novel, protagonist Serena Frome tells us that many years ago, in the 1970s, when she was in her 20s, she was sent on a secret mission for Britain's MI-5. Rather than skullduggery in some darkened Cold War Eastern European city, though, Serena's mission is to pretend to represent an arts council and offer funding to a fledgling author, Tom Haley, who shows promise as someone whose writings will support the interests of British intelligence.

But before telling us the story of Serena and Tom, Serena fills us in on her unconventional path to MI-5. The beautiful, clever daughter of a country Church of England Bishop, she goes off to Cambridge University, where she--following time-honored espionage fiction tradition--is recruited by an older don, Tony Canning, who prepares her to enter the intelligence service. Though this is a well-worn path to spydom in Britain, Serena is unusual because, first of all, she's a woman at a time when there were very few in British intelligence, and second, because her academic record is not at all impressive.

MI-5 is no place for someone as naive and malleable as Serena.  Deceit and betrayal have been the moons that circle Serena, and she is under their tidal influence from the time she goes off to Cambridge, succumbing to her mother's insistence that she present herself as a mathematics student rather than the English student she wants to be. Reeling from another betrayal by Tony Canning, she is powerless to resist the gravitational pull of deceit in MI-5, and the place they offer her within that world.

But the worst deceiver of all is Serena herself, as she so readily allows herself to take on a role in this squalid little Operation Sweet Tooth, and to continue the masquerade far beyond the point of no return.  She is weak and doesn't seem to know herself well enough to be true to her own character. She falls in love easily; far more easily than anyone would who had real strength of character.  She is swayed by the numbers of people who want her to be a professional liar, rather than the far fewer people in her life who truly care for her and are honest and straightforward.

Fans of Ian McEwan will likely be intrigued by Tom Haley, whose background and work resemble McEwan's. Though I enjoyed the descriptions of Tom's short stories, the character was so sketchily drawn that it was hard to care about him at all.  This was true of all the male characters. Serena is a much more developed character, but a lot of the time I found her weak-willed character frustrating and annoying. I kept hoping the book would veer off and be about Serena's lively Cockney friend, Shirley, but that was not to be.  Maybe next time.

As a study of deceit, betrayal, and their consequences, the novel is somewhat more successful, though definitely only for those who enjoy a slow-developing study. The ending plot twist seemed self-consciously clever to me, and not that surprising. But I can easily imagine some readers will be intrigued by it, and I don't mean that in a snarky way.

As always, McEwan's writing is lyrical and elegiac, but also wickedly pointed. In the end, while I enjoyed the writing and the themes, the characters left me flat. The book didn't touch or intrigue me in the way, say, William Boyd's&nbsp;<a data-hook="product-link-linked" class="a-link-normal" href="/Restless/dp/1620402963/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8">Restless</a>&nbsp;did.
3636435
The story is well paced, it keeps you rooting for the overwhelmed British. The plot and characters are well thought out, the author doesn't  bog the storyline down with trivial information. I'm looking forward to reading more by DC Alden.
3191983
Love this character with his flaws and blind spots.  It makes the stories so much more realistic if there are no supermen running around.  Lots of plot twists and enough red herrings to keep you guessing until almost the very end.  At some point, as the main character figures it out, so do you.  But the whole thing comes together and winds up where it ought to.  Some minor ties to previous stories in the series, but this one does not depend on you having read them in sequence or at all.  Just a great spy vs. spy with very relevant plot line.  Grab a good chair, a warm cat for your lap, and spend a long evening with a good book.  You won't be disappointed.