Daniel Silva’s latest spy novel, The Black Widow, updates John Le Carre’s classic, The Little Drummer Girl (1983). ISIS attacks in Paris and Brussels leads intelligence services to attempt to penetrate the terrorist network. Gabriel Allon, Daniel Silva’s master spy for 16 books (I’ve read most of them), recruits a doctor who can speak French and Arabic. Natalie agrees to the perilous mission and becomes transformed into a Palestinian woman cover who is a “Black Widow.” Black Widows are women whose husbands or boyfriends have been killed and want revenge. After Natalie is trained, she’s placed in a French clinic near a Muslim neighborhood. Within a short time, Natalie is approached by an ISIS recruiter. Her story is believed and soon Natalie is sent to the ISIS headquarters in Syria. Before long, Natalie finds herself caught up in the next terrorist attack. The Black Widow is 528 pages long (which qualifies it as a Big Fat Book) but the pages fly by as Silva ratchets up the suspense. If you’re looking for a Summer Spy Novel, I recommend The Black Widow. It’s intense! GRADE: B+
I read one Daniel Silva a few years back. I didn’t find it particularly well written so I never tried another.
My favorite current spy writers are Charles Cummings and Owen Steinhauser. Enjoy Alan Furst but his last couple have been weak.
Steve, I have some Owen Steinhauser in my Read Real Soon stack. I don’t know Charles Cummings but I’ll check him out. I totally agree with you on the last few Alan Furst spy novels: disappointing.
I will pass this info on to Phil.
Patti, Daniel Silva shows how terrorist networks operate. I found it fascinating.
Silva is one I “read” on audio. I’ve enjoyed the series, though on audio, I don’t really even try to read in order. Another I enjoy on audio is Stuart Woods Stone Barrington novels.
Maggie, I have a stack of Large Print editions of Stone Barrington books waiting to be read!
Sounds like he just turns headlines into a plot, then makes up characters to fit in. I don’t read much spy fiction, and then more historical ones (WWII or older), so this would be a pass for me.
I guess ol’ tentacle-face is still punishing me, no auto fill on the info below.
Rick, beware the wrath of Cthulhu! I read about a dozen spy novels a year. I’m always on the lookout for new writers in this genre. Silva sells a lot of books.
My mother was a huge Daniel Silva fan too. I would definitely recommend Steinhauer’s ALL THE OLD KNIVES. Charles McCarry is also one of the best, and I believe he is still writing in his mid-80s.
Jeff, I’ve liked every Daniel Silva spy novel I’ve read. Silva really does his homework on spycraft. I’ve years a few of Charles McCarry’s spy novels and enjoyed them, too.
Jeff-McCarry is another good choice. Also Robert Littell. My favorite still remains Eric Ambler.
Steve, Eric Ambler pretty much invented the modern spy novel. I liked the early Robert Littell spy novels, but I read a later one that was nearly 1,000 pages and that cooled my interest in his work.
He only did one real long novel. It was basically a fictionalization of the history of the CIA. It was also his best selling.
Steve, that was THE COMPANY (2002). I also read LEGENDS (2005) that was the basis of the LEGENDS TV series starring Sean Bean.
Double agents and triple crosses are more than I can handle! Pass!
Bob, but you can handle six-guns easily!