spy novel

The Night Agent by Matthew Quirk – Book Review

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The Night Agent by Matthew Quirk – Book Cover

At the White House, a secret phone line can ring at any moment. FBI agent Peter Sutherland, sidelined to the fringes, has spent the past year working the night shift, waiting for a call that may never come. His only task: to answer and pass it along to the right people. When the phone finally rings, and a young woman in mortal danger begs for help, Peter follows his conscience. And just like that, he finds himself caught in a life-threatening conspiracy.

The Night Agent is Impossible to Put Down

It’s rare to come across a book that pulls you in with such ferocity as Matthew Quirk’s spy thriller—at least for the first 80 pages. Quirk sets the stage with an immediate sense of tension, relentless action, and a merciless antagonist, making the pages fly by.

Action, life-or-death stakes, a covert power play inside the White House. Spies operating under the radar. And to top it all off, the Russian GRU makes an appearance—an agency that, compared to them, even the FSB (the successor of the old KGB) seems like a bunch of Girl Scouts. At least, according to Matthew Quirk. And once the GRU shows up, they waste no time hunting down anyone who gets too close to the fire.

That’s about the first 80-100 pages of The Night Agent. If you don’t want to be disappointed, stop reading right there! And that applies to both the book and this review.

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Argylle by Elly Conway – Book Review

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Argylle by Elly Conway – Book Cover

Young Aubrey Argylle is drifting through life in Thailand, unable to break free from the paralysis caused by the double shock of his parents’ death and the truth he uncovered about them. However, fate takes an unexpected turn when the young man’s remarkably brave act catches the CIA’s attention. At the Agency, they believe Argylle would be a perfect fit.

A Spy Novel—Possibly Written by Taylor Swift. Or Maybe a Waitress…

If you haven’t been following the media frenzy surrounding the Argylle movie, you might be happily reading Elly Conway’s spy novel under the impression that it was written by an unemployed waitress. If you have, however, you might have believed for a while that the one and only Taylor Swift, queen of one-size-fits-all pop songs, dashed it off between two suspiciously identical verses. That rumor made the rounds after it was revealed that “Elly Conway” was just a pseudonym.

For me, the “written by a waitress” theory held up until about a third of the way through the book. By then, it became obvious that Argylle could only be the work of some seasoned old pro. And not just because it lacks any featherlight emotions or dramatic spats. No, the real giveaway is that the author knows way too much—about Russian domestic politics, covert operations during the Vietnam War, the internal workings of the CIA, and the current situation in the infamous opium-producing region known as the Golden Triangle.

And, well, these aren’t exactly things you’d expect a waitress to be an expert on.

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The Last Agent by Robert Dugoni – Book Review

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The Last Agent by Robert Dugoni – Book Cover

Charles Jenkins, the aged former CIA agent, barely escaped from Russia with his life, pursued by half of the Russian intelligence services. After his arduous return home, instead of receiving gratitude for his efforts, the CIA wanted to deal with him harshly. Now, an officer from the American intelligence agency approaches him again. They think Jenkins would gladly return to Russia for another mission. Yet anyone with common sense knows that Charles Jenkins is the last agent they should send back there…

Why had he gone there?

To identify and neutralize Santa Claus? No, of course not! Jenkins was searching for the “Eighth Sister” (see review). It was a truly impossible mission, considering the Eighth Sister didn’t even exist. (Everyone knows there are only three in total.) So, unsurprisingly, he didn’t find her, no matter how hard he tried.

However, during his escape, Jenkins received help from Paulina Ponomayova, an IT specialist for the FSB. Unfortunately, Paulina, somehow managing to forget basic caution, ended up exposing herself to Russian counterintelligence. Let me tell you, that’s not exactly a recipe for a long life—even if some of those dreaded Russian counterintelligence agents turn out to be rather likable guys (as you’ll see later).

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Portrait of an Unknown Woman by Daniel Silva – Book Review

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Portrait of an Unknown Woman by Daniel Silva – Book Cover

Gabriel Allon, the legendary Israeli master spy, has finally retired. About time! Honestly, he should have done it at least four books ago. After all, a Mossad director in his seventies, still running field operations, was getting a bit ridiculous. Well, maybe more than a bit. So, what’s ex-assassin Grandpa up to now in the latest installment, Portrait of an Unknown Woman? Well, pretty much the same stuff he always did…

Portrait of an Unknown Woman: A Clever Forgery

Julian Isherwood, the absent-minded art dealer, has a knack for getting into trouble. And this time is no different. And honestly, in his shoes, who else would you call when things go sideways, especially when one of your best pals is the former head of Mossad?

A newly discovered painting called Portrait of an Unknown Woman has surfaced in the art world, supposedly bearing the mark of Van Dyck. Along with the skillful hand of a forger. Behind the forger looms a whole network flooding the market with countless fake works of art. Exposing these forgers? That sounds like the perfect job for a retired super-spy…

Portrait of an Unknown Woman: A Clever Crime Novel

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Crisis by Frank Gardner – Book Review

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Crisis by Frank Gardner – Book Cover

Raise your hand if you think British intelligence is heavily involved in anti-drug operations in Colombia. No one? Well, that makes sense—Colombia is too far away, and beside, it’s more of an American issue—let them deal with it. Completely understandable… Wait a minute, I see someone raising their hand after all. Yes, it’s Frank Gardner, and guess what? He’s written a hefty thriller titled Crisis based on this rather unlikely premise…

Frank Gardner in Frederick Forsyth’s Shoes

If you’ve read Frederick Forsyth’s last book, the leisurely-paced The Fox, you know that from one of the greatest thriller writers of all time, there’s not much left to expect. Frank Gardner seems to have thought it was time to fill the void Forsyth left behind.

The Crisis is an action-packed spy novel that feels almost as if Frederick Forsyth himself had written it. Almost. (Though, to be fair, The Fox was also only “almost” the same.)

Crisis showcases an impressive depth of knowledge. But that’s no surprise, given that the author spent many years working as a journalist.

Frank Gardner’s deep understanding of the world of British intelligence—from organizational structures to operational execution—means that his book will likely captivate even the most seasoned spy novel fans with its technical details.

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Geiger by Gustaf Skördeman – Book Review

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Geiger by Gustaf Skördeman – Book Cover

Have you been waiting for, and so far in vain, a crime novel similar to The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, which once sparked the renaissance of Scandinavian crime fiction? If so, Gustaf Skördeman’s Geiger, the introductory novel in his series, might catch your eye. After all, it lures you in with this exact promise on the cover. (At least on the Hungarian* edition.) But what if this only makes your disappointment all the more bitter?

Sara Nowak is not a captivating character

No. She’s a mom. She’s not tattooed either. But she does struggle with anger management issues. This isn’t very useful for a police officer. And, naturally, not for a mother either. In fact, Sara Nowak is quite embarrassing as a mom. She’s the typical overprotective, constantly lecturing person who wants to guide her kids as a moral compass. No wonder they kind of hate her. (You’d hate her too if you were all turned on and went on PronHub to, uh, broaden your horizons a bit, and she barged in to tell you it was immoral towards women.)

Nowak, as a police officer, likes to rough up suspects who indeed deserve it, but how stupid is it to do this constantly in front of witnesses? Is this woman crazy?!

Moreover, despite being a trained martial artist, she somehow always ends up on the losing side in real-life situations.

Ah, damn it!

And why on earth does a lousy vice cop meddle in someone else’s investigation anyway?

So, Gustaf Skördeman didn’t quite pull this off. It’s simply impossible to like Sara Nowak, the main character. Maybe by the very end of Geiger, just a little bit. Perhaps.

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The Eighth Sister by Robert Dugoni – Book Review

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The Eighth Sister book cover

Do they really have to reactivate a 64-year-old geezer for the CIA, just to send him to Moscow as a spy? Couldn’t they find someone older? Sure, we know that 60 is the new 40, but if the successor organization to the KGB, the FSB, were to chase this guy, wouldn’t it be better to go for a robust young sprinter instead?

And while we’re on appearances: wouldn’t a blonde, Slavic-looking person with a good-natured, foolish expression be more suitable for a Russian job than an African American? Just in case, let’s say, the FSB accidentally starts pursuing him and wants to chase him all over half of Russia. Just to blend in with the crowd more easily.

A faint chance does appear that the FSB will become suspicious of Charles Jenkins. Because he goes there to interfere with one of their operations. The Russians start eliminating the so-called seven sisters, CIA spies operating in deep cover in Russia for decades. Three sisters (Masha, Olga, and Irina – if I remember their names correctly) were already taken care of.

But not only are the sisters dwindling, Vladimir Vladimirovich, the Tsar of all Russians, activates the eighth sister! Damn! Her task is to find the other seven and kill them. Jenkins is stuck with the thankless task of messing around until the eighth sister notices him. If that happens, he must identify this evil she-devil and then get out immediately.

And now, let’s pause for a moment! Let’s use our brains!

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The Forbidden Door by Dean Koontz – Book Review

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The Forbidden Door by Dean Koontz – Book Cover

Dean Koontz and Jane Hawk Are Starting to Tire

In The Forbidden Door the fourth book in the series, Jane Hawk continues her battle against a conspiracy at the highest levels of American political and economic life. Our favorite vigilante starts from the unenviable position of being the USA’s number one public enemy. And she’s pretty exhausted.

The same can be said for the initial chapters of Dean Koontz’s book: the writing is undeniably sloppy. The text is dripping with pathos from the very first scene, overflowing with exaggerated positive descriptions of the protagonists.

Then, interestingly, the situation suddenly normalizes, and these anomalies mostly disappear. How did that happen? Who’s ever heard of a book’s beginning being thrown together? Whatever.

Dean Koontz Is Still Aiming for the Nobel Prize in Literature

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The Fox by Frederick Forsyth – Book Review

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The Fox by Frederick Forsyth – Book Cover

The spy comes out of retirement

In The Fox, retired thriller writer Frederick Forsyth brings back a retired intelligence operative for one last mission. The WORLD’S BEST HACKER, a British lad with Asperger’s syndrome, manages to breach the super-secret database of the American intelligence. (Not good news, by any means.)

Now, if you think it’s all about hacking from here on out, you’d be mistaken; the world’s best hacker doesn’t utter a single word throughout the entire book. And the recalled spy? Well, he’s precisely 70 years old.

The book’s larger-than-average font size also raises suspicions, as it’s usually not a sign of a meticulously detailed story.

All the main characters are miserable Brits! (Alright, this doesn’t really matter.)

The thriller writer comes out of retirement

But let’s see what’s on the other side of the scale! On the other side sits Frederick Forsyth himself, one of the world’s greatest espionage writers. Undoubtedly. Starting with “The Day of the Jackal,” I’ve been reading his books for about thirty years, and he has never disappointed me. Ahem, until now.

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The Other Woman by Daniel Silva – Book Review

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The Other Woman by Daniel Silva – Book Cover

Can a spy novel series still hold up when it’s on its 18th installment? That’s the question. I jumped into Daniel Silva’s series around the 7th book mark, and even though critics often label the series as formulaic, there’s something about it that keeps you turning the pages. Once you get past the first 100 pages of any book, you find yourself hooked. And as you get accustomed to the rhythm, a few books down the line, you don’t even need those 100 pages anymore. It’s as if the author becomes more adept at captivating you right from the start. (Even though the basic structure of the stories remains pretty much the same from installment to installment. Quite intriguing, isn’t it?)

Now, The Other Woman is the first book where this formula doesn’t quite click. Obviously, you can’t always pit your protagonist against Arab terrorists who want to blow up this or that capital city; a bit of variety is necessary from time to time. However, the pursuit of a Russian mole within British intelligence seems rather lackluster compared to the series’ earlier, far more significant events. Not to mention that the involvement of the Israeli intelligence agency, and our protagonist, Gabriel Allon, feels somewhat forced in this case, as if the Israelis are being nudged into an unpleasant, stinky mess, saying: “Here you go, guys, it’s our mess, but you clean it up!”

Is it all bad? No, not entirely. The Other Woman feels more like reading a crime novel than a spy thriller. It’s a crime novel that’s occasionally quite thrilling. Even the legendary Kim Philby (that jerk) makes an appearance, much to the delight of long-time spy fiction enthusiasts.

So, there’s no major issue with having a slightly subdued, slower-paced episode with less action mixed into the series.

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