A review by susangiardina
House of Spies by Daniel Silva

4.0

Once again, Silva writes a fast paced, intriguing, realistic story of geo-political issues and terrorism. This one is particularly compelling due to its closeness to reality as ISIS makes its deadly attacks throughout Europe. This book is the sequel to The Black Widow, and that really must be read first to grasp the plot fully. However, while I have chosen to read all 17 books in the Gabriel Allon series in order, it's the first where I think you really have to have read at least some of the earlier books to understand and truly get attached to the phenomenally talented team based at "The Office." Also, much has changed in that now Gabriel is officially head of the Office, and not the agent in an operation. Other roles have changed as well, and I've not come to appreciate Christopher Keller yet. To me, he remains purely an assassin. Gabriel was an assassin too, but also an artist, a loving husband, and a mensch. I'm sure in subsequent books Keller will be more fleshed out, and Silva will "humanize" him. The tension is so much greater when you care about the character who might be killed any second. So, House of Spies is a wonderful book. Not the best in the series for the reasons I mentioned, but any Daniel Silva book is many times better, and far better written, than any number of other best selling intrigue/thriller novels.