Daniel Silva: House of Spies, 9780062669049, large format paperback (C-Format), Harper Collins US, available

I am a huge fan of Daniel Silva who in my opinion is one of the best thriller writers at the moment. What really blows me away is the clairvoyant foresight he seems to have about looming terrorist attacks and how well connected Silva must be to the world of spies and counter intelligence. 

When another horrible terrorist attack shakes the world, I occasionally find myself wishing for men like Gabriel Allon and his team hoping they truly exist to protect us and our democracy from religious zealots who are threatening freedom as we know it.

In “Black Widow” he wrote about ISIS terrorist attacks in Paris before they actually happened, by publication date they had much to our horror become reality.  As is the case with his latest novel, “House of Spies”, centering on terrorist attacks in London. Silva writes in his always very informative afterword that he turned in the draft of this book on March 15 and on March 22 ISIS struck down many innocent tourists on Westminster Bridge. Although fiction, it is apparent his books are very much based on research and facts. 

Gabriel Allon, now the head of Israeli intelligence, is still hunting down Saladin, one of the most dangerous ISIS masterminds.  A primary source of funding ISIS’s deadly missions comes from profit made through the drug business which leads Allon and his team to wealthy French multi billionaire Jean- Luc Martel who owns many businesses, all rumored to be screens for laundering drug money. One such business is a famous art gallery run by Martel’s model partner Olivia Watson. I am not going to spill the beans about what is happening next in this page turning thriller but you are in for 526 pages of guaranteed fast paced plotting and action of the best kind.