House of Spies (Gabriel Allon, #17) (2024)

“You know what they say about hindsight, Adrian.” “I do. And I’ve always found it to be an excuse for failure.”

And this… a stark reminder of the people who fight crime are as frightening, unforgiving, and impassioned as the terrorists they are chasing. So be prepared for a spy thriller that will keep you at the edge of your seat and guessing who the spy network – or the ‘house of spies’ really are. A plot that plays with your mind as the twists and turns give you nothing short of a mental workout, and with a political landscape that is incredibly real and authentic where counter terrorism plays the ultimate game of cat and mouse and those that specialise and succeed in counterintelligence most times win, but at a cost.

A phenomenal spy thriller from an author who takes the podium for the best spy thriller I’ve read.

The Plot

There is so much to this story and so many sub plots it is difficult to do the book summary any real justice. So, I will provide the background to the storyline and the game but please read you won’t be disappointed.

Months after the deadliest attack on American soil – 9/11. Bloodshed and carnage is to be the new theatre of evil in London’s West End and sparks a global manhunt for the network of spies and criminals. However, one loose thread takes Allon to the south of France and into a game of cat and mouse where it becomes clear no one can be trusted.

And in the middle east, martyrs-in-waiting that could be radicalised in the hidden corners of the dark Web and then guided toward their targets by masterminds they had never met, are moments away from that command. Such was this brave new world that the Internet, social media, and encrypted messaging has brought to us all, and portrayed brilliantly in the book.

Review and Comments

Forensically plotted and meticulously executed, this book is up there as the best spy / thriller I’ve read and from an author whose writing style is just superb for this genre. Crisp, sometimes brutal and without sentiment. Intelligent, authentic, and persuasive. The pace never lets up and the story just keeps giving. When you think you have is sussed you will be hit with another diversion and twist.

I enjoy dual timelines but sometimes the book is just better written as a linear story, and this is one of them. The central time period was so much stronger that we didn’t need all the distractions and backstory of events at another time. Some maybe. That way the author succeeds in building the intensity, fear, and suspense a little at a time to the point it becomes all-consuming and gripping. The pace and flow were a standout, along with the daring and credible plot.

This is one cracking spy / thriller and for everyone – need I say more!!!

Can it really be true that this the 17th book featuring Israeli secret agent Gabriel Allon? Pretty much from the beginning he has held the No. 1 spot on my list of favorite mystery/thriller "heroes." Every spring I start salivating in anticipation of a new installment, so of course I was delighted to get my hands on this one.

That many books over the years also brings anticipation of a different sort: How much longer can Gabriel - now chief of Israel's hush-hush intelligence agency, replacing the crusty Uzi Navot (who still holds court in an office across the hall from Gabriel) - keep going? Rumors of his in-print "death," in fact, have been swirling online ever since MGM Television announced adaptation rights to the series (with author Daniel Silva and his wife, CNN special correspondent Jamie Gangel, as executive producers). Everything appears to be a go at this point and who will play the role of Gabriel is at the discussion stage. For the record, after cringing at the choice for the lead in Lee Child's Jack Reacher TV series, I'm trying my damndest to remain optimistic (yet relieved to know Tom Cruise is already taken).

But the fact is, despite being the late-in-life father of twins with his beautiful and much younger wife, Chiara, Gabriel's getting a bit long in the tooth. And as chief, he's really not supposed to be running around in a field that has become ever more dangerous with the onslaught of ISIS. But difficult times call for difficult decisions; and it is recent, devastating ISIS "suicide warrior" attacks in London's West End, instigated by one of Gabriel's arch-enemies, that pulls him away from his desk and onto dusty roads of countries like Morocco (where they stay in a safe house dubbed the "House of Spies"). Gabriel has a personal score to settle with the man, known only as Saladin - and despite advice (make that warnings) to oversee the chase to find him from a safe room on King Saul Boulevard in Tel Aviv, Gabriel vows that Book of Romans notwithstanding, vengeance will be his alone.

Still, Gabriel isn't quite as physically active as usual; and much to my disappointment, Chiara doesn't play much of a role here. Other women from Gabriel's past do feature prominently, though including the doctor who nursed Saladin back to near-perfect health in the previous book. Also front and center here is Olivia Watson, a former fashion model and live-in lover of uber-wealthy Jean-Luc Martel, whose money is derived mostly from the drug market. Once it is determined he and his JLM empire are linked to Saladin, Gabriel - together with corresponding agencies in France, Great Britain and the United States join forces (headed up, after heated debate, by the Israelis) to turn the businessman and his lover against the man behind it all. Also recruited to the team because of his tracking and assassination skills is Gabriel's friend from past adventures Christopher Keller, who, as usual, excels at his trade and is quite an interesting character in and of himself.

Needless to say, it's a complex plot that takes a weary Gabriel practically all over the world and back, putting his life is in danger more than once. From start to finish, everything is described in Silva's matter-of-fact, almost understated fashion, but make no mistake - there's plenty of action here. There's also an abundance of history, which is another of the reasons I love this series. Much of those insights come from the author's extensive research which, together with his talent for creating intricate, intriguing stories, makes an unbeatable combination.

I am going to state what many others have noted in their reviews and that is this is the 17th book in the Gabriel Allon series. I open with that because I want to mention that often in a series when you reach this point the series starts to drag and gets old. Not this series. Not this latest book.

At the end of The Black Widow Gabriel at last gave in and agreed to become the chief of the Israel Secret Intelligence Service. Better known as "The Office". In that story a terrorist known only as Saladin had successfully carried out the deadliest attack on American soil since 9/11. This story opens with Saladin continuing to carry out attacks on the West ... including one in London’s West End. It would take too long to explain and require a lot of detail but Gabriel is visiting his counterpart in Paris when there is another attack. This time a bomb is detonated outside the building Gabriel is in. Now it is personal. He may be chief now but he is not one to sit behind a desk and issue orders for others to carry out. He prefers face to face.

Gabriel puts together the old team. If you have read other books in the series you know who they are. Dina Sarid, Mikhail Abramov, Yaakov Rossman. They are all here. And Christopher Keller is back. It reminds me of the old "Mission: Impossible" television series starring Peter Graves. There is a mission and the usual team is assembled to handle it. Uzi Navot, Ari Shamron, and of course Chiara make appearances ... although mostly just token ones.

The investigation leads them to the doorstep of Jean-Luc Martel and Olivia Watson. Martel is a drug kingpin whose activity is helping fund Saladin. Olivia is a former British fashion model who pretends not to know the true source of Martel's wealth. Gabriel and his team plan to use Martel and Olivia to get to Saladin. The story moves from the glitz and glamour of Saint-Tropez to the grit of Casablanca.

As with all of these stories it is timely and seemingly ripped from the headlines. Horribly prescient. It is riveting entertainment and leaves you waiting for the next installment in the series.

The 17th book in the spy, assassin, and art restorer Gabriel Allon series by author Daniel Silva and although I had only previously read 1 to 5 it did not spoil my enjoyment or understanding of this book.
Although my favourite and more regular genre is psychological thrillers I do like to mix my reading up a little with more action based novels such as Lee Child and Daniel Silva and I find this series a welcome change.
In this novel Gabriel Allon is out for revenge and his target is a madman named Saladin who is causing havoc around the world with his succession of crimes. Allon wants Saladin dead and would ideally like to be the man who kills him. Gabriel Allon in his new role as chief of the office in Israel should be limited in the field but nothing is going to stop him in his quest for revenge.
Another excellent read thanks to this expert story teller.

I would like to thank Net Galley and HarperCollins UK, HarperFiction for supplying a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

Maybe 3 stars because it's a reliable addition to the series. But as always with successful genre fiction, the Allon books have ossified into a series of set pieces. Same cast of characters, stories retold. They're curiously bloodless despite the body count; Allon is in a bombing in Paris, suffers major damage and the effect is no worse than a severe headache. Also, there is the familiar pattern of the creation of a deception operation that turns someone into a willing/ unwilling helper inside the bad guy's circle and then a rather unsubtle denouement with several false climaxes - and a polemical afterward about terrorisms ongoing threat. To be continued, the series, that is, in other words. Here's another question, why does there have to be the elaborate and very expensive stage setting on the Riviera to turn Olivia? Once the blank canvases are discovered that would have been enough to do it, as is in fact the case. Also Olivia doesn't resist at all. But it would have cut about 75 pages out of the book. And if you have to do a book a year, you need to stack pages......at least lose the goat on Corsica. . .

His least ambitious work

I have loved Daniel Silva's work for years, and was eagerly looking forward to reading "The House of Spies" as a birthday present. Once it arrived, I found myself having difficulty finishing it. I did continue and completed the book out of loyalty, and not curiosity or interest. I understood the need to have some old characters back, but all of them? This fact alone gave the story a repetitious dry boring tone. Gabriel's Israeli team and Keller were my highlight, but can a love interest not be an ex-supermodel? This was an example of finding an easy way to write a less complicated character. Writing this review was not easy for I love, love, love Daniel's impeccable writing.

Even though this was not my favorite book, I am still looking forward to his next one.

“Beware the fury of a patient man.”

HOUSE OF SPIES is a continuation (and conclusion) of the plotline that Mr. Silva started in this novel’s predecessor in his Gabriel Allon series, THE BLACK WIDOW. The two books read back to back form one story. They can each be read as stand-alone texts, especially THE BLACK WIDOW, but I don’t recommend doing that.
HOUSE OF SPIES is not as tightly written as its immediate predecessor, but it is still a darn nice read.

Mr. Silva has made Gabriel the Director of Israeli intelligence at this point in the series, so it gets a little eye rolling when Gabriel is out in the active field. That would never happen in the real world, but this isn’t the real world, so you go with it.

The best thing about this text is that a lot of it focuses on the character of Christopher Keller, who as the series has progressed has taken an interesting character arc, and assumed a larger role. I for one am fine with that.

Quotes:
•“He believed in love, as he believed in art.”
•“Time the conqueror could not be kept at bay forever.”
•“Sometimes the old ways are better than the new.”

One thing (I think) I noticed in this text was a little of the author’s bias creeping in. One thing I enjoyed about the series was that I never detected that in the first 16 books. I may be oversensitive to it, or perhaps I misread. I will be curious to see if this feeling persists in the next books in the series.

As always with my time with Gabriel Allon, I was engaged. Number 17 did not disappoint. I will move on to the next installment soon.

House of Spies shares the podium with Unsub (by Meg Gardiner) for best thriller of the year. Silva's book is international, a continuation of the Gabriel Allon series, while Unsub takes the top prize domestically (US).

Silva's inside knowledge and research, his well-developed characters, and his all-too-current plot shine throughout. He notes the London attack took place a week after he finished the manuscript in March. In another more-than-coincidence, he identified the fact of the many Moroccan ISIS cells far in advance of the real-world Barcelona attack perpetrated in August by Moroccan terrorists.

We can only hope the same intelligence agencies about which he writes are reading his books. House of Spies feels real because, alas, it is.

Highly, highly recommended. Six stars.

There are parts of this book which drag, when Silva feels obliged to tell us too much about what happened in prior books ... HOWEVER, when the action starts, it is portrayed in Silva's unique powerful style and makes a terrific read

A horribly prescient act of terrorism in London gives this thriller currency as Gabriel Allon, now head of the Office, makes things personal as he sets up an elaborate operation to take down a terrorist leader.

If you've read other Silva books then you'll know what to expect as this doesn't challenge the tried-and-trusted formula - what makes Silva stand out for me is the political intelligence, the refusal to pander to cheap and easy stereotypes that border on the racist, and the attention to tradecraft. Yes, there is some sentimentalising especially over Allon's legendary status and his friends in high places, but he's still a charismatic lead character with a sense of history that he carries with him, both in personal and national terms. A thriller for adults.

Thanks to the publisher for an ARC via NetGalley

House of Spies is book seventeen in the Gabriel Allon series by Daniel Silva. In House of Spies, Gabriel Allon is now the chief of the Israel Secret Intelligence Service. However, Gabriel can not stay out of trouble or sit quietly behind his desk. Gabriel Allon was visiting French Secret Intelligence Service Office when a bomb was detected. In the blast, Gabriel badly hurt started the hunt for the bomber. The readers of House of Spies will go on a rollercoaster ride with Gabriel to find the master mind behind the bombing.

The House of Spies is another great book by Daniel Silva. I love Daniel Silva writing style and the way he can engage his readers with the plot of House of Spies. I like the way Daniel Silva portrays his characters especially Gabriel. Gabriel Allon never worries about the consequence he always there to protect Israelis and non-Israelis from murders and criminals who wont to destroy the world. Even after writing seventeen books in this series Daniel Silva and his characters still keep me glue to my seat until I finish the last page of The House of Spies.

Readers of House of Spies will start to think about the life and consequences of being part of a Secret Intelligence Service. Also, will learn a little bit about the cities and countries that Gabriel and his team visit.

I recommend this book.

I wanted to give this 4 stars since it features two of my favorite spies. However, while the ending is alright, it's less than totally desirable. 6 of 10 stars

4.5_Stars ^ 5.0_Stars
House of Spies by Daniel Silva
Audiobook: 13:01 Hours - Narrator: George Guidall
Commenced: 28/07/2023
An excellent episode in the Gabriel Allon series!

House of Spies by Daniel Silva was the immediate sequel to The Black Widow. I am addicted and enthralled with this series of espionage and suspense centering on Gabriel Allon, my favorite Israeli spy and assassin, as I have followed him over the years. But what I loved most about Gabriel Allon was how he began to heal his soul with art restoration, his mother a renowned artist. It is the back story of these spy thrillers that keeps me coming back as well the suspense that keeps one turning the pages. And Daniel Silva adeptly inserts references to literature and poetry and art throughout his books that brings it to another level, as well as the attention given to historical detail. Often his books seem like they are just screaming from the headlines as the plots are so prescient.

In this book, Gabriel Allon has finally assumed his rightful place in the Office as Chief but there is unfinished business as he is determined to hunt down the world's most dangerous terrorist known only as Saladin. So Gabriel Allon and his team of operatives gather together to determine how to bring the shadowy mastermind of ISIS known only as Saladin down.

"Late in the day, a visitor to the executive floor might hear a bit of opera-'La Boheme' was a particular favorite-leaking from his door. The music could mean only one thing. Gabriel Allon, the prince of fire, the angel of vengeance, the chosen son of Ari Shamron, had finally assumed his rightful place as chief of Israel's secret intelligence service."

Pulled into the operation with Gabriel Allon and the Office are the international players such as the CIA and the White House, MI5 and MI6 as well as the French, all working together and coordinating their efforts as Gabriel Allon and his team are coordinating the operation on the ground in southern France. This was another suspenseful page-turner as only Daniel Silva can do in this explosive sequel to The Black Widow.

4-5 *s If you enjoy Silva's Gabriel Allon, and or this genre, you will certainly be entertained by Silva's latest. House of Spies is a v well written, absorbing novel about global terrorism, real world geopolitical intrigue, and the various intelligence agencies involved. The role of the USA , now with a different President, seemed to be portrayed in a somewhat different light.

Along with many "regulars" I enjoyed the the reappearance of Christopher Kellor's character, and hope to see more of him and the others in future novels. George Guidall did his usual stellar job of narrating this audio.

See this review and more at www.TheRealBookSpy.com

Following last year’s bestselling novel The Black Widow, Daniel Silva picks up the story four months later with seventeenth Gabriel Allon novel, House of Spies.

Gabriel Allon, the wayward son of Israeli Intelligence who once served as the most lethal assassin in Israel’s arsenal, has now assumed the position of chief of the Office (the Mossad) after finally taking his long-awaited promotion.

For the first time in the Office’s history, the former director has stayed on after being replaced. Uzi Navot, who was once Gabriel’s career rival, is now his most trusted advisor. With Navot filling a variety of roles and overseeing some of the day-to-day tasks, Allon is able to remain hands-on in the operations department–similar to how his mentor, Ari Shamron ran things back in the day–where he has his work cut out for him.

Saladin, the ISIS mastermind who terrorized the West, and Gabriel–on a direct and personal level–remains at large. With most of the world’s foreign intelligence agencies dedicating significant resources to finding him, Saladin still manages to oversee a number of successful attacks. But when a single loose end presents itself, Gabriel clings to it and begins the difficult process of once again getting close to the world’s most dangerous terrorist.

Fueled by revenge, Gabriel Allon partners with several allied nations and launches a daring mission. Along the way, Silva weaves multiple fan-favorite characters into the fold, forming a strong supporting cast that, among others, includes Christopher Keller, the former British special ops soldier turned Corsica-based assassin turned newly minted MI6 agent.

Keller is just one in a long list of names that longtime fans of Silva’s series will recognize. Also back are Mikhail Abramov and Natalie Mizrahi, relatively new characters who are fleshed out and developed further in House of Spies, each playing a prominent role in Gabriel’s operation.

After a long and successful career, Silva is still finding new ways to surprise his readers. Any worries that the series would shift in a negative way once Allon officially left field work can be put to rest. Silva might have tweaked his arsenal a tad, but he can still command his fastball with lethal accuracy and laser-like precision. And while his universe is rich with compelling characters, Allon is still the ace of his staff– and he can absolutely still carry this franchise.

House of Spies is just the type of relentless, high-powered, headline-beating thriller that readers have come to expect from Silva, one of the truly great, must-read authors of his time.

Book Details

Author: Daniel Silva
Series: Gabriel Allon #17
Pages: 544 (Hardcover)
ISBN: 0062354345
Publisher: Harper
Release Date: July 11, 2017
Book Spy Rating: 9/10
Order Now: http://amzn.to/2r8rzcG

This is another edge-of-your-seat thriller by Daniel Silva. It is about the fictitious character Gabriel Allon, the legendary head of an Israeli spy agency. It takes up where Silva's previous book (The Black Widow) leaves off, with the hunt for the elusive terrorist, Saladin. Like the other books in the series, Allon must work in tandem with spy agencies of other countries; in this case, with Great Britain and France. The action focuses on a drug dealing kingpin named Jean-Luc Martel, who casts a blind eye on the terrorists his activities are helping to fund.

Even though Gabriel Allon is getting older, and is the head of his intelligence agency, he feels the need to go into the field and take an active role in the operations. It just doesn't seem right, with all of the risks involved, for an agency head to get involved at such a personal level. He continually talks about spending more time with his wife and children--but how can he, when personal involvement means being in foreign countries for weeks at a time?

A complex, very clever operation helps to make the plot shine. Details of the operation are thought out very thoroughly, with the realization that all plans are subject to change when the time comes for action. All of the possible outcomes simply cannot be anticipated.

This is the first book of the series that I have read, rather than listening to the audiobook. As a result, it is a little easier to follow. Separate sections within a chapter are delineated, tipping off the fact that the scene has changed. This does not always come across in the series of audiobooks.

Like his previous books, Daniel Silva imbues this novel with a lot of history, and with such well-developed characters that they become life-like and believable. Nobody has super powers, everyone is human, with abilities and foibles. The relationships between the characters, and the relationships between intelligence agencies from different countries--are spelled out so realistically that you never have to suspend belief.

In my opinion, the very best Gabriel Allon installment to date. Silva is again almost prophetic in his ability to craft a plot that is so feasible in today's world. As with "Black Widow" a terrorist attack occurred in a location he had just written about in his latest book. That is what makes the plots of the Gabriel Allon series so compelling and believable.

What is most satisfying is to see the key players growing and changing yet not wavering in their resolve to flex and follow the threats -- as this story so clearly shows. As always making famous works of art a piece of the plot adds a dimension that makes this series unique. Highly anticipating #18. With the current world situation Gabriel and his team will never work themselves out of a job.

What can I say? Daniel Silva is the master! I'm adding more stars⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️!

Daniel Silva's "The Black Widow" was a hard-hitting work of fiction about how members of ISIS routinely slaughter men, women, and children in such countries as England, France, and Belgium. One of the terrorists' goals is to terrify and demoralize their adversaries. Silva's villain is Saladin, a shrewd strategist who believes that, by wreaking havoc in the west, he will unite his followers in a new Islamic caliphate. "House of Spies" is Silva's seventeenth novel in his popular series featuring Gabriel Allon, now head of the Mossad, Israel's Secret Intelligence Service. Horrific attacks on American soil have left Allon and his allies grieving, angry, and eager for revenge.

This installment, alas, does not pack the wallop of its predecessor. The plot--Gabriel and his allies in France, England, and the United States collaborate on a ruse to catch Saladin that could easily end in disaster--is similar to those Silva has used before. In addition, too many secondary characters pad the long narrative, and the story is wrapped up a bit too tidily. Now that he occupies such an important position, Gabriel has resolved to quit fieldwork. However, his desire for payback once again drives him to take risks that should be off the table for someone who is supposed to oversee operations, not take part in them. Assisting Allon and his colleagues is Christopher Keller, a former member of the SAS, whose impressive fighting skills and resourcefulness make him valued asset. This novel has a great deal of violence, intrigue, financial chicanery, touches of light humor, and even a hint of romance.

To his credit, Silva, a thorough researcher, provides alarming information about how Morocco's role in the drug trade helps bankroll ISIS, and the author also explains how terrorists can smuggle weapons (including materials for "dirty bombs") from one country to another without detection. Although it is a serviceable effort, "House of Spies" lacks the passion, thrills, realism, and sense of immediacy that made "The Black Widow" so riveting.

The long and boring tale, with many references to prior bombings covered in the previous book, of the hunt by Israeli, British, and American intelligence for an ISIS mastermind. Before the hunt for him can begin, a wealthy French drug trafficker and his hot British girlfriend have to be co-opted by the Israelis in the south of France (and we're only up to p. 336 now), so that the French trafficker can connect with his Moroccan hashish source, who is connected to the ISIS terrorist. Silva's characters are mannequins and you won't be able to summon the slightest interest in their fates. For some reason it's very important for us to know that the protagonist Israeli superspy Gabriel Allon's wife "Chiara was nearing forty now, but neither time nor the intense stress of Gabriel's work had left a mark on her face." (Nor has caring for twin toddlers without any help from him.) Why? Who would give a crap if she had a line on her face? Would Gabriel shrink in the reader's eyes, become less manly, if his wife were showing her age?

At best Silva's writing is bland and stale.

"I would quickly lose my friends if they ever learned I was thinking about doing business with the likes of you."
"That doesn't sound like a compliment."
"It wasn't meant as one."
"I admire your honesty."
"And I yours."

At worst, stiff.

"We didn't have Arabs. Only bears and wolves."
This time it was Gabriel who smiled.

There is low-IQ sarcasm to be endured.

"Looks like he's carrying a gun."
"So much for Arab hospitality."

Most irritating of all are the frequent flashbacks a female spy/doctor working for Israeli intelligence has to her time nursing the ISIS mastermind back to health in the previous book, in which he apparently called her Maimonides...over, and over, and over.

Typical Silva/Allon thriller. Procedural as Allon and his merry band follow the leads via trickery and interrogation chase a head of a terrorist organization. A continuation of Black Widow.

Nothing really special here. A well worn Silva/Allon formula. As novels go, Silva has done better work with the Allon character.

Ao fim de 17 livros da série Gabriel Allon, está tudo dito! Daniel Silva continua a prender os seus leitores como poucos! Já à espera do 18° livro.

…her greatest fear was that Saladin had built the equivalent of a dead man’s switch into the network – a switch that would automatically set off of a string of murderous attacks in the event of his passing.

“House of Spies” is the seventeenth in the Gabriel Allon series (and my first) and delivers a complex roller-coaster ride. The book opens and closes in Israel with former spy Allon now head of security, his predecessor Uzi Navot handling the domestic side. The biggest terrorist strike on US soil after 9/11 saw Washington monuments reduced to partial rubble, killing hundreds, masterminded by a disaffected Iraqi from the Saddam regime, known as “Saladin”, who recruits ISIS warriors for suicide bombings in Turkey and across Europe. His photo was taken by a CIA agent in Cuidad del Este in South America (a favourite of action novels) and Allon himself saw “Saladin” briefly at the Four Seasons Hotel in Washington, days before the bombings. “Intelligence” indicates another mass attack, possibly in the UK.

Fast forward to gunmen with suicide bombs shooting up theatres and restaurants in London’s West End. The heads of “five” and “six” meet and in the crackdown / search a clue is found from one of the bombers who used his sister’s laptop. An encrypted email once decoded gives the man providing the weapons as a Moroccan national known as “Scorpion”. Seymour (head of “six”) sends a man over who speaks fluent French, Christopher Keller, former SAS turned hitman for Corsican “entrepreneur” Don Orsati, now recruited by MI6. Keller, posing as an arms dealer, has his own way of doing business, leaving the bodies of Scorpion and 3 ISIS recruits in his wake.

Suspicion shifts to Jean-Luc Martel, the wealthy, well-connected hotelier, restaurateur, jeweller … whose business interests mask an empire built on narcotics, and his girlfriend, former British model Olivia Watson. The pair lives in a plush shack at St Tropez in the south of France and do the full social scene. Gabriel Allon plants two of his spies, Russian-born Mikhail Abramov and “Black Widow” Natalie Mizrahi, posing as wealthy husband and wife, in another plush shack across the bay, in a sting to blackmail Martel into working for Israeli intelligence to track down “Saladin”.

”Sometimes the worse thing about a successful recruitment is that you are stuck with the asset. Whatever you do, don’t trust him.”

The trail leads to Morocco (a helpful map included) where Saladin is successfully lured, wounded, cornered and eliminated, but not before issuing a decree by cell-phone mobilising a single suicide bomber to deliver a “dirty” bomb. A good read, but left doubts in my mind. How can someone be close to a quantity of caesium chloride for hours and remain unaffected? (See Golánia accident in Brazil, 1987).

Silva grows lazier with each novel. This novel exists because the super-spy Allon let the super-enemy, Saladin, escape in the previous book, 'The Black Widow'. Saladin has his minions attack London, following up his attack on American in 'The Black Widow'. American quadrupled it's anti-terrorist forces, tossed out the Taliban, and ultimately tracked down Bin Laden after 9-11; after Saladin's attacks, both the U.S. and Britain seem content to summon Allon to consult. Much of the book consists of the assorted intel-big-wigs from four countries talking about how their jobs will be lost unless Saladin is stopped. Really? Maybe you should take some action?
Allon, of course, does. It turns out the billions of dollars given to the terrorist state of Syria in 'The Heist' (the laziest, most unbelievable conclusion to a thriller ever) are not lost. It turns out that Allon can steal the money back at will; he does so, creating a fake Russian arms dealer with a couple of hundred million dollars. Really? Why didn't he steal the money in 'The Heist', where the overarching goal was to steal Asad's money?
It used to be that Allon had to use his wits to create a way into a terrorist group. Now he just uses money, since he has an unlimited supply. Buy a villa, buy a bunch of expensive paintings, (since every terrorist has an associate who's an art dealer) and you're in.
Finally, here comes the climax. They're going to meet with Saladin, but they have to bring the woman who infiltrated his org in 'The Black Widow' to positively identify him. Too bad nobody has invented a camera small enough to carry to a meeting without the camera being seen, because when she recognizes him, he might recognize her and all the good guys will die.
Is this the dumbest idea Silva has ever had? No. See, 'The Heist'. But it's close. Unlimited money for Allon and Co. and every character doing exactly what's necessary to move the shaky plot forward make it the second-weakest Silva. I can't wait to read the next one: how low can he go?

House of Spies is one of Daniel Silva’s finest works – and that’s really saying something. It follows the conclusion of Silva’s last book, in which Washington DC was devastated by an ISIS attack, with a string of ISIS attacks in London and Paris.

The Israeli spy and now chief of its intelligence service, Gabriel Allon, enlists the help of Christopher Keller in an elaborate plot to hunt down the man known as Saladin, an Iraqi who is responsible for planning and funding the attacks.

It’s a phenomenal read, and the last 100 pages or so will leave you breathless.

And beyond this one book, I actually think Daniel Silva will be remembered as one of the most important authors of his generation. His thrillers are literary quality – and House of Spies is no exception – with lyrical prose, brilliant plotting, and a perceptive wisdom about the modern world and what ails it.

A lot of thriller authors are writing about ISIS but few grasp its history or even the fundamental nature of its barbarity. Instead they plug it into a cookie cutter plot and promote the result as something profound when it’s anything but – and worse are the authors who bash readers with their personal politics rather than being creative enough to give their characters life with actions that reveal what the author is “trying” to communicate.

Daniel Silva does not resort to such tactics. He doesn’t need to.

I highly recommend House of Spies to thriller fans: 5/5 stars.

Always a pleasure to read about the old gang of spies again. This one was a little harder to keep up with the details; it brought together people we've met from the CIA, MI6 (and a bit of MI5), the Italian equivalent that I can't remember, and of course, Mossad from Israel. Oh, and not to mention some Corsican kingpin. Also making it harder was the fact that some of the players had 2 or 3 different names throughout the story. But if you are a fan and read the previous books, you'll recognize a lot of the names, and situations. I don't think it's really necessary to read the previous books first, but it would help. In fact, the main villain in this one is from an earlier book, where he escaped after having his life saved by a woman named Natalie, who wished she'd had the nerve to eliminate him when she had a chance. Natalie returns in this book to play a major role.

I should add that the narrator was George Guidall, one of my favorites.

My favorite thing about July is a new Gabriel Allon book by Daniel Silva. House of Spies, the seventeenth book in the series, picks up shortly after events that occurred in The Black Widow. Saladin, the ISIS mastermind who terrorized the West is still on the loose where he continues to plan terrorist attacks. The whole world seems focused on finding and stopping him, but he remains elusive. When a single clue presents itself, Gabriel and his team begin the difficult process of once again getting close to the world’s most dangerous terrorist.

As usual, many of the characters we have met before are together again in this book, including art-dealer Julian Isherwood and our newest team member, Natalie. Christopher Keller, whom we know from previous stories, has given up being a paid assassin in order to help the British government. The main character, Gabriel Allon, may be the boss now but he's still the perfect spy. He's resourceful, fearless, and has just enough integrity and conscience to make him someone we can relate to.

House of Spies is a complex espionage tale but for me it was still a a page turner. Daniel Silva is very knowledgeable about ISIS, and the whole subject is terribly relevant. His Gabriel Allon books are one of the best series I have ever read. I did feel like this book was more of a continuation of The Black Widow which was a definite five star read and my favorite book of 2016. This one gets bogged down in a few places but is still a must read for any fan of the series. I highly recommend starting one of the earlier books of the series to get to know the characters. If you prefer to start the series at a later book, I highly recommend The Black Widow ahead of this one. I don't like to wish my life away but I can hardly wait to pick up his next book in July 2018.

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Алон вече официално си е встъпил в длъжност като ръководител на израелското разузнаване, а легендата, че не е между живите, е вече почти напълно изоставена. Заедно с черната вдовица, която създаде собственоръчно – красивата лекарка Натали, и мъжът, с когото тя влиза във все по-интимни отношения, Алон се втурва да търси връзки към неуловимия Саладин. И ги открива в лицето на френски богаташ с наглед законна бизнес империя и показни връзки с политическите среди. Но същият този тип е всъщност едър наркобарон и върти търговия именно със Саладин и неговите съдружници от ИДИЛ, които така финансират скъпите си операции. Чрез него вече невъзможното става възможно – но не и лесно.

Издателска къща Хермес
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Most of my Daniel Silva reviews indicate 5-star appreciation/admiration as I have genuinely enjoyed most of these books. Something may have happened to my reading preferences? I don't know. I haven't read any reviews of this book while I waited on a Hold list with my library since I did not want to ruin my reading experience.
We start off with Gabriel as the head man of Israel's security branch, or "The Office."
"One day Uzi Navot was seated behind his large smoked-glass desk in the chief's office, and the next, Gabriel was in his place. Absent Navot's modern desk, mind you, for glass wasn't Gabriel's style."
A familiar terrorist villain is in focus with new attacks unleashed on London. "Saladin was hiding somewhere in plain sight. Wherever he was, he was planning his next move. Of that, Gabriel was certain."
As all the players are assembled there is opportunity for Keller and Gabriel to work together once again, but that is just one of my problems. It is a stretch for me to accept Gabriel personally involved in the deadly action when he belongs behind a desk and close to home where his wife and infant twins reside.
I think I may have to give up on what was one of my favorite series. I did enjoy reading about Keller's UK induction into their spy network, but then he was always a hard nut to crack and one of the more interesting characters in the series. I suppose I will be in line for the next book. Time will tell. In the meantime I am going to be thankful for our Navy Seals.