A quick introduction I've been in the book business for over 25 years and read and have read a ton of mystery and suspense novels. People who I'll mention often will probably be Debra Ginsberg, my girlfriend and gifted author. Her most recent novel THE GRIFT is available now and is due out in paperback late summer. I bring it up for two reasons. If you like noirish mysteries you'll love THE GRIFT. I loved THE GRIFT and also I kind of have to mention my girl's book, right? Deb is a big reader and while we don't often agree on books when we do you'll hear about it here. Also my sister will probably pop in now and again. We share the love of a good thriller or mystery and we're always swapping books back and forth. She just brought me Donna Leon's BLOOD FROM A STONE, which I hadn't read. Leon writes novels set in Venice with a great protagonist, Comissario Guido Brunetti. We love Donna Leon. I'll write about the Italian mysteries on another post.
I thought to begin my postings with spy books because suddenly, we're publishing spy books again. I grew up in the midst of the cold war and have always loved a good cold war novel. Since the end of the cold war a good spy novel has been hard to find. It seems that Putin's Russia has given license to the spy novel and I'm so happy. I often found myself, all through the 90s and most of the new millenium, longing for a cold war novel with none to be had.
The first book of this sort I recall reading is THE HUMAN FACTOR by Graham Greene. I was Introduced to the cold war novel and also to the genius of Graham Greene, who's written a number of such novels. Greene is one of the greatest novelists ever. The second was a Len Deighton novel THE PERFECT SPY. Exotic dark European settings and a lone spy. I loved that book and Deighton led me to Lecarre. I tried the Ludlums but never loved them. I found them plodding and slow though I love the Jason Bourne movies. I will tip my hat to Daniel Silva who has essentially been writing spy novels but they've lacked that cold war feel and are more like international thrillers. Not to take anything away from Silva. I look forward to his next book and will read it immediately upon publication and then I'll pass it on to my sister. I loved MOSCOW RULES and I noted he has a new novel coming in July, THE DEFECTOR-can't wait.
The biggest spy novel out there right now seems to be Olen Steinhauer's, THE TOURIST. I was given a copy last September by Larry Yost who was the repersentative for Macmillan in Denver at the time. Larry is an old school book guy with ton's of enthusiasm. He could talk about books all day. He always had a good word and a good book recomendation for you. I've read Steinhauer's first two books and liked them well enough. FYI, I really like the novels set in other countries. They're always so culturally biased, I guess you'd say. I really like peeking into other cultures and seeing them as they see themselves. Steinhauer had been writing historical mysteries set in the early days of communist rule in some unnamed Eastern European country so this is a departure for him. It opens up with a ton of action and keeps it up to the end. As a lot of spy novels do, it goes from present to a recent past and has plenty of twists and turns. The protagonist Milo Weaver is on the back side of his career, his days in the field are over and he's in the office of an ultra-secret government agency. The bottom line is who do you trust when you can't trust anyone as Milo, who has found peace and a family, is suddenly thrust into the middle of a case that has roots in something in his past. Lots of fun and true to what a spy novel should be.
Last Year I saw that a first novel by Alex Berenson, THE FAITHFUL SPY, was on the bestseller list in paperback. I hadn't heard of of it and in my quest of spy books I picked it up. Man, what a blast this book was. Berenson's book had everything that I want out of a thriller. I really enjoyed it and of course passed it on to my sister, who also loved it. I picked up his second novel, GHOST WAR and it was pretty good. He's got a new book that went on sale in February, THE SILENT MAN, that I haven't picked up yet but I'm looking forward to checking it out.
I'll leave you with a few short mentions. I Just read a quintessential spy novel called RED TO BLACK. It's written by a Brit who apparently dabbled in international espionage. I assume for MI6. I'm really excited about this novel but it won't be out til September so more on that later in the year. It does have all the elements.
If you've never read Charles McCarry do yourself a favor. I think Overlook Press has released his older titles like THE LAST SUPPER and TEARS OF AUTUMN. I think McCarry actually worked for the CIA and his books have an air of authenticity. His protagonist Paul Christopher is the key to all of his books. They're spy books but very internal and you get a lot of Christopher and what goes on in his head. McCarry recently began to publish again and I haven't read his last two or three novels but the early works begining with the MIERNIK DOSSIER rank up there with LeCarre and I have to put him up there with Graham Greene as well. These are literary novels as well as terrific spy books.
Lastly a plug for Ward Just. If you like the feel of Graham Greene and McCarry give Ward Just a try. THE AMERICAN AMBASSADOR AND THE TRANSLATOR have that stark political feel and while not spy novels, might appeal to you. His ECHO HOUSE was a finalist for THE National Book Award so his novels are very literary. I wouldn't start with ECHO HOUSE but it's definitely worth checking out but the pace is slow and the characters not the most likeable. Hec it's Washington DC, what do you expect.. Just writes about Washington and it's inner circle like nobody else.
On another note. Trying to put together a mellow, fun, light guitar mix. I have Summer Song by Joe Satriani, Melissa and Blue Sky from the Allman Bros.,Close to Champaign by Los Straight Jackets, which has a cool latino beat, a little like Los Lonely boys meet Xavier Cugat, I'm adding them too, Los Lonely Boys not X, Staying with Me and Heaven, though I'm a little tired of that one. I have Wilco's Impossible Germany (can't get enough Nels Cline) and I heard George Benson's Breezin the other day and might add that. Can't seem to get enough of Mark Knopfler's album, Kill to Get Crimson, Scaffolder's Wife, Punish the Monkey and my latest favorite Fizzy and the.Still. Debating adding Ottmar Liebert's Barcelona Nights. It's not that easy putting together a play list. Not sure if you can comment on posts but if anyone has any suggestions...
more next time,
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