The Unlikely Spy

This novel is long and could have benefited from a decent edit. The first half of the story, particularly some of the character backgrounds, could have been cut with no loss to the story; this section does drag somewhat. Once the action gets moving, it's a good, fast-paced thriller.My advice to you is to use a notebook to jot down the names and a brief background of the dozens of characters introduced in the first half of this story. Otherwise, you'll find yourself quickly confused.There are a few unbelievable sequences in the second half which make no sense and jar with the rest of the story.Despite these criticisms, it's a good story and the characters are mostly well written and interesting.

If you've read any of Silva's Gabriel Allon books, this, his first novel, is very different in style.The subject matter is the lengths the allies went to so they would deceive the enemy on the D Day landing locations. Silva weaves in well known historical facts with fictionalised accounts which feel almost believable. It's old fashioned and in some ways not quite as clever as it thinks it is, however, if you don't think too hard and accept it at face value, it really is a good read. Silva has obviously spent a lot of time in London and knows it pretty well although back in the 40s way before facial recognition, I think anyone could lose a tail in London considering the tube station network and multiple entrances yet it is portrayed as the mark of a super spy...

I very much enjoyed this book, which (thanks to a hangover) I read in almost one sitting. It IS the sort of book that draws you in, and you simply have to know what is going to happen next. Yes, we know the story - the invasion went ahead and the war ended! - but Silva's trick is to keep the tension high, right to the very end. We do not know whether the spies will win out and succeed in their objective (trying to avoid spoilers) until the last few pages. It could almost have been written as a film script (and no doubt was). A thoroughly good read, I can certainly recommend it.This is the author's first novel. I noticed a few inaccuracies that were not major, but irritating - otherwise I would have given five stars. None the less, I will move on to others.

A thoroughly good read with a sustained plot with all the double crosses and paranoia that must have existed during the war. A few Americanisms slipped in, the doorman at the Savoy had a stove-pipe hat, the car stopped at the curb and perhaps worst Spurn Point was in Lincolnshire, not the East Riding of Yorkshire.However, I loved the pace and like all of Silva's novels I ploughed on well into the evening wanting to know more.

I am a fan of Daniel Silva and so was pleased to find out about this first novel. Set in WW2, a great spy story - well written and exciting, with tremendous period detail. Would recommend to anyone who likes John le Carre stories, if you don't already know Daniel Silva.