The Other Woman audiobook

I love Daniel Silva books and like John Sanford I can not in clear conscience rate them with your average Joe. So I compare them with their prior works. The last Silva, The Widow, was a fantastic read. This one (The Other Woman) however, was a good story but lacked the dynamic that made The Widow great. In the Other Woman, a good chunk of the story occurs in the past and without question is important to the plot. Too much of this historical story is "told" in narrative which dulls the immediacy and stops the forward motion of the story.And in my opinion, the story should have ended at the climax to the crisis instead of the dreaded drone-on for forty plus pages.Even so, I still enjoyed the book a great deal and I'm looking forward to the next one.David Putnam the author of the Bruno Johnson series.

How did I love thee? When I counted the ways, I ended up with way more than 5 reasons. But since 5 stars is as high as most ratings go, that number will have to suffice - but it certainly isn't enough to do this book justice.In the interests of full disclosure, Israeli intelligence chief Gabriel Allon ranks No. 1 on my top 10 list of all-time favorite book "heroes" - a place he's held for quite a few years now. This is his 18th appearance, and I'll say with no hesitation that he's in no danger of being knocked off that lofty perch any time soon. Of course, he didn't get there all by himself; he had considerable help from the author, who created not only him, but a cast of other interesting characters and put them in the middle of intriguing stories that make me, at least, reluctant to put them down.This one is no exception; in fact, I'd call it the best of the series I've read in recent years. Maybe that's because the story mirrors, at least to a certain extent, what's going on in the real world. Readers get more than a passing glimpse at the tenuous relationships among the intelligence communities of Israel, Great Britain and the United States as they all try to get the drop on the Russians and save their own reputations without stepping too hard on each other's toes. The book begins with Gabriel in Vienna, where he and his cohorts are directing the defection of a known spy. Just as they're about to reel him in, he's unceremoniously murdered - and initial evidence points to Gabriel as the killer. While the tabloids keep the incident in the news, Gabriel and his team realize there must be a leak within their own ranks (in which agency remains for them to determine). So it is that they set out to "out" the mole, prove Gabriel's innocence and restore order to what's become an embarrassing situation that threatens to ruin already shaky alliances.From that point on, the story gets more complex with even more far-reaching implications (all the way back to the 1950s and 1960s). Admittedly, therein may be one of the reasons I enjoyed this book so much; I'm old enough to remember the events that are such an integral part of this story. There's not much more I can reveal without giving too much away, though, except to say that the details are so intricately woven that as a whole it's totally mesmerizing. Oh, and one other thing: If you have but one book to read for the rest of this year, you won't go wrong if you make it this one.

Read this review and more at www.TheRealBookSpy.comGabriel Allon, the wayward son of Israeli intelligence who for many years has enjoyed the respect of people around the globe, especially other intelligence agencies, is experiencing a minor, unexpected fall from grace in Daniel Silva’s (House of Spies, etc.) latest novel. The legendary spymaster who first joined the Office in 1972 to carry out operation Wrath of God, a mission put in place to respond, in force, to the terrorist group Black September, who murdered eleven Israeli athletes at the Munich Games, has since gone on to be the most revered assassin the Mossad has ever produced.Hand-picked to run the Office, Allon’s promotion and official return to Israel’s vaunted foreign intelligence service was viewed, by many, like the prodigal son finally returning home. Much like the parable, Gabriel’s journey was long and full of pain and heartache before returning home to the outstretched arms of his fellow people, who have since slept easier at night knowing that Allon is manning the offices of King Saul Boulevard around the clock to protect them.Now, for the first time, there are questions swirling around Gabriel and his ability to lead as chief. A high-ranking Russian officer codenamed Heathcliff, who has spent the last few years working with Israel in secret (who then, in turn, supply any relatable information to their allies) is ready to officially defect. In a joint operation with Britain’s MI6, Gabriel Allon and a handful of his most trusted assets fly to Vienna, a place where Gabriel has experienced an abundance of personal grief, to bring the Russian spy in from the cold. (longtime fans will appreciate one touching scene that plays back certain events from The Kill Artist, reminding readers of the many sacrifices Gabriel has endured during his time as a spy.) Instead, all hell breaks loose, and Heathcliff is assassinated just before Allon is able to take him into custody for a much-needed debriefing. The operation is a resounding failure. Unfortunately, media outlets around the world have taken note of the blunder in Vienna, which at face value appears as if Allon was in theater to personally oversee the killing of a Russian officer. While Gabriel is no stranger to seeing his name in various headlines (he made quite a few of them in The English Spy) both at home and abroad, this does mark the first time that the coverage around him is decidedly negative. Some, even in Israel, suddenly wonder if the former spy and world-renowned art restorer is, in fact, up to the task of running the Office. Especially with former chief Uzi Navot, who never suffered such a gaffe during his tenure and who is still deeply involved as Allon’s ready and willing second-in-command, standing by. As the fallout continues to rain down around him, Gabriel turns his attention to the operation itself, trying to figure out where it all went wrong. Eventually, he realizes that a traitor has penetrated an allied nation’s foreign intelligence service. As a manhunt for the mole gets underway, a gripping series of events unfolds that sets Gabriel Allon on a collision course with Russia, a country he has a long and troubled history with, though things have never been quite this contentious. Meanwhile, a woman tucked away in a remote part of the Andalusian mountains has begun writing a tell-all book that proves to be unthinkably explosive once details and the woman’s identity are revealed. It’s spy versus spy in Daniel Silva’s latest heart-pounding thriller, which is perhaps his most enthralling novel to date. Twists, turns, and nonstop action fill every page, and the stakes have never been higher for Gabriel Allon, who finds himself surrounded by conflict while facing the most dangerous and critical mission of his storied career. Silva, one of the finest writers working today, remains capable of creating the kind of conundrum where readers are dying to know what happens but don’t want the story to end. From Vienna to Washington D.C. to one of the most shocking conclusions of his career, The Other Woman is Daniel Silva at his very best. Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy meets The Spy Who Came in from the Cold in The Other Woman, an instant classic from Daniel Silva, whose latest masterpiece puts him firmly alongside le Carré and Forsyth as one of the greatest spy novelists of all time. Book DetailsAuthor: Daniel SilvaSeries: Gabriel Allon #18Pages: 496 (Hardcover)ISBN: 147678941XPublisher: HarperRelease Date: July 17, 2018Book Spy Rating: 9.95/10Order Now: https://amzn.to/2MbaQk5 Praised as “one of today’s finest book reviewers” by New York Times bestselling author Gayle Lynds, Ryan Steck (“The Godfather of the thriller genre” — Ben Coes) has “quickly established himself as the authority on mysteries and thrillers” (Author A.J. Tata). He currently lives in Southwest Michigan with his wife and their six children.

This is another book in Silva's amazing, wonderful Gabriel Allon series. Silva deserves all the acclaim he receives as a professional thriller author. I particularly like his European settings, and the twists and turns in the espionage games he outlines.Four stars for two reasons: another commercial author or his editor or publisher gets struck by TDS (Trump Derangement Syndrome) and can't resist telling us that fictional character Gabriel Allon, and others, don't approve of Trump. Also the plot is much more historical than is typical for Silva, which is not to my personal taste. Readers who like historically-driven thriller readers may prefer this kind of plot.

another great thriller from Silva ... this one with a unique plot twist

Absolutely brilliant!

A part of Gabriel did not mourn Hughes’s passing, for it appeared he had met with the end he richly deserved. But why had Alistair Hughes died? It was possible that it was an accident, that Hughes had simply rushed into the street, into the path of an oncoming car. Possible, thought Gabriel, but unlikely. Gabriel did not believe in accidents; he made accidents happen. So did the Russians.Israeli intelligence is “on the nose” with its allies following the aborted defection of Russian double-agent Konstantin Kirov, gunned down in sight of a safe house in Vienna. Recriminations fall squarely on the shoulders of intelligence chief, Gabriel Allon, former master spy and art restorer. Then, as Alistair Hughes, head of MI6’s Vienna station, is killed in an unauthorised trip to Bern, Switzerland and found to be the subject to a clandestine Israeli intelligence operation, the Swiss authorities are far from pleased.“ISIS’s ideology endures, and it’s finally managed to seep into Switzerland.” Bittel fixed Gabriel with a reproachful stare. “And so I will overlook that you entered the country without bothering to inform the NDB, and on a false passport at that. I assume you are not here for the skiing. It’s been terrible this year.”Hughes’ final movements points to the possibility of a Russian mole highly-placed in Britain’s MI6, and in an attempt to discover who is behind the leaks, businessman and SVR operative Sergei Morosov is snatched off the streets of Strasbourg for interrogation. But it is Allon’s predecessor, Uzi Navot, in discussions with Werner Schwartz in Vienna, who makes the vital link to cold-war operations in Beirut in the early sixties, and the “Other Woman” of the title.From surveillance to safe houses, the Schweizerhof Hotel to Starbucks, from Andalucia to Washington DC, author Daniel Silva brings us a contemporary fictional spy-ring scandal reaching back to the infamous spy scandal of the early sixties surrounding the “Cambridge 5” – MacLean, Burgess, Philby, Blunt and Cairncross. Fact and fiction blur in light of recent true-life assassination attempts by the SVR; where the “fictional” head of MI6, Graham Seymour, was twelve-year old in the sixties when his father Arthur Seymour was stationed, in Beirut. Allon and Seymour work tirelessly through his reports sent to London in search of an identity. There are cameos of Office stalwarts, former spy boss Ari Shamron and Christopher Keller, now with MI6.A reader might find a notebook handy to keep track of names and events. As always, the book starts slowly and momentum increases rapidly as the mole is cornered and seeks to escape via the Potomac River locks, undone by divided loyalties. Expect a twist in the tail as long-held friendships between British, American and Israeli intelligence services falter in the wake of scandal.

This is an excellent entry in the Gabriel Allon series. This book had more old-school espionage in it than the earlier ones - almost like a LeCarre novel. The ending is pragmatic and it leaves the series at a point which is quite intriguing.

Daniel Silva has written a long series of fabulous spy novels. They are centered on Gabriel Allon, a fictional character who is the top spy in the Israeli secret intelligence agency. He is also a renowned restorer of antique art, though this vocation does not enter into this particular story. The stories are always realistic, which is important for thrillers like these.The novels in this series generally have slow-moving plots, but I do not find any of them to be boring. The reason is that each each story contains some fascinating aspect. In some of the stories, the art work is actually the interesting aspect of the book. In others, the interactions between the spy agencies of different nations are engaging. Here, the most interesting aspect is seeing the layers of the onion, as the true intentions of Allon's adversaries are wrapped in layers. Why was a particular spy assassinated? The reader thinks he knows--but there are deeper reasons, left to the imagination.I didn't read this book--I listened to the audiobook, narrated by George Guidall. As usual, he is an excellent reader.

Spies, Traitors and Moles Well blended and Deftly Seasoned With a Dash of HistoryThe Other Woman is Daniel Silva’s 2018 offering to his multitude of fans, and any lucky new readers who have started with the 18th book in the Gabriel Allon series. Some of us, myself included, were lucky enough to get a copy a few days in advance – the treat of all treats.Compared to his last few books, The Other Woman is, in a way, a quieter book; there is less bling, fewer bombs, and if so inclined, one could actually track the body count, but don’t let that fool you. There are innumerable twists and turns, blown operations, dangerous gambits and missing puzzle pieces all of which strain several long time friendships and alliances. "The Other Woman" reminded me in some ways of, “An Unlikely Spy,” the very first Silva book written before Gabriel Allon had been created. This is because it deals more with the line by line, hour by hour painstaking work of spy craft rather than the more glitzy glamorous rock’em sock’em aspects, but this book is anything but slow moving or bogged down in details. The author’s humor is allowed to shine through the tension, and his repetition of certain phrases reminds me of a composer’s leitmotif.Mr. Silva brilliantly weaves the lives and perfidies of some comparatively recent, real life spies with his fictional figures, and the reader is drawn into this spider’s web smoothly and silkily. Prescient as always, Daniel Silva has turned away from the morass of the Middle East and dropped us into the arms of Mother Russia. We spend a lot of time in Vienna, a city that is a series of painful memories for Gabriel, who is now Head of the Office.A standard scooping up of a Russian defector goes very wrong in a way that points to a mole. From there we are on our journey that brings us to several countries including brief visits to Israel where we catch a glimpse of favorites such as Shamron and Chiara, and those adorable twins, and longer visits to the UK and the US. Some of the regulars are more front and center than others, but just about all our old friends are there. The historical characters are a superb touch, and those who are in my age bracket will no doubt remember much about them. The Other Woman is riveting right up to and including the Author’s Note at the end. Big bombs are not the only scary things in this world. The Other Woman may not end with a bang, but the whimper, if heard, was just mine at finishing the best book I will read until next July.

You can always count on Gabriel Allon to flush out the mole and bring it to ground. When Israel’s Russian defector is gunned down, Gabriel and MI 5/6 work together to uncover the traitor. The trail leads to some very interesting Kim Philby history. George Guidall was the narrator and the spy genre is not the best fit with his deep and bland voice. I thoroughly enjoyed this, my husband hated it, go figure.

If I could give 10 stars I would. If ever an author was able to capture an atmosphere of breathless suspense with words and dialogue it is Daniel Silva. Silva is the Shakespeare of the spy genre. I don’t know what else to say about this book except “Read It”!!! And do not skip the Author’s Note at the end.Read in 2018.