Barry Eisler: London Twist

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This is another short novella by Barry Eisler that sizzles in more ways than one. We are introduced once again to Delilah, a beautiful Mossad seductrice who I last met in "Paris Bitch" where covert operatives John Rain and Delilah outsmart an attempted kidnapping of Delilah by people working for a Saudi Prince who she left in the lurch after she had got the information she needed.

After MI5 takes permanent care of the dangerous Saudi Prince, Delilah feels obliged to help them infiltrate a terrorist network that is planning poison gas attacks on the UK population. The difference this time is that the target is Fatima, a beautiful emancipated Middle Eastern woman whose hatred stems from one of her brothers being killed by an US drone. Making friends with a woman to get information, especially one as beautiful, defensive, clever and committed as Fatima is a very different challenge to those normally faced by Delilah.

The politics and terrorist themes area most contemporary and compelling. It is an interesting and different spy book, especially as it was written by a man and finishes up in a tasteful but very steamy and descriptive girl-and-girl situation which has an unexpected emotional impact on Delilah.

I really enjoyed this short book and look forward to reading more about Delilah and more of Barry Eisler's well written and exciting action thrillers.