Alias Emma by Ava Glass was a fast read, and very enjoyable. It is more of a thriller than an espionage novel, nevertheless, I found myself engaged.

Miss Allende explores multiple themes throughout the narrative, focusing on women’s issues in Latin America, but does not beat the reader with it.

A terrorist group took over a 100 hostages in Vienna. The rescue attempt went horribly wrong. CIA Vienna branch believes the inside breach was in their office.

With all the action and adventure, this is ultimately a melancholy book. Allon is a flawed hero (but aren’t they all), who is, this time, out for revenge

Liane Vinson is a researcher in an animal testing facility, however, one of her favorite primates, a bonobo called Bea, starts to display the ability to speak.

White “The Memorist” is a bit slower than the previous novel, I thought the story was more interesting, the characters are more fleshed out

Israeli art restorers/ spy Gabriel Allon is called one more time into service to investigate the mysterious murder of his friend Benjamin Stern

I found the plot to be a bit too convenient, information happens to fall into Sam’s lap just at the right time, I did enjoy the Russian/British interaction

The mystery was not as involved as the previous book, I figured out who the killer is a bit before the ¾ mark. However, I found the side stories more compelling

A Reliable Wife by Robert Goolrick is told in vivid narrative, it is sinful and tense, with flashes of violence, graphic sexual acts and grief