I have always been a fan of spy novels. They have everything required to keep you reading way past your bedtime – deceit, adventure, intrigue, and fascinating characters. John Le Carre’s A Most Wanted Man is by far the best I have read in years, if not ever. It is the story of Issa, a half-Russian, half-Chechen Muslim who shows up in Germany and is suspected of terrorism by the intelligence agencies of multiple countries. Helping him are his German attorney, Annabel Richter, and a British banker, Tommy Brue, whose bank holds an account set up by Issa’s criminal father. There is also, of course, a multitude of spies – German, British, and American – all with different agendas and secrets of their own. The major spy character is Gunther Bachmann, a German who is ethical but often hard and unforgiving. The most fascinating aspect of this book is the relentless drive of the individuals whose job it is to prevent another major terrorist attack. That is their singular focus, and they will let nothing deter them, particularly the lawyers and their antiquated notion of innocent until proven guilty. In this post-9/11 world, the lines have become blurred and spying is a harsher and more frightening game. Let’s just say that the Americans are not the good guys at the end of this book, but we can hope things will change after November 4th. ~Torrie