Just Finished Reading: The Silent Man by Alex Berenson

CIA Special Agent John Wells is weeks from burning out. Still recovering from his last assignment he is ordered to take leave and reluctantly agrees. Bored after a few days he decides to call in at the office to see if there’s anything he can do when the car he and his girlfriend are travelling in is attacked by two teams of gunmen on motorbikes. When his girlfriend is hospitalised he uses all of the CIA resources to determine exactly who paid for the hit. Tracking the contract down to a Russian arms dealer he is determined to seek revenge but, as the investigation continues, he uncovers a much greater threat – a threat to the US itself. Radical Muslim terrorists have stolen ex-Soviet nuclear weapons and are intent on detonating them on American soil. But the theft happened weeks ago and the Russian authorities only reluctantly agree to provide the most basic information to the Americans. Meanwhile Wells is closing in on the terrorists as they build the bomb that could change everything.

I guess that I should have been put off by the Washington Post comment on the back of this book comparing the novels hero John Wells to Jack Bauer of ‘24’ fame. It didn’t. This, I thought, would just be a disposable airport book read in a few days and then simply forgotten. It certainly started out that way with cardboard characters and much American jingoism. Surprisingly, as I read on, it got better. There was definitely a black/white, good guys/bad guys thing going on but I was very surprised that the terrorists themselves where fleshed out as real people with real grievances and real motivations. Most of the characters in the book where, as I suspected, stereotypes but, from time to time, I did actually find myself enjoying the ride. Despite being nothing special, and most certainly not great literature, I was fairly entertained for the few days that it took me to whiz through the pages. Something to take on holiday with you I think to switch your brain into neutral after too much time at work. Just leave it in the hotel room afterwards.