Ged Carroll

A Shadow Intelligence by Oliver Harris

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The estimated reading time for this post is 93 seconds

I was given a galley copy of A Shadow Intelligence to read.

TLDR: version of my review is that its a thoroughly modern spy thriller.

The protagonist Elliot Kane is a British intelligence officer who has returned from Saudi Arabia to London. He is sent a video of himself in a room that he’s never been talking to a man that he doesn’t know. Harris takes the reader on a spy story that takes place in the Central Asian republics between China and Russia.

It is a thoroughly modern book:

Kane comes across as a jaded, human bookish character more George Smiley than James Bond. Harris did his research really well. He brings alive the locations and the main characters.

If I had one criticism it would be that the end felt a bit rushed, rather like the author was trying to exceed a word count. Despite this I am happy recommending A Shadow Intelligence as a good leisure read. More book reviews here.