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"Nine years ago, terrorists hijacked a plane in Vienna. Somehow, a rescue attempt staged from the inside went terribly wrong and everyone on board was killed. Members of the CIA stationed in Vienna during that time were witness to this terrible tragedy, gathering intel from their sources during those tense hours, assimilating facts from the ground with a series of texts coming from one of their agents inside the plane. So when it all went wrong, the question had to be asked: Had their agent been compromised, and how? Two of those agents, Henry Pelham and Celia Harrison, were lovers at the time, and in fact that was the last night they spent together. Until now. That night Celia decided she'd had enough; she left the agency, married and had children, and is living an ordinary life in the suburbs. Henry is still an analyst, and has traveled to California to see her one more time, to relive the past, maybe, or to put it behind him once and for all. But neither of them can forget that long-ago question: Had their agent been compromised, and how? And each of them also wonders what role tonight's dinner companion might have played in the way things unfolded. All the Old Knives is Olen Steinhauer's most intimate, most cerebral, and most shocking novel to date from the New York Times bestselling author deemed by many to be John le Carre's heir apparent"
A botched rescue attempt on a hijacked plane nine years prior forces two former lovers and CIA agents to confront a shared, unresolved past. Nine years ago, a plane hijacking in Vienna ended in tragedy, with all aboard killed during an internal rescue attempt. CIA analysts Henry Pelham and Celia Harrison, who were lovers at the time, were deeply involved in gathering intelligence and communicating with an agent on board. Now, Henry seeks out Celia, who has left the agency for a quiet suburban life, to revisit the lingering question of whether their agent was compromised and how. Their reunion is fraught with the unspoken, as each suspects the other, and the events of that night, may hold the key to the disaster.
Olen Steinhauer's "All the Old Knives" is recognized as a masterclass in espionage thrillers, often lauded for its intricate plotting and psychological depth. Critics frequently compare Steinhauer to John le Carré, noting his ability to craft complex characters and morally ambiguous situations within the spy genre. The novel is praised for its cerebral approach, focusing on the internal machinations and personal toll of intelligence work rather than overt action. Readers and reviewers alike highlight the suspenseful nature of the narrative, particularly the slow unraveling of past events and the constant tension between the protagonists.
Page Count:
294
Publication Date:
2015-01-01
Publisher:
Picador
ISBN-10:
1250045428
ISBN-13:
9781250045423
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