THE ENGLISH GIRL

Author Daniel Silva and narrator George Guidall are an elegant combination for audiobook listeners. The slowly unfurling mystery of the disappearance of an English girl on vacation in Corsica is trademark Silva, laying the groundwork for another adventure of master spy and assassin Gabriel Allon. Guidall uses his mastery of accents, place names, and personalities to succinctly portray the international cast as the globetrotting spy craft shifts into high gear. He doles out the secrets to the puzzling kidnapping that surprise even the seasoned intelligence agents--with perfect timing. Many of the previous exploits of Allon and Tel Aviv's "Office" seem to surface in conversation, making listeners eager to chase down those capers as well. Some series might lose steam after a dozen episodes, but Silva--in Guidall's rendition--seems responsive to new challenges and solutions to 21st-century espionage. R.F.W. © AudioFile 2013, Portland, Maine [Published: JULY 2013]