The Sisters (original 1986; edition 2006)

Robert Littell's spy stories vary somewhat in quality. This story of 'The sisters Death and Night', Spy/Counterspy, sleepers and assassins is a solid B- in 'my' book! ( )

A wonderfully nuanced story of a cold-war espionage chess game between the CIA and KGB with substantial consequences. The sisters are two CIA officers whose job is to concoct plots. They come up with what they consider the perfect crime, using the unwitting former head of the KGB sleeper school. Nothing is as it seems though and the plot is twisted enough to maintain suspense until the end. ( )

A cold war spy thriller that takes place in the early 60s, The Sisters begins somewhat poorly, as the description of the title characters, a highly-placed, CIA odd couple, that makes up the first chapter is distractingly mannered in the telling. But as the storyline moves from these two screwy yet sinister fellows (yes, they are male, despite their nickname) and out into the storyline of the plot they set into action, the book, and the writing, pick up considerably. By about the 60-page mark I was very much into the tale. There are interesting and intelligent characters, and almost all of the plot twists are at least hinted at subtly beforehand, so there's no feeling of things just being inserted for convenience sake four fifths of the way through the plot line.

A high quality spy thriller for those who like the genre. I would not necessarily go out searching for more by Littell, as I don't read more than one or two such books per year, but if I were to stumble upon another book of his on a thrift store rack (which is where I found The Sisters), I might well pick it up. ( )