The complex puzzle of a life forgotten powers this beautifully written spy novel by Siler (Iced
; Shot
), set primarily in the dangerous alleys and souks of spice-drenched Morocco. A convent of nuns in the French countryside takes in an unidentified woman with a head wound who is unable to remember anything of her former life. She is dubbed Eve; the only clues to her past are a ticket from the Tangier-Algeciras ferry and a mouth full of fancy dentistry that could only be American. After most of the convent is brutally slaughtered by mysterious intruders, Eve flees to Morocco, intent on unraveling the mysteries of her lost life. In Tangier, she is aided by an odd little man, Joshi, who points her in the direction of a mysterious American, Brian Haverman, who tells her she was once his brother Pat's lover. Tantalizing sparks of recognition goad Eve as she combs Tangier for clues and finds she has a real talent for self-defense and gunplay. Eve and Brian go to Marrakech to search for the missing Pat. In Marrakech, an international arms dealer captures Eve and tortures her, trying to find something she supposedly possesses though she has no idea what it might be. Gradually, she tweezes out the story of her past, although the revelations are neither particularly pleasant nor especially hopeful. An air of lyrical melancholy hangs over the novel, as if a young John le Carré had rewritten The Bourne Identity
with a female protagonist. The plotting is deft, the characters believable and, in the end, Eve finds who she was, even if she remains unsure of what that means or what she will become. (Feb. 4)
Forecast
:
Siler's work usually garners praise from critics and fellow authors alike, although marketing efforts from the publisher remain low-key. Bookseller guidance and word of mouth could expand her sales within the community of readers who appreciate a more in
tellectual and literate approach to the thriller.
