William Boyd does not disappoint in this suspenseful and intriguing read. Ne of the best I have read in a while.

Gabriel's Moon is a brilliant, complex book about obsession, trust, lies, manipulation and secrets. The opening with 6 year old Gabriel escaping a house fire that kills his mother, destroys his home and separates him from his brother is a powerfully unsettling start. Although this is a spy novel set in the 1960s cold war era there are no clichés and the sense of period detail is immaculate and immersive. We travel with Gabriel to Brazzaville, Franco's Cadiz, Soviet era Warsaw and an escape through the Eastern bloc. There is a lot of misdirection which creates a quietly sustained menace and the characters are fascinating. There are quiet details, such as the enigmatic Faith Green who wears the same lavender scent as his mother. William Boyd's precise and beautiful use of language is a joy: Gabriel's uncle and guardian is economically described as wearing 'a nacreous silk suit and a pale blue shirt with a lemony tie.' I wanted to reread this book the moment I had finished because I know I will get even more out of this book if I do. Such skilled writing is rare and beautiful.

Set in 1960s London with the backdrop of the cold war. Boyd introduces us to Gabriel Dax who is an acclaimed travel writer but who becomes quite an unconventional spy. He tries to make sense of his missions as his handler, Fiona, doesn't tell him much. He goes to Cadiz to meet an artist and collect a painting and then heads behind the Iron Curtain to Poland. Boyd captures the 1960s perfectly, even down to the 1960s pub. It is not only his mysterious trips that are causing him sleepless nights. As a young boy, his mother died in a house fire and every night, he has a recurring nightmare about it. Boyd writes a seamless tale with some clever and unexpected plot twists. A jewel of a spy thriller.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy of this book. I really enjoyed this, it has a great plot and is a page turner. As soon as you start it you know you are in the hands of an experienced writer who is a great storyteller and you can just read avidly without having to worry about inconsistencies, mistakes etc. The actual story is great with some twists and turns and I enjoyed the 1960's setting. Gabriel is a likeable character and he acts in ways that seem realistic, ways in which we, ourselves, might hope to act, well, maybe setting aside the bit where he hides in the bushes to spy on Faith and her fiancé on holiday although even that is a bit endearing when he realises what he is doing! The minor characters are very well drawn and all their interactions seems authentic. The writing is so vivid that I honestly could imagine that I was actually present in all the places Gabriel goes to. In my eagerness to get on with the plot I often skim descriptive passages in books but I really enjoyed these descriptions, particularly Congo and Spain. I also liked the change in style the author uses when we read the purple prose in the extracts from Gabriel's own travel books. Unputdownable and I intend to read more of the author's books. 4.5 up to 5.. Also, I would like to read more about the adventures of Gabriel Dax.

It’s so rare to find something as readable and of such calibre as this book by William Boyd. It goes right back to his first novels in excellence. Couldn’t better it