Death Will Have Your Eyes - James Sallis

I can probably count the number of spy novels I've ever read on the fingers of one hand. In fact, I can probably count the number of spy novels I've read on the index finger of one hand. I know nothing about them except exploding pens, ejector seats and butlers with killer-frisbee bowler hats. To be fair, to both myself and the genre, the tagline of this book is, 'A novel about spies', not '...about spying' you notice. This is a very important distinction. Sallis' book is primarily about the people not the situations they find themselves in. The protagonist, David, is a re-activated sleeper agent fighting against the comfort of his current life and the demands and duties his former life is now making of him. James Bond this isn't. David is an utterly human character. Sure, he can do 'spy' type things but that really isn't the point here, the point is what's happening inside his head more than outside it.

Sallis cut his teeth writing science fiction in the 1960's for 'New Worlds' magazine but is deservedly noted for his 4 (to my knowledge) Lew Griffin pulp-noir novels. Evidence of both of these can be found here. His theories on spying (given voice here by David's memories of his training) are pure sci fi (so much so they're probably true) whereas his noir roots show in a writing style that is slow and meandering through a plot that is airtight and beautifully paced, peopled with characters that you become genuinely fond of.