What do readers think of All the Old Knives by Olen Steinhauer? Write your own review.

I have greatly enjoyed all of Steinhauer's books, though I most enjoyed his early Eastern European novels. I continue to struggle a bit with suspending my disbelief in the ability of the CIA -- or any US government agency --to perform the sorts of complex covert acts that Steinhauer and other spy novelists allow them to secretly pull off. But, that said, this was an entertaining and enjoyable novel

"All the Old Knives" by Olen Steinhauer is a very quick read. Steinhauer is a master of character development and the spy/agent genre. I enjoyed this novel much more than his last book, "The Cairo Affair". In "All the Old Knives" there are fewer characters and the storyline flows more evenly. He again separates sections of the book by main character name, but this time, there is a cleaner and less convoluted backstory than with "The Cairo Affair". While the outcome of the story may not be a surprise to some readers, the explanation of how the events came to pass are well constructed. Would recommend.

The title of the work, which derives from an ancient fable: "All the old knives That have rusted in my back, I drive in yours," sets the tone immediately for this captivating and compulsively readable spy novel. I read it in one sitting and was on the edge of my seat as events unfolded in real-time as two former lovers, Henry, still a CIA operative, and Celia, now retired a mother and wife, meet for dinner in northern California. Throughout this dinner their memories of a fatal terrorist hijacking years ago and the motives of both characters for agreeing to meet become stunningly clear. Who is playing whom in this game of cat and mouse is finally answered in the final pages, but the reader is left at the end still pondering if one of the characters will live or die.

I really enjoyed this book--it was thrilling, well-written and the narrative was complex and compelling. I highly recommend this book!

This is a new author for me. While I found the book a bit slow; however, some of the descriptions were really interesting. I would like to read some more of his books. The plot had a few too many twists and turns and I really had a hard time getting to know and like the characters.

Olen Steinhauer brings readers to the town of Carmel-by-the-Sea, California where two former spies and once lovers rendezvous to recount a fateful day they shared together in Vienna. Just as the protagonists pair their (multiple) glasses of wine with their entrees, Steinhauer expertly blends the page-turning suspense of a spy thriller with meaningful literary themes like the limits of loyalty and the power of love. While this book is perfect for a quick, casual read, it raises questions that would make for meaningful group discussion as well.

Olen Steinhauer has produced a well-written spy story, but one with not much zing. His method of telling a story, in this case a conversation over the course one dinner between two old colleagues and lovers, fails to pace an otherwise intriguing plot to a satisfying climax. I was disappointed. I do, however, look forward to what other readers have to say.

We know from the start that this story involves two ex-lovers, colleagues in espionage reconnecting after a few years and there is an agenda. The tale is dished out through the alternating voices of Henry and Celia. The first third of the book I just didn't care much because there were so many background characters, places and events to catch up on. Henry and Celia know all this stuff but we don't. Suddenly the puzzle pieces fell into place and I didn't put the book down until it was done. A good rainy day read..

This is the first of Olen Steinhauer's books that I have read, but know how popular he is. His writing is easy, often clever, and yet I found myself not always sure which character was narrating the chapter until I had more clues. The book is often like a puzzle, giving you a piece of information and then realizing it doesn't fit. He built the tension up to the last page, but I didn't feel as vested in the book as I am in most other spy/mystery novels. I'll read another 1 or 2 books of his to see if this is just the way he writes.