Genre: Book
Grade: A
Notable People: Ken Follett
Title: Eye of the Needle
Review: This 1978 novel by the author of The Pillars of the Earth medieval trilogy may be one the greatest spy thrillers ever written. A semi-factual account of the battle of deception between Hitler and the Allies surrounding the decoding of where the penultimate D-Day attack will occur. Th abate of wills and spy tactics would ultimately decide the key to victory for either side. One enemy spy knows the secret to the Allies’ greatest deception, a brilliant aristocrat and ruthless assassin — code name: “The Needle”. Only one person stands in his way: a lonely Englishwoman on an isolated island, who is beginning to love the killer who has mysteriously entered her life. Follett is a truly gifted and exceptional writer, who is still actively writing. His sense of nuance and character is shockingly good-you will feel like you are there and can connect to the investments of the characters fully. It does not hurt that he is extraordinarily well informed historically. He is my favorite lit discovery of the last year.