London Twist

by Barry Eisler

For Delilah, the Mossad’s top seductress, the parameters of the assignment were routine. The contractor: MI6. The objective: infiltrate a terror network, this one operating out of London. The stakes: a series of poison gas attacks on civilian population centers.

There’s just one wrinkle. The target is a woman—as smart, beautiful, and committed as Delilah herself. And for a cynical operative thrust suddenly out of her element, the twists and turns of the spy game are nowhere near as dangerous as the secrets and desires of the human heart.

Genres: Fiction, Thriller, Audiobook, Suspense, Short Stories, Mystery Thriller, Espionage

114 pages, Kindle Edition

First published July 2, 2013

About the author

Barry Eisler spent three years in a covert position with the CIA’s Directorate of Operations, then worked as a technology lawyer and startup executive in Silicon Valley and Japan, earning his black belt at the Kodokan Judo Institute along the way. Eisler’s award-winning thrillers have been included in numerous “Best Of” lists, have been translated into nearly twenty languages, and include the #1 bestsellers Livia Lone, The Night Trade, and The Killer Collective. Eisler lives in the San Francisco Bay Area and, when he's not writing novels, blogs about national security and the media. www.barryeisler.com

Series:
* John Rain

Reviews

[donna backshall · Rating 5 out of 5]

I grabbed this short novel from Kindle Unlimited, and decided to listen to the audio version. Written by Barry Eisler, read by Barry Eisler, so audio has to be the way to go, right?

Indeed this is a great story, especially to give more background to John Rain's occasional lover, Delilah. Honestly, I'd love to see Barry Eisler flood The Internets with Dox stories, but hey, I'll take what I can get for now.

It's probably just me, but I do giggle when I hear a narrator reading a particularly vivid sex scene. The Delilah-Fatima dynamic here is well developed and kind of hot, but still...*dissolves in giggles*. It's one thing to read a scene and let my imagination go where it will, but to have a dude read aloud the play-by-play feels awkward, like having my brother read porn to me.

[Barry Eisler · Rating 5 out of 5]

It just doesn't seem right not include my own stories on my bookshelf. And even though I can't claim to be objective, I love 'em all... most recently, Delilah's latest outing, London Twist. Hope you enjoy it, too.

http://www.amazon.com/London-Twist-De...

[Robert Rosenthal · Rating 5 out of 5]

Okay, there was less of the action and intrigue that Eisler is so skilled at. But this is a character piece, and a powerful statement about the complexities and ambiguities of the world we inhabit with its zipless drone-strike kills. Is it justifiable to assassinate someone planning a terrorist attack? Most of us would say, of course, myself among them. But motivations become more complicated when we understand the terrorists motivations (as the Showtime series Homeland renders so well). And more complicated still if we love that person, or fall in love with his sister, as Delilah does. Not being female, it's tough to assess the veracity of their relationship, but I was more than willing to suspend disbelief that these two women -- each of whom is living a double life, each of whom has lost siblings to terrorists, each of whom is so stunning that they're constantly stared at and hit on -- would become fast friends. Sure, Delilah breaks out of her professional role. But isn't that just what Rain did with Midori, the daughter of a target? Her angst in fulfilling her mission, knowing she's betraying someone she truly identifies with and loves, makes this story very real and powerful for me. Kent's character is an extra bonus. Is he a sloppy agent, or is that a persona he affects? Is he coming on to Delilah (of course), but how sincere is he? The ending where he tracks her to Paris continues the theme of manipulation vs. sincerity: Is he just wanting to sleep with her and being incredibly persistent, or do they indeed share something in common, as she and Rain did.

I also like that Eisler is introducing a new character to his universe. Rain, after all, is getting too old for these sorts of shenanigans.

SPOILER ALERT:

But what raises this novella to 5-star status is Delilah's discovery that in her own denial-fraught way, Fatima was also not playing it straight. That she knew, or strongly suspected, that Delilah was an operative of a foreign clandestine agency, and still chose to trespass and get close to her; as Delilah herself crossed that line to be with Fatima. And were it not for Kent showing up and Delilah's finely-honed instincts, she might have been the one cruelly raped and murdered.

No happy endings here. No peaceful sunsets or James Bond fly-aways with the rescued glam-girl. This is the real world. And this reader for one appreciates it that way!

[Xander · Rating 5 out of 5]

I pre-ordered this on Kindle and I was happy to see it appear in my virtual library automatically. Fortunately, I'm currently in Beijing so it appeared late in the afternoon as I was finishing the day's meetings....this turned into a short but most enjoyable 'two beer read' at the pub before heading home.

The virtual pages turn quickly in this short thriller that centers on Delilah and her target, Fatima. Boundaries professional and personal are tested by both women, leading to emotions of steamy passion and ultimately, heartbreak and sadness from an overnight tryst that goes horribly wrong. It's the character-driven emotional bonds that will keep the reader engaged here, not necessarily the action sequences in the plot. In fact, the time-sensitive threat of a mass-casualty attack is not the main driver here. Perhaps this is appropriate for the eloquent political message also conveyed by London Twist, that there is an insane, illogical nature to the current cycle of terrorism and the policies used to confront it. The very human characters in this story make this cycle of violence anything but abstract.

[Lisa · Rating 3 out of 5]

This novella was action packed, sexy and tinged with anger and sadness (what a combo!).
It is a spin off from the John Rain series featuring Delilah who is a French special agent on a mission in London.

I liked it but it tried to fit too much in for such a short read ...it is only 115 pages (3.5 hours on audio). I think the story would have worked better if it was more succinct and we saved 'discussions on feelings' for longer stories where they could be properly addressed and not presented as cliches.

Still worth a read, just would have preferred more focus on the action!

[Jon Seals · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stars

This is another Eisler short story of characters in the John Rain universe. This time, it's Delilah.

The Mossad agent is tasked with getting info from an equally smart, beautiful woman.

We just finished the first season of "Special Ops: Lioness" on Paramount+, which had a similar storyline to "London Twist." (Not good or bad, just interesting.)

Even though this story is centered around Delilah, I don't know if we learned anything new about her. She's a seductress. That's about it.

Still, Eisler is just so damn good. This one probably had the thinest plot of any of these short stories, but it was still very good.

[Corey Nelson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Spinning off from his successful John Rain series, I enjoyed getting a taste of Delilah’s experience on a mission. Hope there will be more stories of the other characters in the series (but let’s not lose focus on the main draw, John Rain).

A short story, the mission was interesting and the treatment of the characters fair. This was not a simple development for Delilah and it was not something that went smoothly for me. It felt a little forced. I did like that the story was interesting and a timely regarding the challenges of public resistance and the personal risk that brings.

The author, Barry Eisner, again does the narration. One of the reasons I enjoy the Audible versions of all his books.

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love Barry Eisler's books. I love it when he gives us these lovely little snippets into the lives of John Rain's companions. Now that I have gushed about how awesome this series is and how wonderful Barry Eisler's writing is, let me talk about what bothered me about this story.

I think Delilah's infatuation with the female target was exaggerated. She had a huge crush on her, had her first lesbian experience with her, and then was willing to die for her.

Let's think about this. Delilah had sex with important men as part of her job as a deep undercover agent. She has no qualms about it and has disdain for the people in her operation who think she is just a praying mantis who has no compunction about her line of work. So..... never had any sexual contact with a female before this? Ok. I guess that is plausible. It sort of reminded me of all the romances where the woman finally falls in love and OH YEAH - she is a virgin. I guess there is a lot more purity in the world writers live than in real life.

Next, Delilah seems to fall in love with this woman. Enough so that she makes really poor decisions, jeopardizes both of them, and at one point is laying across her new lover screaming at her contact at MI6 that he will have to kill them both. Huh. She fell so hard and fast for this woman that she was willing to die for her. In like - a week. OK. If you set aside the love connection here, I am a little taken aback that Delilah would be so unprofessional and take such risks with her career and her life. She kind of came across as incompetent and I find this disappointing. I wanted Delilah to be stronger than that, a better operative than that. I wanted her to be in John's league, and I feel like this story lowered her a bit. Not because she opened her heart, but because she closed her eyes WHEN she opened her heart.

Maybe I am reading too much into this story, but here is another thought I had about Delilah and this woman. Delilah isn't really in love with the woman, but is in love with the idea that there is another woman out there who is in a like situation. Having never encountered this before, I think she was blindsided by it. If you list the similarities between these two women, they are practically twins in life experience, love of fashion, loss and risks they have had to take in their lives, idealism, and they would both score a 10 on "Am I Hot or Not". Maybe Delilah became so protective and loving toward this woman because she was such a reflection of Delilah that she could not help but to do so? I suppose that could be twisted into a modern tale of Narcissus, but I prefer not to open that door.

I like writing that makes me think. Barry Eisler's writing sticks with me and I find myself looking at character development and plots long after I finished a story. Even though this story didn't develop the character Delilah in a way I wanted it too, it was a really well written story and I enjoyed it immensely.

[Gamal Hennessy · Rating 4 out of 5]

When I decided to become an independent publisher, Barry Eisler was the one of the modern writers who inspired me most. I wanted to capture the lethal complexity of his characters and the world they live in. I strive to emulate the visceral depth that he brings to both his tactical descriptions and his combat scenes without parroting his style. London Twist marks both a slight departure from his established conventions and an expansion of his creativity that achieves very pleasant results.

Readers familiar with the John Rain series will recognize Rain's former lover and honey trap Delilah. It is her first solo operation that provides the catalyst for the new direction. But Mr. Eisler doesn't simply change the gender of his protagonist and continue on his merry way. In Twist, seduction replaces murder as the method of choice without sacrificing the tactical element that makes Mr. Eisler's writing so enjoyable. The seductive and erotic scenes are handled with just as much meticulous rigor as his previous combat descriptions and this time they come off as much less desperate and violent as his earlier sex scenes. Of course, the deception, paranoia and double crosses that consume the Rain series are on every page of this novella, but with London Twist, Mr. Eisler proves he can write about both sex and violence skillfully.

My upcoming spy novel also focuses on the consequences of combining intimacy and deception and once again, Barry Eisler has inspired me with his latest work. It is a short and sweet alternative to John Rain that you will enjoy if you appreciate the intelligent thriller.

Have fun.
Gamal

[Sandy · Rating 2 out of 5]

After MI-6 bails her out of a bad situation, Delilah owes them a favor. The job? To get close to the beautiful activist Fatima in order to ascertain where her brother, a suspected terrorist, is planning to attack.

This novella was such a disappointment. Eisler has only released one short story since publishing The Detachment and I've missed him greatly. The books, even the short stories, build and then explode with action, twisting and turning until the reader doesn't know who to trust, but this was so predictable.

She meets Fatima, they share a few meals, Delilah invites her on a trip to Bora Bora and on the last night of the trip they unexpectedly fall into one another's arms? Unexpectedly? Really? I felt it coming when MI-6 told Delilah that 2 men had already failed to get close to Fatima.

Let's just hope the next one is better.

[Nanosynergy · Rating 1 out of 5]

A short story about Delilah, a Mossad operative and sometime girlfriend of international assassin John Rain (see Eiseler John Rain series). Contracted out on an operation with MI6, Delilah is charged with infiltrating a Muslim terror network in London to stop poison gas attacks on civilian populations.

My least favorite of Eiseler's. Completely predictable and not very believable outcome between Delilah and Fatima as set up from the beginning of the story and their 'scene' adds little to nothing to the story. As if two women, two individuals, require a physical relationship to bond (eye roll). Also, if Fatima is even remotely devout, this scene is unlikely. However, I did like Eisler taking on the different perspectives of each women from the viewpoint of their respective cultures and tragic experiences.

[Ralph · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not my favorite Barry Eisler story, but this novella was enjoyable enough. The direction Mr. Eisler went with the Delilah character was a departure from the experienced, ruthless, and thoroughly professional Mossad operative we've met in his other novels. Good narration, as usual.

[Jonnie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think this novella could have been combined with the "Paris Is a Bitch" short story to make it a better novella. The earlier short story was the basis for some of the occurrences in this story so the two could have easily been melded into one story. Not sure why they were separated except for the obvious motive of money.

I thought the story started strong, but it took a weird twist that I found unbelievable. I just didn't buy the relationship or the way the relationship developed. I also did not like the descriptive detail of the sex. It is not necessary and usually does not work well in this genre. I believe that books listed under the genre of suspense should have at least a little of it, but there was no suspense in this book. Everything was predictable early on, even the relationship.

I am curious to see if Kent is in any future books. He has potential to be an interesting character. I'm not sure how much I like Delilah without Rain. Not sure I would read another book just about her without Rain. I see she is in some future books so I'm curious to see how it goes with Rain. She was temperamental before when they were involved so I can foresee potential problems on future ops.

[Temple Dog · Rating 3 out of 5]

Barry Eisler’s London Twist is a understated departure from the John Rain series. The plot centers around Rain’s love interest, Delilah, a Mossad femme fatale on a solo mission in London.

I have always enjoyed the Delilah character. Eisler describes her as smart, attractive and a force to be reckoned with. A combination we rarely see outside of the Superhero genre. Delilah is good at her job and this assignment takes her away from her posh Paris flat to a Pied-à-terre in London’s cozy Notting Hill. Her target, a Pakistani activist with a dark past and an ominous world view.

The interplay between Delilah and her target is a bit too cutesy for my taste and barely passes the Bechtel test. Of course, Delilah must name check Rain, but Eisler still allows both characters to show a fierce resilience and as always, Delilah is smarter than every man in the room.

The highlight of the plot was the tête-à-tête between Delilah and Kent, an MI6 liaison. You sense the heat between them. I won’t spoil whether sparks ever fly.

I missed Rain, but Delilah held her own. I hope Eisler decides to give her more assignments. The more formidable literary protagonists, the better.

TD recommends.

[M · Rating 2 out of 5]

A spy must successfully complete her assignment. Not a mystery. 2.5 stars.

I enjoy the John Rain series’ e-books and audiobooks, but I had difficulties with this novella. First, this heavily political book—published in 2013—feels dated. Protagonist Delilah is a consummate Mossad professional—a “honeypot” spy/agent. Her misogynistic handlers manipulate (blackmail) her to get close to a beautiful Pakistani-Brit named Fatima—in order to extract info about her terrorist brother.

In the John Rain books, Delilah is an excellent secondary character, but here, I pushed to see her as a protagonist. Problem is: Barry Eisler’s female characters have something off about them. I’ve had this same vague, uneasy feeling when other male authors write heavily from a woman’s POV. In this novella, Eisler attempts the POVs of two female protagonists, even “corrupting” the Muslim- woman. Then, like a hormonal teenager, he writes an explicit lesbian sex scene.

As the story unfolded, I guessed the plot progression, including the upcoming murders. Plus, the uncertainties associated with the emotional denouement were planned from the get-go. I’m glad this was a Kindle Unlimited.

[Dave · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book. Recommended reading for anyone who likes spy fiction.
Eisler is a former CIA operative who is most known his series about
John Rain a former Vietnam War Commando who is part Japanese and
part American. This story is not about John Rain although he is a
background character who Delilah remembers fondly and regrets saying goodbye to. Delilah is a Mossad agent. She's blonde and every
head turns when she walks down the street. She's tough as nails and
deadly as a nuclear missle. You don't want to mess with her. She has
an undercover assignment in London and she needs to infilitrate
Islamic terror cells before something bad happens. A well written tale
that is hard to put down. It doesn't have the Japanese phrases and
city descriptions that made A Clean Kill in Tokyo so interesting but it's
a good story. Read it

[Alan Mills · Rating 4 out of 5]

Short, sweet, action packed

First, this is a novella, not a full length novel. Second, this os a Delilah story, not a part of the Rain series. Okay, that out of the way:

Great book. Set up is simple, in Eisler's twisted fashion: MI6 saved Delilah's butt, as she was being stalked by a love crazed Saudi. Now she owes them a favor. They are calling in their favor--asking that she get close to the sister of an Al-Quada terrorist, using her cover as a fashion photographer.

She does; she falls in love, and the mission gets complicated. Along the way we have a couple of pretty decent action sequences, a sex scene, and lots of witty repertoire.

It will never replace a full-blown Rain novel, but for a quick side-read, it's great.

[Joel · Rating 4 out of 5]

This story was about a Mossad agent, Delilah. She is character from the John Rain series and is his lover. She is a formidable agent in her own right. In this story she is assigned to entice a female member of a terrorist ring...to be friend her is some way and get close enough to steal her password for her laptop computer where the MI6 hope to find plans that will expose her brother, the head of the ring.

There is a mutual attraction between Delilah and the target and both women find themselves in their first ever sexual encounter with a person of their own gender. An interesting story for Barry Eisler to write.

The mission is accomplished, but Delilah is left with regrets. Its a good effort in an entirely new arena for Eisler.

[dennis barron · Rating 5 out of 5]

London Twist. Barry Eisler

Delilah is a Mossad operative. Her superiors have called her to a meeting. They are blaming her for a successful op she recently completed. She had help from John Rain and they are upset with his violent tactics. It's all bullshit and Delilah as well as her director know it. She has been given another op in London. Her target? The sister of one of the most targeted terrorist in the world. What ensues is moments of complete understanding of the sisters reaction as a political activist against drone attacks that kill civilians . The loss always stays and never quite excuses the actions of all parties involved. An excellent read!! Enjoyed immensely!!

[Martin · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've read two Barry Eisler books before and enjoyed them thoroughly. This novella turns a secondary character from prior novels, Delilah, into the protagonist. Unfortunately, since this is a short book, the author doesn't have the time/space to develop the characters as he does in his full length stories. The lesbian sex scene was totally expected and, yes, gratuitous. I'm returning to the John Rain thrillers Mr. Eisler is so skilled at writing. I got my $1.99 worth on this Kindle edition.

[Anthony A SPARACIO · Rating 2 out of 5]

Expecting more that never materialized

Somehow the plot never came alive for me. It seemed like the author was rushing to get the script to the twist in the plot that the reader wasn't expecting yet the twist didn't come as a surprise. Doesn't make me want to pursue Delilah's escapes any further. Not a John Rain!

[Patrick Moore · Rating 4 out of 5]

interesting Delilah story

One thing Barry Eisler does well is to build character stories on top of previous works. This really helps build each of his characters well and add increased depth to them. This was a nice filler on the character Delilah which shows how she meets Kent. Again an exciting story with good characters .

[Myrna · Rating 2 out of 5]

London Twist is just not the usual action-packed story you would expect from Barry Eisler. Over half the book is these two women telling each other how beautiful they are, culminating in a long, extremely detailed description of a sexual tryst. The sex did not bother me; however, I want to read mysteries and there was none here.

[reneeNaDaCherry · Rating 4 out of 5]

London Twist: A Delilah Novella

Delilah is not one to play with in this novella. She's an undercover assassin with one mission in mind. Complete her assignment. Bora Bora was described so beautifully. London is dreary London and Paris is for lovers, like John. Or possibly Kent.

2/5/2022.

[Bryan Mcquirk · Rating 3 out of 5]

The novella sequel to Paris is a Bitch. Eisler keeps Delilah moving forward to deal professionally with the repercussions stemming from the Paris incident, while she also deals with the feelings from the personal and emotional consequences as well.
This story is mostly straightforward with some of the standard cliches.
I give 3.5 stars

[Sally Stanton · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a novella by an author my husband really enjoys. He thought I would like it because it's about a female character from his book series. It is not my usual genre but I thought it would be fun to read something that he raves about. I will say I enjoyed it somewhat but I'm glad it was a short book. I've enjoyed other books in this genre like Orphans X and I Am Pilgrim much more.

[Mary Landes · Rating 5 out of 5]

Short But Sweet

Really surprising plot, fast paced and warm with a few unexpected twists and turns. The heat is typically high, while at the same time mixed with a coldness that only Delilah can carry off. Eisler is in top form.

[Butch Byers · Rating 4 out of 5]

the best of the eisler short stories ... set in London ... after Delilla and Rain have their weekend/falling out in Paris ... no happy ever after conclusion with this one, stays true to the bittersweet pathos surrounding Rain and his missions

[John Burnsworth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting with a twist

This was very different from the John Rain stories but kept me turning pages.
Enjoyed the twists and turns and the unexpected character development in this book

[Gloria-Jean Brown · Rating 5 out of 5]

London Twist Twisted!

First read of this author for me. Great story line. The background story. The actual assignment. The trip of a lifetime that allowed the assignment completion; laying the ground work for the epic ending and life after. Thoroughly enjoyed!!