A CIA agent is sent to kill a Russian arms dealer at a hotel in Zurich. However, this goes completely wrong, causing the CIA to ask the Mossad for help. At first, the failed mission seems to have no consequences for the Mossad, but appearances can be deceiving. It soon becomes clear that there is a great danger to Israel if action is not taken quickly. Young agent Kelilah Haddad faces a difficult task: a true journey against time to unravel the conspiracy.

Kelilah: deadly embrace is the third book by the Dutch author Jorgen Eijt. He hopes to break through internationally with this blood-curdling spy thriller.

The story immediately starts very exciting with the mission of CIA agent John Carwick. His job is to clean up a Russian arms dealer, a job that can't go wrong on paper. But appearances can be deceiving… With a smashing opening, author Jorgen Eijt ensures that you as a reader immediately sit on the edge of your seat. This immediately sets the tone for the rest of the story, because tension is one of the most important characteristics of a spy thriller. The tension arc therefore remains taut all the time, with regular extra peaks during the many action scenes.

The plot of Kelilah: deadly embrace is excellently put together. Something that is especially important with shorter stories. Especially in the genre of action thrillers or spy thrillers, most of which are just thicker than average. Just think of Tom Clancy or Daniel Silva. So there is no time for a run-up or steady build-up, the storyline has to be there from the start. And it does. The concept is very intriguing and well-developed, and thanks to the short chapters, you as a reader will continue to read with interest. In addition, there are also several plot twists, some of which came as a surprise to me. Especially the ending, that was an unexpected but well-chosen turn.

The disadvantage of such a thin spy thriller is that it finishes very quickly due to the high reading pace, and that some parts of the storyline receive less attention than deserved. The elaboration of the characters, for example, is only tackled to a minimal extent. No more than strictly necessary. You get the best picture of the main character Kelilah. She is an excellent spy who knows what she is doing. You also get a brief look at her past, and the demons she struggles with. This is especially important at the end. The other characters stay a bit in the background, which is a pity, but understandable if you want to keep the speed in the story.

Another point of attention is that the rather complex plot falls into place quickly, and that Kelilah quickly bounces back after a setback. It all runs a bit too smoothly and easily, globally. This is because there is not enough space to dwell longer on certain details. Yet somehow it works. You will not be left hungry afterwards with unanswered questions. And that is ultimately what takes precedence in a good book for me.

Jorgen Eijt has a very pleasant and fluent pen, in which he knows perfectly how to captivate the reader until the end. It takes you through different countries, such as Israel, Switzerland and Russia, with each chapter clearly marked where it takes place. That makes it easy to follow. Unlike many other spy thrillers, the main agent in Kelilah: deadly embrace a woman. This is quite a refreshing idea. In addition, it is also clear that the author has done the necessary research into the functioning of the Mossad and the (historical) situation in Israel. This with the emphasis on the oppression of the Jews, who are also targeted in this story. Jorgen describes this clearly in his afterword, definitely read I would say.

Kelilah: deadly embrace captivated me from start to finish. At first I had my doubts whether a spy thriller with so few pages would work, since I'm used to much thicker books in this genre. But Jorgen Eijt has succeeded in this very well, in my opinion, especially when it comes to the plot. Everything is well put together and the story reads like an express train. Of course, as a result, compromises have been made in other areas, for example in the depth of the characters. But the fast reading does its thing, and I definitely recommend this book, especially to people who want to get acquainted with this action-packed genre. I myself hope that I can read a second story about this interesting main character.

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