Traitor: A Thriller

Jonathan de Shalit’s spy thriller Traitor tells the story of an Israeli man who believes he’s giving information to the United States, but it turns out otherwise. The book opens in 1983, when the main character, Alon, enters a US Embassy in Rome. John Roberts, an official who sees Alon, recruits him to provide Israel’s intelligence with details about the United States. Little does Alon know, John Roberts is not who he says he is. In reality, Roberts is a spy for East Germany. Believing he’s providing valuable information to the CIA, Alon is very eager to do so. Fast forward to 2013, and by that time Alon is a high-ranking official in the Israeli government. Also, Israel’s Mossad learns that someone is leaking its top secret information, and the Israeli president gives the okay to find the mole by any means necessary.

Traitor is a suspenseful, albeit somewhat slow, spy thriller. Unlike similar novels by Brad Thor or Vince Flynn, there is not much action. Instead, it is more of a procedural, with characters chasing clues in order to find the traitor. Characters in the book are well developed and multidimensional, with various motivations that drive them. Overall, Traitor is quite enjoyable. The author, himself a former officer in Israeli intelligence, tells a story that is believable and authentic.