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Paul Samson #2
White Hot Silence
On a deserted road in Calabria, Greek aid worker Anastasia Cristakos is driving alone to visit one of the new refugee centers funded by billionaire Denis Hisami whom she has recently married. She slows down to greet two African migrants she recognizes. Too late she realizes they are not her friends. This is an ambush.
She manages a desperate phone call to Hisami before her Mafia kidnappers silence her with a powerful drug. Hours later she wakes up in the pitch dark on a container ship, powering eastwards across the Mediterranean.
Anastasia has been abducted and held hostage because Hisami has explosive information that his enemies have killed for and will kill for again. But Hisami can do nothing to save his wife. His time as a commander with the Kurdish Peshmerga has caught up with him. The US authorities have seized his passport and jailed him for possible terrorist activities in the past. For all his wealth, he is powerless.
Only one man can help him. Paul Samson, former MI6 agent and a genius at tracking missing persons. He's the obvious choice. There's only one snag. Samson was, and probably still is, in love with Anastasia. If he manages to locate and save her, will it be for Hisami - or himself?
She manages a desperate phone call to Hisami before her Mafia kidnappers silence her with a powerful drug. Hours later she wakes up in the pitch dark on a container ship, powering eastwards across the Mediterranean.
Anastasia has been abducted and held hostage because Hisami has explosive information that his enemies have killed for and will kill for again. But Hisami can do nothing to save his wife. His time as a commander with the Kurdish Peshmerga has caught up with him. The US authorities have seized his passport and jailed him for possible terrorist activities in the past. For all his wealth, he is powerless.
Only one man can help him. Paul Samson, former MI6 agent and a genius at tracking missing persons. He's the obvious choice. There's only one snag. Samson was, and probably still is, in love with Anastasia. If he manages to locate and save her, will it be for Hisami - or himself?
439 pages, Hardcover
First published June 27, 2019
148 people are currently reading
1331 people want to read
About the author
Henry Porter
48 books242 followersHenry Porter has written for most national broadsheet newspapers. He contributes commentary and reportage to the Guardian, Observer, Evening Standard and Sunday Telegraph. He is the British editor of Vanity Fair, and lives in London with his wife and two daughters.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 84 reviews
June 27, 2019
White Hot Silence is the second espionage thriller to feature MI6 agent Paul Samson, and although the series opener, Firefly, was excellent this follow-up is exceptional. It isn't essential to have read the first book beforehand as they work perfectly independently of one another. Anastasia is a humanitarian aid worker currently working in Calabria, Italy helping migrants who have committed to the dangerous sea crossing in the hope of finding a better life. She tries to see the good in people so when she slows down to speak to two African migrants she knows by sight, even before the car stops she realises she has made a big mistake; a mistake that could cost her her life. Captured and drugged she wakes up to the unmistakable sound of a ship's engine.
With no idea who has her and no idea where she is headed it is lucky she had time to call her billionaire husband to inform him of the situation. But he is about to be jailed for crimes he apparently committed in Syria and so is forced to turn to his wife's ex-lover Paul for help due to his expertise in locating missing people. This is a complex, topical and gritty tale which is beautifully plotted and written. There are many moving parts to it but each works effortlessly to create an addictive, action-packed and high-octane thriller. The twists and turns are very unpredictable and the pacing is rapid with barely a moment to breathe. The characters continue to grow on me as they develop, and I look forward to reading more of their perilous adventures in the future. Highly recommended. Many thanks to Quercus for an ARC.
With no idea who has her and no idea where she is headed it is lucky she had time to call her billionaire husband to inform him of the situation. But he is about to be jailed for crimes he apparently committed in Syria and so is forced to turn to his wife's ex-lover Paul for help due to his expertise in locating missing people. This is a complex, topical and gritty tale which is beautifully plotted and written. There are many moving parts to it but each works effortlessly to create an addictive, action-packed and high-octane thriller. The twists and turns are very unpredictable and the pacing is rapid with barely a moment to breathe. The characters continue to grow on me as they develop, and I look forward to reading more of their perilous adventures in the future. Highly recommended. Many thanks to Quercus for an ARC.
December 19, 2019
This review contains spoilers.
I'm not going to give the story-line here, because that's available in the blurb on the book or in Goodreads. Rather, I'm just laying down a rant because I was really disappointed with this book, expecially given the great reviews it got. I can only imagine that Lee Child and Mick Herron (who both apparently rated it highly) didn't actually read it.
One of my main issues with this book was the exposition. It was just not done very well at all.
Early on the book, after the opening sequence, we get 12 pages of background on a past relationship, which does little to advance the story imo. It could have been shaved to 2 pages, or the relevant detail could have been folded into the story later. A short while later (and later in the book as well) some of this detail is unnecessarily repeated anway, and some other details also seem completely irrelevant - and yet we are not initially told who Peter Nyman works for or what his role is, despite seeming to be critical at this point in the story - it's only clarified later. It seems that much of this detail was covered in previous books in the series and much (but not all of it) recalled for reference, but in an unhelpful fashion.
As an example of completely mundane irrelevance, we also get this kind of unnecessary filler - and remember, this is meant to be an espionage thriller: “Waiting for him...a tray with juice, sliced mango, oval breads called samoon, and gaymer, a thick white cream made from buffalo milk, all prepared by his Yazedi chef.” What? I don’t care - this kind of detail is probably more at home in a fluffy novel about wealthy pop stars or yoga vloggers. You’ve already told me he’s very wealthy, you don’t have to flesh it out with this kind of thing, I have an imagination.
The main character, Samson, seems almost chidishly concerned with the romantic past he shares with another character. The female character he's obsessing about also keeps recalling details about their romantic past (although she's married), and throughout the book (and in the epilogue) we get the two of them thinking and behaving like adolescents about one another. The language and style are more in keeping with a romance than a thriller.
The characters are largely not believable. There's a Russian hood who's meant to be an expert in psychological warfare, but fails miserably at it - he's also quite inept as the woman's captor, getting drunk and attempting to be amorous, in what is a really pathetically-contrived scene to set up her escape attempt.
There are issues with the other characters too (most of them).
Spelling errors in novels are unavoidable, but I would expect the writer of an espionage novel to get the spelling of the “breech” of a rifle correct - he gets it wrong more than once.
The "twist" at the end is pretty weak - the Italian mob, really? And then 15 pages of loose ends being tied up, with some details that really could have been woven into the story.
There are also a lot of repetitive references to certain parts of the back-story, specifically the past activities of Samson (the main character), the billionaire who's hiring him, the female lead, and the kids they saved together in the past. I got a bit tired of this and was on the verge of abanding the book on more than one occasion.
Not recommended.
I'm not going to give the story-line here, because that's available in the blurb on the book or in Goodreads. Rather, I'm just laying down a rant because I was really disappointed with this book, expecially given the great reviews it got. I can only imagine that Lee Child and Mick Herron (who both apparently rated it highly) didn't actually read it.
One of my main issues with this book was the exposition. It was just not done very well at all.
Early on the book, after the opening sequence, we get 12 pages of background on a past relationship, which does little to advance the story imo. It could have been shaved to 2 pages, or the relevant detail could have been folded into the story later. A short while later (and later in the book as well) some of this detail is unnecessarily repeated anway, and some other details also seem completely irrelevant - and yet we are not initially told who Peter Nyman works for or what his role is, despite seeming to be critical at this point in the story - it's only clarified later. It seems that much of this detail was covered in previous books in the series and much (but not all of it) recalled for reference, but in an unhelpful fashion.
As an example of completely mundane irrelevance, we also get this kind of unnecessary filler - and remember, this is meant to be an espionage thriller: “Waiting for him...a tray with juice, sliced mango, oval breads called samoon, and gaymer, a thick white cream made from buffalo milk, all prepared by his Yazedi chef.” What? I don’t care - this kind of detail is probably more at home in a fluffy novel about wealthy pop stars or yoga vloggers. You’ve already told me he’s very wealthy, you don’t have to flesh it out with this kind of thing, I have an imagination.
The main character, Samson, seems almost chidishly concerned with the romantic past he shares with another character. The female character he's obsessing about also keeps recalling details about their romantic past (although she's married), and throughout the book (and in the epilogue) we get the two of them thinking and behaving like adolescents about one another. The language and style are more in keeping with a romance than a thriller.
The characters are largely not believable. There's a Russian hood who's meant to be an expert in psychological warfare, but fails miserably at it - he's also quite inept as the woman's captor, getting drunk and attempting to be amorous, in what is a really pathetically-contrived scene to set up her escape attempt.
There are issues with the other characters too (most of them).
Spelling errors in novels are unavoidable, but I would expect the writer of an espionage novel to get the spelling of the “breech” of a rifle correct - he gets it wrong more than once.
The "twist" at the end is pretty weak - the Italian mob, really? And then 15 pages of loose ends being tied up, with some details that really could have been woven into the story.
There are also a lot of repetitive references to certain parts of the back-story, specifically the past activities of Samson (the main character), the billionaire who's hiring him, the female lead, and the kids they saved together in the past. I got a bit tired of this and was on the verge of abanding the book on more than one occasion.
Not recommended.
January 5, 2020
I very much enjoyed the first Paul Samson outing and was hoping for more of the same. Which is exactly what I got. Replace Syrian refugee with Greek love interest and lose some of the grit with billionaires mucking about and it’s pretty much the same race against time. Still enjoyable, particularly the cameo from characters in previous books, but lost some of it freshness.
October 10, 2020
2.5 ⭐️ I picked up this book after seeing it in the feature section of my local library. Thought would be an all right and quick spy thriller read and that was all it was.
There were a lot of stereotypes, lots of repetition and unbelievable situations. It did keep me turning the pages though so I guess it was ok.
There were a lot of stereotypes, lots of repetition and unbelievable situations. It did keep me turning the pages though so I guess it was ok.
September 2, 2019
Henry Porter is a stunning writer. He knows where the edge of your seat is and has you clinging to it from start to finish. Stunning work and a great follow up to Firefly.
I would advise reading the first novel in the series however you can read this as a standalone novel.
A Solid Five Star Read
I would advise reading the first novel in the series however you can read this as a standalone novel.
A Solid Five Star Read
April 23, 2020
Paul Samson is back in this explosive thriller. Reeling after the events in Macedonia - Paul has settled back in to the quiet life in the UK. Looking after his mother's restaurant and keeping a low profile in the intelligence business. After Macedonia - Paul & Anastasia escaped to Venice and began a short relationship as it came to an abrupt end where Anastasia ran in to the arms of Denis Hisami and married him. One year later (if i remember right?) - Anastasia has been followed and cornered in Italy and been asked to come with 2 Thieves if she wants to live. Denis on the otherhand sees his business empire begin to crack and his dark army past come to light. With his passport removed from his grasp and Anastasia now kidnapped - Denis must turn to the 1 man who he knows will fight to save Anastasia. Paul is reluctant to take the task of finding Anastasia - due to the heartbreak he still feels over the ending of their relationship. But with all feelings put aside he takes on the mantle and starts to follow leads. Taking the first flight to Italy he goes to the scene of the crime and remarkably finds Anastasia's phone.
There's hints of Paul & Anastasia's brief relationship throughout the book which is fitting and adds a nice touch to the story as Anastasia fights her captors to the point of breaking. Anastasia has been put on a boat to Destination unknown but has infiltrated the boat to the point of getting a call out to Paul with clues as to where the boat is headed to...Russia.
The story unfolds at a rapid pace and in comes Naji to help again - what a nice little touch. The boy genius is tasked with helping Paul to save Anastasia - whom has done so much for Naji and his family since the events in Macedonia.
Quite enjoyed this and would love to see a possible 3rd book?
There's hints of Paul & Anastasia's brief relationship throughout the book which is fitting and adds a nice touch to the story as Anastasia fights her captors to the point of breaking. Anastasia has been put on a boat to Destination unknown but has infiltrated the boat to the point of getting a call out to Paul with clues as to where the boat is headed to...Russia.
The story unfolds at a rapid pace and in comes Naji to help again - what a nice little touch. The boy genius is tasked with helping Paul to save Anastasia - whom has done so much for Naji and his family since the events in Macedonia.
Quite enjoyed this and would love to see a possible 3rd book?
July 28, 2022
The author is a bit of a spiritual successor to LeCarre. While the plot twist may be more foreseeable the style flows well. This the action packed spy novel style book with intrigue, deception and betrayal.
A nice quick read for the plane or the beach. Worth picking up for fans of the genre.
A nice quick read for the plane or the beach. Worth picking up for fans of the genre.
July 15, 2019
Henry Porter is a stunning writer. He knows where the edge of your seat is and has you clinging to it from start to finish. Fantastic work and a great follow up to Firefly.
I would advise reading the first novel in the series however you can read this as a standalone novel.
A Solid Five Star Read
I would advise reading the first novel in the series however you can read this as a standalone novel.
A Solid Five Star Read
September 25, 2020
OK, this is tough without spoilers but I'll try.
This book has a great premise and is enjoyable enough, but I just don't care. It has such an opportunity to be a fantastic globe trotting adventure, but there are so many plot holes it's a wonder the whole story didn't fall through! The characters have so much potential and are all great but they just lack any heart much less description. Same with the scene setting. There's a section in a Finnish bar and how much opportunity would there be to describe a wonderful wooden lodge bar, with lighting and eccentric characters? There's nothing.
There's a really tense scene at the end which I pictured taking place in the daytime. Yet it describes picking someone out in the distance as their face is lit up by a mobile phone. No setting of the scene.
This is enjoyable enough, moves at a perfectly reasonable pace but could have been so much more! A disappointment.
This book has a great premise and is enjoyable enough, but I just don't care. It has such an opportunity to be a fantastic globe trotting adventure, but there are so many plot holes it's a wonder the whole story didn't fall through! The characters have so much potential and are all great but they just lack any heart much less description. Same with the scene setting. There's a section in a Finnish bar and how much opportunity would there be to describe a wonderful wooden lodge bar, with lighting and eccentric characters? There's nothing.
There's a really tense scene at the end which I pictured taking place in the daytime. Yet it describes picking someone out in the distance as their face is lit up by a mobile phone. No setting of the scene.
This is enjoyable enough, moves at a perfectly reasonable pace but could have been so much more! A disappointment.
September 1, 2019
I really enjoyed firefly and was delighted to find this next episode. I would recommend reading firefly (as it is excellent) but wouldn't necessarily say you need to in advance of reading white hot silence. This is essentially a race against time and powerful forces to rescue a friend and loved one and bring down powerful right wing forces. Gripping and current.
June 29, 2019
A brisk spy thriller, perfect summer reading.
October 11, 2019
White Hot Silence is a 2019 novel, penned by Andrew Porter. It is a sequel to the 2018 novel Firefly. I did not read Firefly before reading White Hot Silence, and found that the author did a good job of filling in the reader as to the last novel's events; so you will not feel lost if you haven't read Firefly. If you are at all a fan of Ian Fleming, John le Carre, or any other British espionage fiction, pick up White Hot Silence right away. I suspect you won't be disappointed.
White Hot Silence wastes nary a second in getting off the ground and into flight. Greek aid worker Anastasia is kidnapped by mysterious forces while working in Italy. Her billionaire husband, seeking to come to her aid, is also set upon by mysterious forces who would expose his secretive past, but to what end? With limited options, former MI6 operative Paul Samson is put on the case. With a past romantic attachment to Anastasia, many question Samson's ability to detach himself emotionally from the mission. Hopefully, Samson can prove them wrong and save his former love Anastasia whilst also unraveling a diabolical plot that could threaten the stability of Europe.
White Hot Silence is at once exciting, immensely readable, and satisfying. British thrillers have always had that effective mix of intrigue, wit, romance, and worldliness that make them such a joy, and White Hot Silence certainly checks all those boxes and more. The plot is highly original and creative, with important undertones that relate to our present world in both Europe and the United States. The story moves quickly, but also in a way that is intelligent and believable, and all the threads are tied up nicely in a satisfying conclusion. There is also a sense of urbane exoticism in the novel. The characters travel to some very interesting locations around Europe and America, and I enjoyed getting the atlas out and following along with them. Locations are described very well, and the author does a bang up job of making you feel as if you are there. The quality of writing is high, with wonderful description, dialogue, and that subtle wit that makes you remember you're reading an English novel.
Characterization in the novel is super as well. The players are very well conceived and are quite the compelling and international bunch. Dialogue in particular is handled very well; the author writes masterful dialogue for all characters regardless of nationality, whether American, English, etc. I particularly enjoyed the Eastern European characters and felt they stole the scenes whenever they appeared. With a couple of the characters, I did feel their backstories were a bit grandiose and implausible, but perhaps the author was trying to create larger than life characters--and if so, he succeeded.
Need I say more? White Hot Silence has my endorsement, and I will certainly be on the lookout for Andrew Porter in the years to come.
White Hot Silence wastes nary a second in getting off the ground and into flight. Greek aid worker Anastasia is kidnapped by mysterious forces while working in Italy. Her billionaire husband, seeking to come to her aid, is also set upon by mysterious forces who would expose his secretive past, but to what end? With limited options, former MI6 operative Paul Samson is put on the case. With a past romantic attachment to Anastasia, many question Samson's ability to detach himself emotionally from the mission. Hopefully, Samson can prove them wrong and save his former love Anastasia whilst also unraveling a diabolical plot that could threaten the stability of Europe.
White Hot Silence is at once exciting, immensely readable, and satisfying. British thrillers have always had that effective mix of intrigue, wit, romance, and worldliness that make them such a joy, and White Hot Silence certainly checks all those boxes and more. The plot is highly original and creative, with important undertones that relate to our present world in both Europe and the United States. The story moves quickly, but also in a way that is intelligent and believable, and all the threads are tied up nicely in a satisfying conclusion. There is also a sense of urbane exoticism in the novel. The characters travel to some very interesting locations around Europe and America, and I enjoyed getting the atlas out and following along with them. Locations are described very well, and the author does a bang up job of making you feel as if you are there. The quality of writing is high, with wonderful description, dialogue, and that subtle wit that makes you remember you're reading an English novel.
Characterization in the novel is super as well. The players are very well conceived and are quite the compelling and international bunch. Dialogue in particular is handled very well; the author writes masterful dialogue for all characters regardless of nationality, whether American, English, etc. I particularly enjoyed the Eastern European characters and felt they stole the scenes whenever they appeared. With a couple of the characters, I did feel their backstories were a bit grandiose and implausible, but perhaps the author was trying to create larger than life characters--and if so, he succeeded.
Need I say more? White Hot Silence has my endorsement, and I will certainly be on the lookout for Andrew Porter in the years to come.
July 2, 2019
Another exciting and extremely fast paced read, that continues the story first started in Firefly. Please read Firefly first, as many characters are introduced in that book, and this essential information is necessary to enjoy the second book.
Anastasia Hisami is visiting the Hisami Foundation in Calabria , before flying back to California to be reunited with her husband Denis. She stops enroute to give a lift to some refugee boys, then quickly realises, she has been targeted for kidnap. She escapes from the car and manages to leave a message for her husband before she is captured.
Paul Samson, MI6 operative and person- finder extraordinaire is despatched by Denis to find his wife and bring her back home. But Paul and Anastasia have a previous history of a love affair, and Paul is still in love with her.
This book concerns money markets around the world, and concern attempts to disrupt and overthrow European democracies . Denis is involved due his chequered past as a mercenary, Anastasia has been kidnapped to force Denis to stop investigating where large amounts of money are being siphoned away from Banks and where this is being reinvested .
Naji, the young refugee we met in Firefly, proves himself to be an absolute wizard with unlocking keyboards and computer hacking! If I was in a completely desperate situation, I would love Paul Samson to be my Knight in shining armour!
As you may have guessed, I love both these books! The first made me take a good hard look at my preconceptions about the refugee crisis, it was such a powerful and emotional read. White, Hot Silence, this second book, was, for me, a welcome chance to catch up on old friends, plus a few dunderheads! It is filled with committed desperate characters, with a strong woman and a devoted man, but not necessarily the husband!!
The most surprising item in this book is.... a most unusual book club!!
I am delighted to review this book, and so pleased to become reacquainted with some marvellous characters. Henry Porter has a very keen eye for spies and espionage. He makes the mess surrounding current affairs easy to understand and you can have a greater sympathy of the suffering and struggles of these refugees. A well deserved five star read .
Anastasia Hisami is visiting the Hisami Foundation in Calabria , before flying back to California to be reunited with her husband Denis. She stops enroute to give a lift to some refugee boys, then quickly realises, she has been targeted for kidnap. She escapes from the car and manages to leave a message for her husband before she is captured.
Paul Samson, MI6 operative and person- finder extraordinaire is despatched by Denis to find his wife and bring her back home. But Paul and Anastasia have a previous history of a love affair, and Paul is still in love with her.
This book concerns money markets around the world, and concern attempts to disrupt and overthrow European democracies . Denis is involved due his chequered past as a mercenary, Anastasia has been kidnapped to force Denis to stop investigating where large amounts of money are being siphoned away from Banks and where this is being reinvested .
Naji, the young refugee we met in Firefly, proves himself to be an absolute wizard with unlocking keyboards and computer hacking! If I was in a completely desperate situation, I would love Paul Samson to be my Knight in shining armour!
As you may have guessed, I love both these books! The first made me take a good hard look at my preconceptions about the refugee crisis, it was such a powerful and emotional read. White, Hot Silence, this second book, was, for me, a welcome chance to catch up on old friends, plus a few dunderheads! It is filled with committed desperate characters, with a strong woman and a devoted man, but not necessarily the husband!!
The most surprising item in this book is.... a most unusual book club!!
I am delighted to review this book, and so pleased to become reacquainted with some marvellous characters. Henry Porter has a very keen eye for spies and espionage. He makes the mess surrounding current affairs easy to understand and you can have a greater sympathy of the suffering and struggles of these refugees. A well deserved five star read .
July 12, 2019
Firstly I’d like to thank Quercus Books for sending me this book for review. I absolutely loved it. It’s full of mystery, murder, intrigue and kidnap. I really got full on James Bond vibes while reading it.
The story centres on the abduction of Anastasia Christakos/Hisami and the fight to get her back safe and sound while also getting to the root of why she was taken in the first place.
Her husband, billionaire businessman, Denis Hisami, knows too much about a money laundering scheme going through a business he is trying to take over and Anastasia is kidnapped to ensure his compliance with returning explosive information back to the unscrupulous blackguards who are holding her and threatening to kill her and dump her in a shallow grave.
Paul Samson is an Ex MI6 operative who is an expert at tracking and finding missing persons. He also happens to be Anastasia’s old flame and is very much still in love with her.
He goes out of his way to ensure her safe return from certain death.
Denis Hisami, meanwhile, has been accused of lying on an official document pertaining to his American Citizenship and he may also be guilty of war crimes having been in the Kurdish Peshmerga in his youth. His passport is revoked and he is jailed. He clearly has no way of assisting in his wife’s release from captivity and possible death at the hands of Russian KGB operatives.
It is absolutely gripping. It only took me so long to read because life kept getting in my way.
The book is fantastically well written. Character dialogue flows well. Characters with accents are written in a way that carries across what nationalities they are... either Russian, Serbian or Syrian. I specifically enjoyed this aspect as it ramped up the tension a bit more in my opinion. It was easy to read and thoroughly enjoyable.
It is part of a series... I have read this one first so am out of sequence but it didn’t matter as it felt like it could easily have been a standalone.
An immensely enjoyable, well written crime thriller. I suggest you read it immediately. Looking forward to more from Henry Porter.
The story centres on the abduction of Anastasia Christakos/Hisami and the fight to get her back safe and sound while also getting to the root of why she was taken in the first place.
Her husband, billionaire businessman, Denis Hisami, knows too much about a money laundering scheme going through a business he is trying to take over and Anastasia is kidnapped to ensure his compliance with returning explosive information back to the unscrupulous blackguards who are holding her and threatening to kill her and dump her in a shallow grave.
Paul Samson is an Ex MI6 operative who is an expert at tracking and finding missing persons. He also happens to be Anastasia’s old flame and is very much still in love with her.
He goes out of his way to ensure her safe return from certain death.
Denis Hisami, meanwhile, has been accused of lying on an official document pertaining to his American Citizenship and he may also be guilty of war crimes having been in the Kurdish Peshmerga in his youth. His passport is revoked and he is jailed. He clearly has no way of assisting in his wife’s release from captivity and possible death at the hands of Russian KGB operatives.
It is absolutely gripping. It only took me so long to read because life kept getting in my way.
The book is fantastically well written. Character dialogue flows well. Characters with accents are written in a way that carries across what nationalities they are... either Russian, Serbian or Syrian. I specifically enjoyed this aspect as it ramped up the tension a bit more in my opinion. It was easy to read and thoroughly enjoyable.
It is part of a series... I have read this one first so am out of sequence but it didn’t matter as it felt like it could easily have been a standalone.
An immensely enjoyable, well written crime thriller. I suggest you read it immediately. Looking forward to more from Henry Porter.
September 1, 2019
Having enjoyed Henry Porter's "Firefly," I looked forward to the sequel, "White Hot Silence." Anastasia Cristakos is a psychologist who has devoted her career to helping traumatized refugees. She is married to Denis Hisami, a tech mogul who generously funds her humanitarian efforts. Shortly before Anastasia is scheduled to fly home to California from Italy, she is abducted. When her husband hears the news, he hires a team of operatives to find her, including ex-MI6 agent turned private investigator, Paul Samson. Denis knows that Samson, who has been in love with Anastasia for years, will do everything in his power to bring her back.
It seems that Hisami has discovered that "mysterious transfers of large sums of money" are being funneled through TangKi, a company in which he has an interest. He suspects that the people behind this questionable activity have malicious intentions. Unfortunately, he underestimates how far his enemies are willing to go to silence him.
Porter is so intent on constructing a busy and complex plot that he fails to focus on character development, nor does not develop his underlying themes in a way that might have helped us connect with the story. This talky novel consists, for the most part, of cell phone communications; a deadly game of cat and mouse between Anastasia, her captors, and her potential saviors; brilliant computer hacking by Naji Touma, the young genius from "Firefly"; and secrets, betrayals, and lies. Its acts of violence notwithstanding, this work of fiction is tedious and the dialogue, rather wooden. The villains are as dull as they are malicious, the suspense is minimal, and the final confrontation generates little excitement. Its flaws notwithstanding, the book's message is one that we would be wise to heed. Too often, the worlds of finance and politics are corrupted by greed, viciousness, and animosity, rather than ennobled by integrity and a concern for the public good.
It seems that Hisami has discovered that "mysterious transfers of large sums of money" are being funneled through TangKi, a company in which he has an interest. He suspects that the people behind this questionable activity have malicious intentions. Unfortunately, he underestimates how far his enemies are willing to go to silence him.
Porter is so intent on constructing a busy and complex plot that he fails to focus on character development, nor does not develop his underlying themes in a way that might have helped us connect with the story. This talky novel consists, for the most part, of cell phone communications; a deadly game of cat and mouse between Anastasia, her captors, and her potential saviors; brilliant computer hacking by Naji Touma, the young genius from "Firefly"; and secrets, betrayals, and lies. Its acts of violence notwithstanding, this work of fiction is tedious and the dialogue, rather wooden. The villains are as dull as they are malicious, the suspense is minimal, and the final confrontation generates little excitement. Its flaws notwithstanding, the book's message is one that we would be wise to heed. Too often, the worlds of finance and politics are corrupted by greed, viciousness, and animosity, rather than ennobled by integrity and a concern for the public good.
July 8, 2019
Top Notch Spy Thriller!
After a nearly ten-year absence from the writing scene, Porter returned to thriller writing late last year with Firefly. It was a gripping chase thriller about the pursuit of a young Syrian boy, Naji, across Europe by elements of British Intelligence, led by former MI6 agent Paul Samson, and an ISIS hit squad, who want the incriminating photos that the boy has on his phone.
White Hot Silence is the follow-up novel to Firefly and again features Paul Samson, along with some other characters from the previous book. Set some three years after Firefly, the plot involves the kidnapping of Anastasia Cristakos, an international charity worker who helped Samson rescue Naji in the earlier book. Anastasia is now married to the billionaire Denis Hisami who is having his own problems with the American authorities. Hisami hires Samson an expert at tracking people, to find Anastasia and save her. The only problem being that Samson was, and probably still is, in love with Anastasia.
White Hot Silence is an outstanding spy novel. The characters are well-developed and interesting, and the locations are simply, but convincing, sketched. There is enough convincing modern spy craft to satisfy even the most demanding armchair spook and there is also a good dollop of detail on international, financial wheeling-and-dealing and emerging political threats in Europe. The ending is very exciting and there is a nice tip of the hat to classic cold war spy stories in the design of the conclusion. Fans of Porter’s much earlier novels will also welcome the unexpected return of a popular character from those books.
White Hot Silence is a terrific and highly emotional espionage novel, and probably the best spy book I have read so far this year
See my full review at murdermayhemandlongdogs.com
After a nearly ten-year absence from the writing scene, Porter returned to thriller writing late last year with Firefly. It was a gripping chase thriller about the pursuit of a young Syrian boy, Naji, across Europe by elements of British Intelligence, led by former MI6 agent Paul Samson, and an ISIS hit squad, who want the incriminating photos that the boy has on his phone.
White Hot Silence is the follow-up novel to Firefly and again features Paul Samson, along with some other characters from the previous book. Set some three years after Firefly, the plot involves the kidnapping of Anastasia Cristakos, an international charity worker who helped Samson rescue Naji in the earlier book. Anastasia is now married to the billionaire Denis Hisami who is having his own problems with the American authorities. Hisami hires Samson an expert at tracking people, to find Anastasia and save her. The only problem being that Samson was, and probably still is, in love with Anastasia.
White Hot Silence is an outstanding spy novel. The characters are well-developed and interesting, and the locations are simply, but convincing, sketched. There is enough convincing modern spy craft to satisfy even the most demanding armchair spook and there is also a good dollop of detail on international, financial wheeling-and-dealing and emerging political threats in Europe. The ending is very exciting and there is a nice tip of the hat to classic cold war spy stories in the design of the conclusion. Fans of Porter’s much earlier novels will also welcome the unexpected return of a popular character from those books.
White Hot Silence is a terrific and highly emotional espionage novel, and probably the best spy book I have read so far this year
See my full review at murdermayhemandlongdogs.com
October 17, 2019
Fast-paced espionage thriller.
Anastasia an aid worker is kidnapped whilst in Italy, she is married to Denis Hisami an extremely wealthy investor with an interesting past. At the same time, Hisami 's passport is ceased by US Immigration, coincidence? or is someone trying to stop him from finding his wife? He knows there is only one man for the job Paul Samson, but its delicate Samson loves Anastasia will that affect his professionalism. Samson ex-MI6 has been working indirectly for Hisami investigating Crane, a man who is key to strange financial activity within a company that Hisami has just invested in.
Samson is contacted and immediately agrees to do all he can to rescue Anastasia, it soon becomes apparent his investigation and the kidnapping are connected, the story then takes us across Europe to Russia and involvement of many political and terrorist parties. Time is of the essence and money is moving everywhere, forensic accounting is required and Samson enlists the help of Naji a young man who owes Samson and Anastasia, a computer whiz kid, can he help, is time running out for Anastasia will her old love and Naji be able to free her?
This is a fast-paced thriller which initially I struggled with knowing who all the characters were, but once I got into it I enjoyed the story, the history of the relationships between the characters were interwoven into the current story, reading the first in the Samson series may be a good place to start and give more depth to this story. It was good but not great but did keep my attention.
Taramindo.
Breakaway Reviewers received a copy of the book to review.
Anastasia an aid worker is kidnapped whilst in Italy, she is married to Denis Hisami an extremely wealthy investor with an interesting past. At the same time, Hisami 's passport is ceased by US Immigration, coincidence? or is someone trying to stop him from finding his wife? He knows there is only one man for the job Paul Samson, but its delicate Samson loves Anastasia will that affect his professionalism. Samson ex-MI6 has been working indirectly for Hisami investigating Crane, a man who is key to strange financial activity within a company that Hisami has just invested in.
Samson is contacted and immediately agrees to do all he can to rescue Anastasia, it soon becomes apparent his investigation and the kidnapping are connected, the story then takes us across Europe to Russia and involvement of many political and terrorist parties. Time is of the essence and money is moving everywhere, forensic accounting is required and Samson enlists the help of Naji a young man who owes Samson and Anastasia, a computer whiz kid, can he help, is time running out for Anastasia will her old love and Naji be able to free her?
This is a fast-paced thriller which initially I struggled with knowing who all the characters were, but once I got into it I enjoyed the story, the history of the relationships between the characters were interwoven into the current story, reading the first in the Samson series may be a good place to start and give more depth to this story. It was good but not great but did keep my attention.
Taramindo.
Breakaway Reviewers received a copy of the book to review.
September 11, 2019
After devouring Firefly, I had to know what was going to happen next, so I started reading WHITE HOT SILENCE right away.
Paul met Anastasia while he was looking for Firefly and their attraction for each other was obvious, so why three years later she is married to billionaire Denis Hisami? And why is she kidnapped while in Calabria visiting one of the refugee centre that she built together with her husband? Denis Hisami has no choice but to call the best to find his wife and that’s none other than her former lover and former MI6 agent Paul Samson. So while Anastasia fights for her life in the hands of her kidnappers and Denis is trying to figure out who wants to hurt him, Paul is doing everything he can to find the woman he still loves.
The characters are well-developed. I still like Paul Samson, courageous, realistic and really good at his job. We first met Denis Hisami in Firefly. He seemed a good man who uses his money to help others, but in this novel it is clear that he is hiding something, something that he doesn’t want to get out. Anastasia is altruistic, spending her life helping others in need. She is also brave and a survivor.
People with different identities, Russian criminals, Italian Mafia, a well-orchestrated and, I have to say, complex plan to bring down an American billionaire… this spy novel has it all to keep the reader glued to the pages. Now, I am really looking forward to the next book…
Paul met Anastasia while he was looking for Firefly and their attraction for each other was obvious, so why three years later she is married to billionaire Denis Hisami? And why is she kidnapped while in Calabria visiting one of the refugee centre that she built together with her husband? Denis Hisami has no choice but to call the best to find his wife and that’s none other than her former lover and former MI6 agent Paul Samson. So while Anastasia fights for her life in the hands of her kidnappers and Denis is trying to figure out who wants to hurt him, Paul is doing everything he can to find the woman he still loves.
The characters are well-developed. I still like Paul Samson, courageous, realistic and really good at his job. We first met Denis Hisami in Firefly. He seemed a good man who uses his money to help others, but in this novel it is clear that he is hiding something, something that he doesn’t want to get out. Anastasia is altruistic, spending her life helping others in need. She is also brave and a survivor.
People with different identities, Russian criminals, Italian Mafia, a well-orchestrated and, I have to say, complex plan to bring down an American billionaire… this spy novel has it all to keep the reader glued to the pages. Now, I am really looking forward to the next book…
March 6, 2020
White Hot Silence by Henry Porter is an adult thriller that feels all too real in today's society of men with money running the world. Anastasia leads the perfect humanitarian life...she and her billionaire husband Denis Hisami have founded several refugee centers around the world. She loves the work and although they don't see each other that often, she admires her husband's diligence. She herself is well-loved by all who meet her. She is known for her tenacity, giving-heart, and won't quit attitude.
Then one day as she is heading out of one of the camps in Africa, she is kidnapped. The men who stopped her to aid in the kidnapping are killed by the kidnappers and she is whisked off to a remote ship. Hisami learns about her kidnapping and is determined to find his wife before the kidnappers can kill her. The problem? Hisami's dealings haven't always been on the up and up and he has made so many enemies in many dangerous organizations it will be hard to figure out who he is dealing with. Hisami hires ex-agent Paul Samson to track down his wife, The tricky part, Samson is still in love with Anastasia.
There's murder, mystery, extravagant plots, and a love triangle.
Then one day as she is heading out of one of the camps in Africa, she is kidnapped. The men who stopped her to aid in the kidnapping are killed by the kidnappers and she is whisked off to a remote ship. Hisami learns about her kidnapping and is determined to find his wife before the kidnappers can kill her. The problem? Hisami's dealings haven't always been on the up and up and he has made so many enemies in many dangerous organizations it will be hard to figure out who he is dealing with. Hisami hires ex-agent Paul Samson to track down his wife, The tricky part, Samson is still in love with Anastasia.
There's murder, mystery, extravagant plots, and a love triangle.
July 11, 2019
Anastasia, a psychologist working in a refugee camp in Italy is brutally kidnapped. But there is no ransom demand. At the same time her husband, Denis Hisami is arrested and imprisoned in the US, unable to help her. Who do you call? –Paul Samson of course! He found out what had happened to Denis’ sister Aysel in the former book, Firefly after all.
Anastasia is a former lover of Paul Samson, they parted and she married Denis, a rich businessman who was able to fund her charitable refugee camps in his late sister’s name. But there is much more here than a simple kidnap; secrets are withheld, details of ‘former lives’, different identities – everything is linked to a mysterious past. Vast sums of ‘missing’ money are being used to destabilise the West – who is responsible for hiding and moving this money? Very fast paced and exciting, a super read once again.
Anastasia is a former lover of Paul Samson, they parted and she married Denis, a rich businessman who was able to fund her charitable refugee camps in his late sister’s name. But there is much more here than a simple kidnap; secrets are withheld, details of ‘former lives’, different identities – everything is linked to a mysterious past. Vast sums of ‘missing’ money are being used to destabilise the West – who is responsible for hiding and moving this money? Very fast paced and exciting, a super read once again.
June 11, 2025
3.5 stars (7/10). Realised half way through that this book - with a title I fail to recall even while reading it - is part 2 of a trilogy but it serves well enough as a stand-alone. I probably won’t bother with part 1 now because there’s plenty of backstory here but look forward to finding part 3!
I spend a lot of time reading thrillers from the antediluvian pre-smartphone era and wondering how much time could have been saved by the protagonists setting up a few WhatsApp groups. Well this story is totally dependent on the rapid fire transfer and digestion of digital information while under extreme stress and it makes everything a doddle; provided that they remember to charge their phones and are somewhere with decent 5G (ie Latvia, Russia, southern Italy, inside a container on a ship in the middle of the Black Sea, but obviously not the UK) then any idiot could do it.
I spend a lot of time reading thrillers from the antediluvian pre-smartphone era and wondering how much time could have been saved by the protagonists setting up a few WhatsApp groups. Well this story is totally dependent on the rapid fire transfer and digestion of digital information while under extreme stress and it makes everything a doddle; provided that they remember to charge their phones and are somewhere with decent 5G (ie Latvia, Russia, southern Italy, inside a container on a ship in the middle of the Black Sea, but obviously not the UK) then any idiot could do it.
September 29, 2019
Having read Firefly I was very excited when I notice this book became available. This book can be read as a stand-a-lone but I think much is gained by having read the first novel. Many of the same characters appear in this book.
3 years have passed and Anastasia is married to a man who generously helps her financially with the humanitarian work she is involved with.
Husband has a past he want to keep hidden from everybody and his desire to expose corruption gets things more complicated.
Our young hero from the first book has become more mature and with some fast thinking saves the lives of Anastasia and Samson .
This book is action packed and has a lot of twist and turn.
Looking forward to another book in this series.
3 years have passed and Anastasia is married to a man who generously helps her financially with the humanitarian work she is involved with.
Husband has a past he want to keep hidden from everybody and his desire to expose corruption gets things more complicated.
Our young hero from the first book has become more mature and with some fast thinking saves the lives of Anastasia and Samson .
This book is action packed and has a lot of twist and turn.
Looking forward to another book in this series.
December 8, 2020
White Hot Silence was a good read. Probably a 3.5 for this genre. It is a spy thriller so it is what it is. I did not think it was as good as ‘Firefly’, but it offered the type of escape I expect from these types of stories. It was topical with foreign powers influencing social media to disrupt Western democracies. I like that Porter is pretty up to date with the technology employed by his characters. I did find there were a lot of characters and at times I did have to pause who was who and who was doing what to whom.
If you like this genre then it is recommended.
If you like this genre then it is recommended.
March 16, 2021
This was a pleasant enough read; engrossing but never really gripping. The plot was convoluted but easy to follow and it was certainly relevant. (I loved the dig at Brexit-Britain 'no-one cares what the Home Secretary of Her Majesty's Government thinks anymore.) The standout feature is the character Anastasia, a rare example of a female protagonist who takes active steps to save herself showing toughness and inventiveness in doing so. No wimjep thank goodness.
So, a decent read but not one which would inspire me to seek out others by this author.
So, a decent read but not one which would inspire me to seek out others by this author.
August 30, 2021
This is a sequel to Firefly with many of the same characters and lots of excitement. The story of Anastasia’s life after her kidnapping is told in a very exciting and believable way. But there are a few drawbacks. In the last book I read, Paul’s son was a computer whiz and another character takes that role in this book. And there are those guardian angels who fly in and provide essential support to Paul and his colleagues on the ground. The author seems to be getting into a predictable pattern with this storyline.
September 8, 2021
Riveting story about an abduction within an extensive money laundering scheme with international political implications. Our protagonist , Paul Sampson, whose ex-lover was snatched from Italy, transported by freighter to Russia and held captive there while Sampson plans on her rescue. Involving Sicily mafia, MI6, Estonia secret service, and Russian gangsters along with her husband's financial and terrorist past all combine to an exciting and detailed search.
I'm looking forward to more Sampson adventures!
I'm looking forward to more Sampson adventures!
June 7, 2019
I loved Firefly which had everything I wanted in a thriller and was really looking forward to its sequel.
The good news is that all the main characters return and Paul Samson is again coming to the rescue this time of his ex- lover Anastasia.
It’s a well written an researched thriller with tons of excitement and merits its five stars but it doesn’t quite engage to the extent of its predecessor but that was a high bar to match.
The good news is that all the main characters return and Paul Samson is again coming to the rescue this time of his ex- lover Anastasia.
It’s a well written an researched thriller with tons of excitement and merits its five stars but it doesn’t quite engage to the extent of its predecessor but that was a high bar to match.
November 28, 2019
An entertaining read
My thanks to the Author publishers and NetGalley for providing me with a Kindle version of this book to read and honestly review.
This is a clever topical well researched entertaining and enjoyable read, well written descriptive with believable characters, at times atmospheric and tense. So why only four stars well I felt the ending to be somewhat contrived and a little rushed.
My thanks to the Author publishers and NetGalley for providing me with a Kindle version of this book to read and honestly review.
This is a clever topical well researched entertaining and enjoyable read, well written descriptive with believable characters, at times atmospheric and tense. So why only four stars well I felt the ending to be somewhat contrived and a little rushed.
September 13, 2021
What a wonderful series of thrillers
Henry Porter has craft wonderful cast of characters and built a storyline that both entertains and informs. Tradecraft and technology melds with the human and political dramas of our time--the refuge crisis and the undermining of Western democracies are the subjects of the first two books in this outstanding series.
I can't wait to see the context for volume three, The Old Enemy.
Henry Porter has craft wonderful cast of characters and built a storyline that both entertains and informs. Tradecraft and technology melds with the human and political dramas of our time--the refuge crisis and the undermining of Western democracies are the subjects of the first two books in this outstanding series.
I can't wait to see the context for volume three, The Old Enemy.
August 17, 2022
Disappointing. Had all the ingredients to be a thrilling, engrossing, page-turner, but turned out to be a convoluted bore-fest. None of the characters were particularly likeable and the central theme of repressed love between two of the main characters was hideously cliched. I sometimes wonder with some of these authors whether they are angling for their books to be picked up by Hollywood. This book in particular seems to be begging for cinematic attention, at the reader's expense.
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