An internationally acclaimed thriller of love, espionage and subterfuge, in which Middle East meets West with dangerous consequences.
Years of training have transformed Michel Khoury into a skilled intelligence operative. A refugee whose family was murdered by extremists, he has one mission: the peaceful resolution of the Middle East conflict that upended his life.
An alluring enigma, he attracts the attention of Helen, a pretty English girl who lives in the adjacent apartment. As their relationship develops, Michel is unable to tell Helen about his past -- or the collection of passports and unmarked bills he's concealed in the bathroom they share.
When Michel's secrets turn deadly, Helen and Michel find themselves pursued through the streets of London, Berlin and the Scottish countryside, on the run from the very people they thought they could trust.
A critically celebrated novel that "recalls the cool detachment and compelling eye for ordinary detail that characterized the early thrillers of Graham Greene" (Independent on Sunday), Shake Off is that rare breed of riveting tale -- of intrigue and suspense, love and betrayal -- that announces a bold new voice for our increasingly global times.
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"Such a good read, a thriller for those who don't normally read spy novels. Hiller takes critical moments in recent history (Europe 1989, Arab/Israeli conflict, Sabra Beirut camp massacres) and throws heartbreakingly human characters into the mix. Could not put this one down."
— Jenn (5 out of 5 stars)
“In its memorializing of the 1982 massacres, Hiller’s fiction joins great Arabic novels such as Love in Exile by Bahaa Taher, Egyptian winner of the inaugural ‘Arabic Booker’ prize in 2008, and Elias Khoury’s Gate of the Sun. His own strengths are understated humor and an eye for irony.”
— Guardian (London)“Hiller tackles complex issues with sensitivity and his portrait of a traumatized survivor is also deeply affecting…Shake Off is a satisfying read and a clever thriller…More than enough proof that this British-Palestinian writer is an upcoming talent to watch.”
— Indepedent (London)“Shake Off is more than a straightforward spy thriller…Both poignant and human.”
— Economist“Beautifully written…A closing twist puts an entirely new perspective on Michel’s life, beliefs, and loyalties. Literary fiction fans will appreciate the sensitive, realistic portrayal of Michel and Helen’s love affair.”
— Publishers Weekly (starred review)“An arrestingly low-key espionage novel, as much about human longing as derring-do. There is more than enough tradecraft, suspense, and double-dealing to satisfy a wide range of espionage aficionados.”
— Booklist“Moving from Lebanon to Cyprus to Berlin to Moscow and then to London, a city that Hiller knows and makes central to the story, the author writes believably of the world of undercover spies, both about the practicalities—picking locks, coding messages, using false identities—and the atmosphere of constant paranoia, continual double-dealing, and amorality. An entertainingly complex, quick-moving psychological thriller.”
— Kirkus ReviewsHypnotic ... A spy thriller of the highest class.
— Charles Cumming, New York Times bestselling author of The Trinity SixPoignant and human. ... a unique and engaging voice ... deftly drawn ... Powerful and thought-provoking, this is a book that stays with the reader. Mr Hiller's Shake Off is hard to shake off.
— The EconomistIn the best Le Carre tradition ... Hiller brings to his work not only a craftman's skill but also a compassion for his characters that proves infectious.
— Haaretz (Israel)Ingeniously plotted and skillfully paced ... interlaces compelling human stories with political espionage. The suspense builds until the very end.
— Saudi Gazette (Saudi Arabia)Successfully mixes the suspense and fast pace of a spy story with a set of complex, compelling characters and unexpected situations.
— The Jordan Times (Jordan)Gripping [and] taut ... recalls the cool detachment and compelling eye for ordinary detail that characterized the early thrillers of Graham Greene.
— Independent on Sunday (UK)Melancholy and dreamlike, Hiller's neat upending of conventions movingly captures the realpolitik of a conflict perpetrated by the shared interests of enemies.
— Telegraph (UK)Excellent ... A fast-moving, literate thriller.
— Sydney Morning Herald (Australia)" An espionage thriller with the Palestinian conflict as background. Very Le Carre in mould. Except that Hiller's plot tends to tackiness, and the climax is a terrible let-down. But is an interesting read, if only for the rarity of reading any form of British fiction from a Palestinian POV. "
— Parvathy, 1/28/2014" A fine follow up to Sabra Zoo. The main character is a survivor of the Sabra massacre who is recruited to help the Palestinian fight for freedom. This book has a great plot, solid (if not compelling) characters and is well written. "
— Patrick, 1/27/2014" Good! (To be reviewed for Shelf Awareness soon) "
— Jessica, 1/11/2014" Great example of the genre, following in the footsteps of John Le Carre and Graham Greene. "
— Bhaskara, 1/9/2014" Somewhere between an espionage training manual and a romance... and absolutely lovely. "
— Andy, 12/30/2013" I love spy novels, and this was on someone's best of '12 list... (someone from The New Yorker). It was good... and moved nicely... but wasn't quite as satisfying as Ignatious or Littell. Also: I'm pro-Mossad! "
— Phil, 12/13/2013" Great book. Incredibly fast paced. Fabulous ending. "
— Jj, 11/4/2013" I loved the book, It's my favorite thriller and I loved Michel. It has a different kind of plot than most books I normally read, but still, I loved it. "
— Morgen, 5/25/2013" I really liked this book. The author did a great job of fleshing out each character and in doing so made me empathize, especially with the protagonist. "
— Linda, 3/31/2013" This was a really good story, very well told. "
— Jessica, 3/2/2013" Really enjoy the main character, to bad the story does not lend it's self to a sequel. "
— Doug, 1/11/2013" There is no depth to this book. I know this is supposed to be a spy thriller, but it is not, as it is fairly predictable. I know very little about the subject though and may be this made me miss some of the details. "
— Vero, 9/13/2012Mischa Hiller was born in the UK in 1962 and grew up in London, Beirut, and Dar El-Salaam. He won the 2009 European Independent Film Festival script competition for his adaptation of Sabra Zoo. He lives in Cambridge, UK.
Fleet Cooper’s acting credits include such films as Sweet Home Alabama, Gordy, and Changing Spots. Also a narrator, he has more than sixty audiobook titles to his credit.