THE SPY WORE SILK

by Countess of Romanones Aline ‧ RELEASE DATE: March 21, 1991

Third in the Countess Aline's international high-society spy historicals (The Spy Wore Red, 1987; The Spy Went Dancing, 1989). Countess Aline (code-name Tiger) still writes masterfully about every little froufrou while stitching together a true-life melodrama. Aline is living in Madrid with her wealthy husband, Count Luis Romanones, when he tells her of his old friend Abdul Nabil's knowledge of a plot to assassinate King Hassan of Morocco. Luis has big ironore business with Morocco and says that Abdul wants her to pass along news of the plot (and its Libyan and perhaps Soviet support) to the American ambassador in Madrid. She goes to the CIA office in Morocco, however, where everything falls apart and she leaves in a fury after having told them about Abdul. Within weeks, Abdul is murdered. Aline refuses to have anything more to do with the CIA, but relents in part when speaking with her old spymaster, Jupiter, and her friend Bill Casey (yes, the William Casey). Aline and Luis have been invited by King Hassan to a shoot in Morocco. Aline tries to warn the king by speaking to those closest to him, General Medbouh and General Oufkir (Oufkir is a national hero). Aline sits between Cary Grant and Malcolm Forbes and across from Ava Gardner at the king's table, dances with Cary. Meanwhile, a vile newspaperman whom Bill Casey once helped is spreading vicious rumors in print about Luis's Moroccan company--and when Aline and Luis are nearly killed in a car whose brakes have been tampered with, there are so many possible villains that she can't choose among them. Alas, Aline fails to foil the coup, since Generals Medbouh and Oufkir are the ones behind it--but the king escapes anyway, twice in fact. Readers from the lower social orders may find this one too padded, and wired with too little tension.

Pub Date: March 21, 1991

ISBN: N/A

Page Count: -

Publisher: Putnam

Review Posted Online: N/A

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 1991

Categories: NONFICTION