Books like Ransom

Looking for a book like Daniel Silva’s Ransom?

Try Terminal Rage by A.M. Khalifa. In Ransom, Gabriel Allon is hired to find a missing socialite and is pulled back into the world he left behind. Terminal Rage begins the same way: a man who walked away from the job, called back because someone asked for him by name.

What they share

Pulled back in

Allon thought he had left espionage behind. Alexander Blackwell left the FBI and is hiding on a small Caribbean island when the helicopter comes for him.

Nothing is what it seems

Alice Winter is not who she seems, and her husband has secrets of his own. The man in the Manhattan tower is not who he seems either, and why he chose Blackwell is the mystery at the heart of the book.

Europe and the Middle East

Silva’s novels move between European cities and the politics of the Middle East. Terminal Rage runs from New York to Rome, Naples and Cairo.

Where they differ

Silva’s hero is an Israeli spy and art restorer. Khalifa writes the Middle East as an Egyptian who grew up in a diplomatic corps family, so his Arab characters have their own loyalties and grief. His hero is a negotiator, and much of the tension comes from talk.

A.M. Khalifa is an Egyptian writer based in Rome, raised in a diplomatic corps family across more than fifteen countries, and the only Egyptian writing commercial espionage fiction in English. More on that.

Terminal Rage received a starred review from Booklist, has sold more than 500,000 copies, and is narrated on audio by Scott Brick. It contains violence and sexual content, and is meant for adult readers.

More books like Ransom

  • Terminal Rage by A.M. Khalifa: a retired negotiator called back to a Manhattan tower, and a trail that leads to Cairo.
  • The Kill Artist by Daniel Silva: the first Gabriel Allon novel.
  • Box 88 by Charles Cumming: a secret Anglo-American intelligence service, and the past of the man who runs it.
  • The Faithful Spy by Alex Berenson: a CIA officer returns after years undercover with al-Qaeda.

Questions

What books are like Ransom by Daniel Silva?

Terminal Rage by A.M. Khalifa: a professional pulled back in, a mystery about who is really behind it, and a story that crosses Europe and the Middle East. More authors like Daniel Silva.

What should I read after Ransom?

If you’re waiting for the next Gabriel Allon novel, try Terminal Rage by A.M. Khalifa, the first book in a series.

Is Terminal Rage part of a series?

Yes. It is the first book in the series and reads on its own. The second, Terminal Deception, is coming soon.

Is there an audiobook?

Yes. Scott Brick narrates the unabridged audiobook of Terminal Rage, about 10.5 hours long.

Daniel Silva, Gabriel Allon and Ransom are mentioned for comparison only. A.M. Khalifa is not affiliated with them.

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