Milo Weaver and friends finally enter the aggressively non-state 21st century, struggling all the way, and it's a bit jarring. After inheriting his father's work, his efforts to keep their activities under the radar seem outright ludicrous--what's the point of a clandestine intelligence agency that everyone seems to know about? What's the use of the gathered intelligence if it's not acted on? Milo, seemingly oblivious to the necessary evolution of his role, finally finds out. It's a good thing his sister and family are there to help him through it. Readers may recognize a few plot points borrowed from other popular sources (e.g. the recent "Jason Bourne"). The author doesn't pin the whole plot on these hinges, but instead weaves them into a larger tapestry around which Milo finally wraps his brain. Once he does, the narrator does a decent job in summary. I would love to have had some of those last details from Milo's own perspective.

Complex, challenging and thoughtful international espionage thriller. As intricate and devious as a grandmaster chess match, yet still exciting and compelling.

This is not a stand-alone read; it is best enjoyed and understood after reading the first three - in order - of the series.

Warning: Trump supporters may bristle at some political observations.

I have to preface my comments by stating this was the first book ready by this author and that I was unfamiliar with Milo Weaver or this genre. With that said, given an audience that enjoys current political fare mixed with an action-packed story employing lots of twists and turns, it will be very successful. While I enjoyed the action, the pacing, the characters, this is not a place where I want to relax and escape to when reading for pleasure. I wish this author great success and am appreciative of his talent.

With best regards,

Olen Steinhauer's penetrating anti-spy espionage book The Tourist was published in 2009; for his March 2020 title, he's chosen THE LAST TOURIST. Like his other titles, this one can be read in several vital ways -- as announcing the last in his "Tourist" books, for instance, or as a label for Milo Weaver himself, struggling stepfather and agency-organized murderer with mega regrets. ... How Milo will resolve the dangerous refocusing around him and whether he and his family can survive it without further deaths or deep wounds -- moral or physical -- is in doubt all the way through. Brace for an ending that clearly concludes the Tourist espionage books. The author never gave you any other expectation, right? But is it also the end of the world, as we know it?

And who are we more similar to: Milo? His sister Alexandra? Or ... Abdul?

#4 in the Milo Weaver/Tourist trilogy. Yes, that’s correct.

The Tourist, The Nearest Exit and An American Spy chronicled Milo Weaver’s career in the blackest of black op departments within the CIA. The Office of Tourism was the sharpest point of America’s clandestine spear. They go in. They kill. They leave.

But a Chinese intelligence officer figured it all out, got his hands on the proverbial roster of Tourists and effectively wiped them all out. All except Milo and his boss. Together, in the aftermath, they have taken over an independent intelligence gathering operation that had been set up by Milo’s father (guess the spy trade runs in his family as Milo’s sister is also involved). This operation is is the subject of The Last Tourist and is called The Library, which provides its clients (selected nation-states that have deep pockets) with high level intelligence that might directly or indirectly affect each country.

The Last Tourist details a vast, complex, and secretive conspiracy and its attempts to wipe out The Library, which is viewed as a threat. Think the Bilderberg Group is something to be feared? They don’t hold a candle to the group dreamed up by Steinhauer.

Steinhauer’s vivid imagination has crafted a conspiracy that is not about geopolitics, nation states, governments, or laws. That’s child’s play. The ultimate source of power and control is simply money. And currency knows no borders or boundaries, no elected officials or tinpot despots. It just is. The primary participants include a former CIA higher-up who stumbled across all the (supposedly) hidden files about their Office of Tourism that dated well back onto the Cold War era. She is (or was) married to the CEO of Northwell (a Halliburtan-ish conglomerate) that has used that information to secretly set up its own Office of Tourism that is now tasked with taking out Milo Weaver, his Librarians (country-specific information magnets) and all the genius programmers that hide, store, and encrypt the Library’s information.

Other players determined to develop a new world order are MirGaz (Russian natural gas company; world’s largest), IfW (Germany’s massive investment bank), Touzi (middle eastern venture capitalists), Said Logistics (Omani shipping and transportation), and most importantly, Nexus (texting and messaging service with a reach beyond that of Facebook that guarantees anonymity and state of the art encryption). And they all meet each year to recruit clients at the annual World Economic Summit that meets in Davos.

Weaver is driven by two things. One is keeping the Library afloat and the other is protecting his wife and teenage daughter. They put up with and survived Milo’s career so far, but these new Tourists are even more ruthless. He’s not doing too well keeping The Library alive. Librarians and programmers are systematically being taken out even after they've all been told to go dark dark dark. And he's not just trying to stay a step ahead of these new Tourists. He doesn’t know who he can trust. Old friends may be against him and old enemies may be of some assistance - a scorecard would be helpful.

I’ve read (and reviewed here) most everything Steinhauer has written; search his name. you'll see. He is more from the Le Carre end of the espionage spectrum than he is from the Brad Thor or Vince Flynn end. While there is plenty of death and mayhem, the storyline and the exquisite presentation isn’t overwhelmed by violence. Pick this up because you really want it. Lightweight readers will get lost in the plot’s intricate complexity. Wouldn’t hurt to use a bookmark on which you can jot notes so you can keep track of the players and their fluid loyalties.

The challenge of The Last Tourist, if you choose to accept, will be best attacked by reading the Milo Weaver series in order. The Last Tourist will be really confusing for those reading it as a standalone. Having read the previous three, I was rewarded with a deep, thoughtful, multifaceted, layered, and successful conclusion (I think) to the Milo Weaver saga. But based on Steinhauer’s history, one never knows.

BTW, for those who don’t know, Steinhauer is the creative force behind the on-going series, Berlin Station, now on the EPIX Network, (season 1 in available on Amazon Prime). Haven’t watched it, but I will. With any luck, he’ll be able to get this Milo Weaver narrative on video.

East Coast Don

Available March 2020 (Thanx NetGalley). So mark your calendars.

The Last Tourist by Olen Steinhauer- The fourth book in Steinhauer's "Tourist" series comes with Milo Weaver once again hunting and being hunted, sometimes for reasons he does not know. The narrative is elusive and confusing. It seems someone has reopened the formerly abandoned Department of Tourism, a clandestine branch of the CIA, and they are after Milo's head...again! If you can forget about continuity and plot, most of the numerous chapters are intriguing and well done, but as a whole there seems little to hang this story together. Characters come and go, then disappear for a couple hundred pages. The people that stick around are well drawn except for Milo, who seems out of breath and not up to the chase. I would say the best way to read this is in one sitting or take notes along the way. There are readers who enjoy this sort of espionage thriller. They will probably like this entry. I found it a difficult slog, and yes I read the first Tourist book years ago and came away with the same feelings.

Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! Beyond amazing I enjoyed this book so very much. The characters and storyline were fantastic. The ending I did not see coming Could not put down nor did I want to. Truly Amazing.

I have never read anything written by this author prior to having The Last Tourist made available. I can only say that i am glad I stayed with it. This book is not an easy read, in that the story line and plot takes concentration—at least it did for me. Some book I can put down for a short time and when I pick it I up again I haven’t missed a beat. No so with this book. The premise, that companies are now using trained assassins , instead of the CIA, for the benefit of their bottom line, is well constructed. All of the various players made it very difficult to follow and I fou9nd the ending unsatisfactory, as it left me with unanswered questions. I enjoyed it enough, however, that I will read other works of this author.

Is spycraft action packed James Bond with a terrific soundtrack blasting or is it a chess match where you don't even realize how clever your opponent is until he quietly and efficiently has you in checkmate? In four volumes, Steinhauer poses this question with former CIA tourist Milo Weaver. Don't expect to have the last three books summarized at the beginning of this one. Don't expect to have all the clues laid out for you. Just as Milo sits at the international chessboard, you, the reader, are there too, trying to figure out your opponent's next move and often trying to figure out who your opponent is at all. Accept that for much of the book you, dear reader, are a pawn on the chessboard and you'll survive this book. Forget that and let your ego get ahead of you and you'll be lost. This story delves into where the spy game may be headed and it's not where you think.

The conspiracies were so plausible in our current place in time, and the writing reads so true, that I had a hard time both putting it down and sleeping!

I also loved the ease with which the characters moved through international settings as if it was no big deal, which is isn't for people who work and live in the global economy/community.

I hope Milo Weaver comes back in another book soon.

Milo Weaver is a fascinating character and this novel sees him continue to evolve in unexpected directions. With his family at risk and unidentified players posing threats, he has to piece together the situation with a new organization. The twists were thought-provoking and the scenario one that isn’t implausible, which made this a interesting new edition in the series. If you’ve read any of the previous books, I think you’ll enjoy the character evolution and the new challenges that they have to manage. If you haven’t read any previous books in the series, this would also read well as a standalone book.

Wow, this one was hard to put down. I had to force myself so I god eat and sleep. What a story, I couldn't tell which spy would turn out to be friend or foe. The only thing I feel bad about is the time gap between this and the last book in the series. It feels like the saga of Milo Weaver is winding down. I must thank #StMartinsPress #MinotaurBooks and #Netgalley for letting me have these hours with Olen Steinhauers latest masterpiece, The Last Tourist. Highly recommended.

The Last Tourist is a powerful novel. The complex plot kept me reading. Just when I would think that I had grasped everything, author Olen Steinhauer would throw in a new twist. With such a diverse cast of characters interacting, a scorecard would have been helpful! When I try to imagine the nefarious activities herein as they apply to the real world, well, it's troubling! Money and power seem to win over truth and justice more than they should, but what can the average guy do about it if Milo can't fix it all?
Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC. I did enjoy it.
(Kudos to the author for all of the research and plotting this novel must have required.)