Death Will Have Your Eyes: A Novel about Spies
Sallis' Lew Griffin mysteries, although not widely known, are revered by many for their combination of New Orleans atmosphere and existential toughness. Both those qualities are present in this intriguing but overly introspective spy novel. David is a former CIA hit man, trained as part of an elite corps during the height of the cold war. Long retired from the agency and slowly constructing a human identity for himself, he is abruptly called back into action to track a former cohort turned rogue. What transpires is an elaborate cat-and-mouse car chase, moving to and fro across the American landscape and concluding in New Orleans. The real action, though, is internal, as David drives and broods, contemplating the spy's cypherlike lot. Much of this material is interesting enough, but the delicate balance between story, character, and idea is never quite right, leaving the reader impressed by the ingredients but slightly disappointed in the dish itself. Still, any Sallis novel belongs in all but the smallest mystery collections.Bill Ott