I do enjoy a good spy story, and William Boyd certainly knows how to tell one.

Cold Sunset brings us back to Gabriel Dax, the travel writer who somehow keeps finding himself mixed up in British intelligence and all the trouble that comes with it.

This is Gabriel's third outing, and by now he's got good at a job he never really set out to do. The Cold War setting gives Boyd plenty to play with, from suspicious conversations and secret meetings to the uncomfortable feeling that almost everyone knows more than they're admitting. You can never be quite sure who is telling the truth, which is exactly how I like my spy stories.

Boyd is particularly good at the little details. You get a real sense of the places Gabriel visits, the people he meets, and the rather peculiar world of intelligence gathering. I also like that Gabriel isn't a conventional action hero. He's a writer first, even if his adventures are becoming a bit more adventurous than most travel assignments.

You can see a few twists coming, and I wouldn't say the story is especially demanding. But that's not a complaint. Not every book needs to be complicated or leave you wondering what on earth the author meant. Sometimes you just want a good story, interesting characters, and a reason to turn the next page.

If you've followed Gabriel through the earlier books, you'll enjoy catching up. If you haven't, I'd be inclined to start at the beginning, simply because part of the fun is watching him get pulled deeper into this world.

For anyone who loves a spy thriller, Cold Sunset is an easy, enjoyable weekend read. Find a comfortable chair, make a coffee, and settle in.