Harvey Havel’s political thriller THE QUEEN OF INTELLIGENCE (A 9/11 Conspiracy Novel) is not easy to categorize. Centered around the 9/11 terrorist attacks, the novel lays out what the author describes in his introduction as a conspiracy theory that “has little or no bearing on what actually took place or what others think took place.” The premise alone may raise red flags for some readers, who may envision a wild-eyed conspiracy nut ranting at length about steel beams and jet fuel. But Havel’s approach here is more detached and analytical, avoiding sensationalized blame games in favor of exploring the complex, sprawling chain of events that led to the 2001 attacks. Havel fictionalizes his analysis through protagonists like Sherry—a recent Georgetown grad who hopes to parlay a career in her father’s PR firm into a political career—and a CIA operative with a mysterious past, including secret missions in Afghanistan, which makes the story read at times like a particularly bleak, serious-minded romance novel.

THE QUEEN OF INTELLIGENCE moves freely in time between events occurring about a year prior to 9/11 and as far back as 1980 to trace the political and economic factors—involving various Afghani, Saudi, and American powers—that would eventually converge to create one of the most devastating events in U.S. history. Without giving away Havel’s overarching thesis, it’s a sprawling and detailed argument, supported by academic sources, that makes for an absorbing, fascinating read. THE QUEEN OF INTELLIGENCE is less compelling in its more conventional sections that deal with the characters’ personal tribulations, like Sherry’s journey through Washington D.C. high society or the CIA operative’s relationship with his toxic, abusive father. While Sherry’s story, in particular, with its nauseating portrayals of the sexism she endures, is a fascinating story in itself and worth exploring, these detours contribute to what ultimately feels like an overstuffed and unfocused narrative. Still, Havel’s novel presents a sober and ultimately fascinating chronicle that, despite the author’s insistence to the contrary, is an entirely plausible and realistic speculation about the parties responsible for 9/11 and their possible motivations. When Havel focuses on that part of his story, THE QUEEN OF INTELLIGENCE becomes a cold-eyed and frequently brutal page-turner, and a must-read for anyone curious to dig deeper into this harrowing chapter of American history.

While its subject matter–dealing with 9/11 terrorist attacks may seem sensationalistic–Harvey Havel’s dense, sprawling political thriller THE QUEEN OF INTELLIGENCE (A 9/11 Conspiracy Novel) presents a nuanced and complex take on the chain of events leading to the attack.

~Edward Sung for IndieReader