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Smart Crime Book Reviews
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Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy by John le Carre
Read by Tracy in October 2011(OurBookClub book pick of the month for November 2011)
Tracy recommends as a thrilling espionage novel
Set in the 1970's this novel is a look at the disenfranchisement of the spy game after the cold war and the lengths those within the British Secret Intelligence Service (SIS) will go to uncover and by some, hide, a Soviet mole. This is no James Bond or Jason Bourne style novel, there is no glitz and glamour, it is all about the compromises that are made as the once young guns of the SIS reach middle age and must face their own demons in a beige world where disenchantment has taken its toll. Le Carre eloquently captures the decay facing a once mighty empire who is now on the back foot and trying to assimilate into a changed world where there is a new game in town.
Control, the Circus chief, uncovers information that adds to his suspicions there is a KGB mole, who is codenamed Gerald, within the upper echelons of the SIS. For the five possible informants he assigns a code name - Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Poorman and Beggarman so that information that uncovers the mole can easily be relayed back to him. Years later a new younger spy (Ricki Tarr) uncovers similar information and advises his superior Peter Guillam, who years previously had ignored Control's theories and now wants to make amends and notifies Oliver Lacon who is now the civil servant in charge of SIS. Enter George Smiley, recruited back into the SIS, who with the help of Guillam is to clandestinely investigate and ultimately uncover the mole responsible for leaking secrets to the Soviets for years. Smiley soon finds that the Circus is now a different place, run by wannabees that Control had named as possible spies. Smiley has to go back painstakingly through the files to when the Mole first became known and put the parts of the jigsaw together. I love the descriptions of "the Circus" (the highest echelon of the SIS) which seems to be a maze of narrow corridors and buildings that you could walk by without even wondering what lies behind the doors and all guarded by seemingly invisible people. Using Controls files, Smiley is able to name the different nominees for the Mole award - Tinker: Percy Alleline, Tailor: Bill Haydon, Soldier: Roy Bland and Poor Man: Toby Esterhase, who have all subsequently risen to positions of prominence within the Circus. Smiley is able to uncover that Gerald was responsible for the failure of Operation Testify where a SIS spy was shot in the process of kidnapping a Czech army General. The spy was Jim Prideaux and the failed operation saw the dismissal of both Control and Smiley. Smiley interviews Prideaux and discovers Operation Testify was created to uncover the moles identity and that this fact was already known by Moscow in his subsequent interrogations. I have to say at some points I did wonder if the spy was Smiley himself, what a great cover, the ability to work on the sidelines and to read all the most top secret documentation, it would be easy to point the finger at someone else. What raises more of a smile is when Guillam infiltrate’s the Circus to find the log files that recorded some vital information, he describes telex machines, filing cabinets, microfiche machines and paper documents – how things have changed for the Y generation and the introduction of the mobile phone and GPS. Of course one of the biggest changes to office life was the dominance of the women only typing pools which have been removed with the introduction of the computer. Smiley starts to investigate a source code-named Merlin and the possibility that the information is false and instead of providing information to the SIS, Merlin is in fact sending information back to the Soviets which is agreed in a ruse to protect Merlin's identity and as such the new leadership at the Circus, headed by Percy Alleline ensure that any rumours of a mole are suppressed. During the investigation, Smiley, who has always been extremely protective of his personal life discloses he is having problems in his marriage, especially after he finds his wife Ann and Bill Haydon have been having an affair and this starts to clouds his impartiality. In the end Smiley uncovers the use of a safe house and is able to link some of the possible moles with the confirmed Soviet Mole of Polyakov and in their desire to obtain more information from Merlin the real SIS mole has been able to leak genuine British information unbeknownst to the others. Le Carre has a wonderfully descriptive writing style. When he explains the drive towards dower house to meet Ricki Tarr, I could imagine the beautiful houses with white fences. Even small details such as his description of the old boys club and Haydon having to read news on tickertape – now those would have been the days and I am sure most men regret their gradual demise in the face of equality. Of course one of the lines in book that I really loved was Smiley’s theory on each of us having only a quantum of compassion so that if we lavish our attention on every stray cat, we never get to the centre of things, this is what breaks the case of course. The ending can be a real cliff hanger and it is a surprise.
The book is based loosely on the revelations during the 1950's/60's of real life moles within the SIS in the names of Guy Burgess, Donald Maclean, Anthony Blunt, John Cairncross and probably the most famous of them all, Kim Philby, who I think were all eventually repatriated back to Russia.
Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy is the first novel of the Karla Trilogy, the second and third novels being The Honourable Schoolboy (1977) and Smiley's People (1979), later published in an omnibus edition as The Quest for Karla (1982). To find out more information on John le Carre, visit his website.
In 2011 a movie of the book was released. Directed by Tomas Alfredson (Let the Right One In) and starring Gary Oldman as George Smiley, Colin Firth as Bill Haydon and John Hurt as Control. Click here to read more about the movie . This follows on from a 1979 BBC TV adaptation which starred Alec Guinness.
Robert Ludlum's The Bourne Dominion by Eric Van Lustbader
Read by Tracy August 2011
Tracy recommends as an lacklustre attempt at reprising the role of Jason Bourne
Yes I know not my usual reading fodder, but I wanted something light and having recently watched the three Bourne movies, felt that this would be a great book to get ready for the release of The Bourne Legacy which I think is hitting the movies in 2012, might even be back in Australia for that one.
What can I say about this book, firstly very puzzled at why it is called Robert Ludlum's The Bourne Dominion when he didn't write it, but anyway that is off track. Secondly I thought this book lacked the excitement and tension of the three I have so far seen, but note I have seen the movies and have not read the books, so maybe the books weren't that good either. Oh well, back to this book. Jason Bourne is now on the trail of the Severus Domna, a terrorist organisation that wants to destroy America (ho hum) and is going to do it through natural resources which are in desperate need by the US for their military program. There are snippets of information from Bourne's past and his lack of memory which draws out the book a bit more and there are also hints to Alex Conklin and the reinstatement by the current US President of the Treadstone program. In the end Bourne has to rely on Boris Karpov, a Russian spy and now head of FSB-2 to help him uncover the try story of Severus Domna and find the leader and put an end to his dastardly plan. As well as relying on a variety of other government organisations throughout the world to pop up every now and then. In the end Bourne is kind of double crossed in a nice way and leaves the way open for another book. There were just too many gaps in the story and it seems to have become just another action hero book soon to become movie.
The Stone Cutter by Camilla Lackberg
Read by Tracy April 2011
Tracy recommends as a lacklustre crime novel
On the front cover this book has a sticker - if you like Jo Nesbo you'll love this. As I am not sure whether I like Jo Nesbo, couldn't really use that as a guide. However there seems to be a dearth of Scandanavian crime writers/books out there at the moment, so thought I would try it. This book could do with some professional editing as it repeats some of the history several times and in other places doesn't quite flow and I am not sure if that is just the English translation. However, it starts off promising. A young girl is found drowned and we are then taken on an investigation by Patrick the lead detective. Patrick and his partner Erica have just had a baby, so you wonder if his mind is on his job and you can see from missing gaps in the investigation and his lack of attention to detail i.e. the slip of paper given to him by Annika which he forgets but it holds a crucial piece of evidence. Of course that is not helped by some very stupid work colleagues (Ernst in his handling of child pornography and Morgan's Asperbergs Syndrome) who just want to undermine his authority. Anyway, whilst investigating the present case, we are also transported to the 1920's where we learn about the history of Anders and Agnes and their tryst that ended with the death of the child. It has a great premise by looking at small communities and their incestuousness and the gossip that is raised over the smallest deviation from what is called normal, but the writing just didn't grab me and I was left wondering about so many points. Combined with the perfect ending where everything fell into place the book was too kitsch and formulaic. There were several characters which I felt deserved further analysis - Martin and Morgan, but Lackberg really only provided a history and information on Lackberg. Maybe there are other books that will grow the initial storyline. Overall it was a quick read where you didn't have to think too hard.
I do wonder if a lot of people are riding on the coat tails of Stieg Larsson, but just don't have his imagination or eye for detail.
Invisible by Paul Auster
Read by Natalie 2010
Natalie recommends this as very different but very interesting reading.
This story is told from 3 people's perspectives and spans several decades and countries. It all begins when a young university student meets a French couple at a party and develops a strange ongoing relationship with them both. He is attracted to the young woman and bewildered by the older man. A random act of violence by one of them then sets in motion a complete change in all of their lives. It is interesting having the story told by 3 different characters, although the middle character is not really a part of the story, but more an avenue for the university student to continue with his part. There are a number of twists and turns in the book, including a truly bizarre but beautifully written sequence in the middle and the ending leaves you wondering exactly who was telling the truth and what the real story was. This is my third Paul Auster book and I have really enjoyed all of them. He creates an air of mystery and crime, but it is not your typical who dunnit novel. Highly recommended.
Paul Auster has his own Definitive Website.
This Body of Death by Elizabeth George
Read by Tracy 2010
Tracy does not recommend, but if you must, be warned you will think you are having a case of deja vu
As soon as I started reading this book, I immediately sensed I was reading a book I had already read, but I hadn't and I just couldn't place where I had read something so similar as nothing in this book surprised me. The book revolved around Acting Detective Inspector Isabelle Ardery and Detective Inspector Thomas Lynley and their attempts to solve the murder of a young woman. The case is constantly mishandled and assumptions are made, no doubt to drag out the storyline! Typically the ending ties everything together very nicely with the usual idyllic romances fulfilled. Not sure if this should be a crime novel or a bodice ripper. It is the first time I have read Elizabeth George but the comment on the front of the book that she is one of the best crime novelists around was for me very overstated. it was however, a very easy holiday read and I finished it in two days.
The Yiddish Policemen's Union by Michael Chabon
Read by Tracy 2010
Tracy recommends this for an old fashioned read with a predictable ending
Chabon won the Pulitzer Prize for his third novel (2001) - The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay where his narrative included such diverse themes as the Holocaust, McCarthyism, homophobia, friendship and the relationship between art and political resistance. I picked up this book based on those reviews and how Chabon is now touted as the shining hope of American literature. The premise of this book is what would happen if the Jews were allowed to settle in Alaska instead of Israel. The book (Chabon's fourth) is set in the imaginary city of Sitka. I had to reread the first chapter twice to be able to absorb the language that Chabon created and get used to the names which initially were very similar. The book is basically an old fashioned detective story (in the same vein as Chandler) that traverses through the frozen Jewish settlement. The date for reversion is set (whereupon the land is to be returned to the Alaskans and the Jews will become homeless once again) and all open police cases are to be closed to make way for the new administration. However, there is one case that Meyer Landsman must solve and in attempting to do so involves all levels of Jewish, American and Alaskan society. Eventually his partner and ex-wife both become involved and onboard with his plans. The book did not fully capture my imagination and although cleverly written in parts, it did have a predictable ending.
Click here for The Yiddish Policemen's Union Book Club discussion questions.
Crooked by Brian M. Wiprud
Read By Natalie February 2010
Natalie recommends this as a comedic crime novel with some very funny dialogue
Crooked is the story of Nick, a slightly dodgey insurance investigator who doesn't mind playing both sides if it means he stays alive. After all, it's better to be crooked than dead! Sent in to investigate the disappearance of a priceless painting entitled Trampoline Nude 1972, which incidently features neither nudity nor a trampoline, Nick finds himself interrogated by the cops and at the mercy of art dealer BB. Throw in the alledged death of a fellow criminal/investigator, which he is asked to investigate and he is being pulled from all sides. Nick is also a bit of a ladies man, so the investigation sees him crossing paths with many of his ex-flames, some of whom aren't too happy to see him. The investigation takes a turn for the interesting when Nick discovers that buried beneath New York City is a treasure trove of gold, just waiting to be dug up and claimed. The story is twisting, turning, convoluted and funny, although sometimes it is just a bit much. The dialogue is very funny and Nick certainly gets himself into many a crazy situation. Pick this up if you fancy a lighthearted read, that will have you entertained and laughing.
The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold
Read by Tracy 2010
Tracy recommends reading with a box of tissues
This book was huge and everyone was talking about the book and/or the movie adaptation. Based on the murder of Susie Salmon (14 years old), we read as she looks down telling us her tale and her observations of the impact of her death on those close to her. Initially there is hope within the community and they search for her, but as hope diminishes we follow Susie as she watches her killer as he tries to cover his tracks and she tries to leave clues leading to him, but is never able to reach the right people at the right time. I thought the book lost the plot several times and left me with many questions as to why Susie could only affect certain parts of reality. However, it is certainly a sad read and had me sobbing at the end.
Check out the movie adaptation of The Lovely Bones.
The Murder Room by P.D. James
Read by Tracy in 2009
This is my first PD James book, so I think I missed a bit of the story in relation to Commander Adam Dalgliesh in James' previous books. In this story Dalgliesh is assigned to investigate murder of one of the trustees in the Murder Room of the Dupayne Museum in Hampstead, London. We find out that the museum is under threat of closure and any changes requires the agreement of all three trustees. The murder is similar in style to one of the murders depicted in the Murder Room of the Museum so Dalgleish must find the copycat killer. I think there was meant to be a romantic undertone, but I didn't really get that, but maybe because I have not read any of the previous books. It was interested and had me thinking of who did it!