The Colour of Blood, 1994. Set in a communist country possibly an amalgam of Czechoslovakia, East Germany and Poland, before the end of the Cold War. Cardinal Wem survives an assassination attempt but is kidnapped the same night by what are perhaps a group of Roman Catholic rebels. Do both State and Church rebels have it in for him?
There are mysterious cars following other mysterious cars. The Cardinal escapes and tension builds up around him. A faceless malevolence met in other stories about countries behind the iron-curtain seems to surround events which build up to a climax in the days before a Church festival celebrating a martyrdom 200 years earlier. The Cardinal is determined to attend. In the presence of the Prime Minister and with anonymous Security Police in the congregation, the Cardinal speaks out against violence. He gives communion and sees a face he remembers. Eight out of ten. Very strong on atmsophere. Brian Moore's (same author) 'The Mangan Inheritance' was the first book reviewed on this blog, see below. You can also follow the link to the dangerous life of a real Cardinal.
Single and Single by John le Carré, 1999
A traditional English gent in tweeds with son in Public School, a minor one but nevertheless....they are the pair of Singles of the book title, the main characters in this post-Cold War story. The elder Single is in business with all kinds of shady characters as his son gradually finds out on leaving school and entering the 'business'. In Istanbul one marvellously convivial group of Georgians engage the younger Single in their lively but sinister extended family and connections. Why did I ever wonder what Le Carré would do for plots when the Cold War ended? Recommended. Nine out of ten.
Look out for Novel Sentences, a new feature of first sentences of novels. In the right hand column, below...
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