Review: From The Agency With Love

'Aria di Capri' is neither a mystery novel nor the spy thriller promised by the jacket description. It is a rather gothic tale of a wealthy couple, their jetset lifestyle, and an underlying mystery. The style has a somewhat old-fashioned feel to it; both in the choice of language and in the description of the disabled wife. In fact, the way the mutilated and crippled wife is presented as an ominous figure gives the story its gothic aspect. There are some loose ends and unnecessary complications in the plot. Miss Sheperton is plausible as the young nurse in the household, but the additional revelations about her background seem improbable and unnecessary. The mysterious, possibly female, stalker would be more plausible appearing shortly after Mrs. Stuyvesant's accident, and does not seem to contribute to the plot. On the other hand, the twittering, spiteful exchanges among the members of the Stuyvesants' social circle present a convincing picture of a certain type of society. The novel is an exploration of the dark secrets underpinning the lives of a group of wealthy nomads, rather than a classic mystery novel.

'Requiem for a Dead Ringer' appears to be the novel as described in the jacket copy, 'the Cold War perils of a ...hapless victim of an international spy sqeeze (sic).' (There are a rather large number of mis-spellings in the text as well as the jacket copy; the book could have used better proofreading.) It is written in a somewhat old -fashioned language and style, as is appropriate for a story set during the Cold War. Unfortunately, the rather elaborate vocabulary and the lengthy digressions (such as the life history of Magus) tend to slow down the story.

'Requiem for a Dead Ringer' tells the story of a master spy and a trans-sexual prostitute. Their relationship, although it should be important to the plot, is not well-developed, and is rather implausible especially since they have very little time together. Most of the novel is devoted to the suffering and struggles of the unfortunate prostitute, April Showers, who is trapped in a situation she does not understand. The fast-paced plot involving her struggles is perhaps the strongest aspect of the book. However, there are far better choices than this one for those who wish to read a Cold War spy novel.

Reprinted with permission. Do Not repost without permission from the author, Cheryl - RAM

Book Review: From The Agency With Love