Reviewed By: Ali Karim - RAM
12:23 Paris. 31st August 1997
Amazon UK PB
Eoin McNamee
Class/Genre: Fiction Mystery Espionage Conspiracy
Faber and Faber UK £10.99
As a lover of conspiracy thrillers, I was awaiting McNamee’s book like a missing lung, especially as I had met him several years ago when he was presented with the inaugural CWA Ian Fleming Steel Dagger for ‘The Sirius Crossing’ [writing under the name of John Creed].
So when ’12:23’ finally hit my doormat, I grabbed the sucker and sat entranced for four hours. I reckon I could have read the novel in well under two hours, as it is a slim novel in terms of page-count, but bloody hell, it is a big book in terms of Ideas, literary style and the atmosphere it conjured in my head, hence forcing me to read slowly, meticulously absorbing every word, every sentence into my fevered mind, such is the dark beauty of McNamee’s tremendous novel.
The premise of “12:23’ is that several international spies from various agencies working both officially as well as unofficially are converging on Paris to watch what happens to Princess Diana – referred to in the text simply as ‘Spencer’. There are rumors that she is pregnant with a child spawned by Dodi-al-Fayed – referred to in the text as ‘The Arab’, with a whiff of racism fueled by the dark figures that seem to be connected to the British ‘establishment’. Far more disturbing is that McNamee’s research indicates that that Dodi’s mother was Samira Kashoggi, sister of the notorious weapons dealer, Adnan Khashoggi.
Then there is Mossad activity as it is rumored that ‘Spencer’ will be making a speech taking a stand with the Arabic Palestinians in their war with Israel, there are even the followers of The Solar Temple Cult implicated, but let’s not ignore the shadowy figures from a cabal of ammunitions traders concerned that ‘Spencer’ is eroding their market for Landmines. However what would a British Espionage novel be without involvement with the French. But it is the interactions of a unit of low-level and grungy British Spies that powers this narrative forward almost as fast as Henri Paul drove that night with the photographers in fast pursuit. McNamee writes with an observed and perceptive intellect and with literary power that makes this book captivating - but also deeply disturbing. Like the previous British penned thriller set in Paris – The Day of The Jackal, where we knew the outcome right from the start. The skill of the writers Frederick Forsyth and now McNamee allows us still to be captivated as the various characters in this story converge to the brutal and disturbing climax. The politics of Northern Ireland and a banal murder onboard an Irish ferry triggers the hiring of one of the British agents, while the others face their own demons, but nothing is as it seems as they watch the proceedings with impotent cynicism.
McNamee writes his prose like a magician as there is an abundance of smoke and silvery mirrors shielding the truth until the end, when he rolls up his sleeves revealing his fictional take on the event, which like a landmine was hidden in plain sight..
Like the missing Fiat Uno that was allegedly involved in the incident, the plot concludes with a disturbing series of people vanishing. This novel must be a very strong contender for next years CWA Ian Fleming Steel Dagger.
Ali Karim - RAM
Reprinted with permission. Do Not repost without permission from the author, Ali Karim - RAM
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