Book Review: Unauthorized Departure

Reviewed By: Luke Croll - RAM

[3 stars]

Unauthorized Departure Amazon US HC Amazon Canada HC
Maureen O'Brien
Class/Genre: Mystery
Time Warner, UK First published 2003, 358 pg. Price £6.99

DI John Bright puts a dangerous gangster behind bars and soon finds himself threatened. He lets himself be convinced by his girlfriend, Jude, to go on holiday to France. However, they swiftly become embroiled in a murder investigation and the chief suspect is none other than John Bright himself. In a country where he does not know the language or the procedures, is Bright out of his depth?

'Unauthorised Departure' is a distinctly strange novel and one that at the beginning I found hard to get to grips with. It is always interesting to see how someone behaves when they are removed from their natural environment and John Bright's flounderings in France feel authentic. O' Brien clearly has knowledge of the French language and she liberally sprinkles the text with some French phrases, the majority of which are correct.

However, I found the characters distinctly hard to understand. Bright has always been unique, but his new girlfriend, Jude, was very odd. Her behaviour seemed erratic and she seemed unable to accept Bright in his role as a police officer. She also appeared naïve. Other characters, such as the judge, Folin, were much more interesting. Nevertheless, I certainly did not see one of O' Brien's major plot twists coming and she is capable of maintaining the surprise until the denouement.

The French judicial system is very different to the British one and it is clear that O' Brien has done her research. Overall, 'Unauthorised Departure' is an enjoyable read for someone eager to find a novel that takes place somewhere other than the UK or USA, but it might take some effort to get used to the irascible Bright and his plain bizarre girlfriend.

Luke Croll - RAM

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

Luke Croll - Conference interpreter and translator
http://lukecroll.translatorscafe.com