Book Review: Good News, Bad News

Reviewed By: Ali Karim - RAM

Good News, Bad News     Amazon US PB Amazon US HC Amazon UK PB Amazon UK HC Amazon Canada PB Amazon Canada HC
David Wolstencroft
Class/Genre:   Mystery   Espionage
Hodder & Stoughton

I was very excited by this debut thriller, as [a] it comes from the creator of the wonderfully overblown BBC TV series SPOOKS [US Title 'MI5'] [b] It was a debut encouraged by uber literary agent Jonny Geller and [3] The publishers are rolling out a huge marketing campaign telling us all what a huge adrenaline rush this book would bring the reader. One nagging voice haunts my mind however - It was released last year in America and none of my US colleagues has raved about it. I think also the publicity saying that this debut would 're-invent the spy genre' just got my anticipation to a heightened level and perhaps got my back up in irritation.

Well the good news is that it is a very well written debut thriller, more 'Harry Palmer' than 'James Bond' though - the bad news is that the plot is less-than-fresh and soon gets bogged down and disappoints. The plot - two undercover agents, the young Charlie Millar and old-hand George Shaw get assigned to assassinate each [in an administrative bungle]. From this thread we have a stodgy tale that bores the reader. I'm afraid I found the story far from 'exhilarating' [as promised by the publisher], and only the beauty of Wolstencroft's prose kept me reading. A deeply disappointing thriller but as a debut- it shows the promise of much better work from the writer of one of the best BBC TV work in years. I look forward to seeing more mature work from Wolstencroft as his prose shows great promise. Avoid this book, and wait for his second novel.

Ali Karim - RAM

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