Tom Kelly is a washed up spy, with allegations of torture hanging over his head, until he is offered the opportunity to revive a dying career by tracking down the soon to be anointed head of MI6 and sparing the blushes of the spying establishment.
Set against the contemporary backdrop of the Arab Spring and strained Anglo-French relations , the author takes us on a coruscating journey through North Africa, France and rural England in the search for Amanda Levene and the unravelling of her closely intertwined personal and professional lives.
Levene is a hair’s breadth away from becoming C but her sudden disappearance and the discovery of a secret so big that it threatens not only her career but potential MI6 humiliation, means that desperate and unconventional measures have to be taken.
Amanda Levene is skilled in the art of duplicity but it is only when her biggest deception comes back to haunt her that we see her life unfolding with kidnapping and the French Secret Service presenting the greatest challenges to a happy ending and the salvaging of her career and personal reputation. The language is simple and the culmination of the search comes full circle with Amanda Levene’s personal and professional lives converging in an ending which will surprise.
The common thread throughout though is Tom Kelly who thrives in the murky world of espionage but struggles to come to terms with civilian life and a wife who he clearly loves.
Charles Cumming’s shows real story telling skill in gradually pulling together the converging plot lines while developing the complexity of the key characters. This may not present the reader with the mental challenges offered by Le Carre but this in no way detracts from the readers enjoyment.
A Foreign Country – Charles Cumming
Harper Collins – £12.99
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Rich Reviews rating:
