the secret pilgrim
john le carre
paperback, $5.99
375 pages

"You want to say 'I slew the dragon, I left the world a safer place.' You can't really, not these days. Perhaps you never could."

If you're not familiar with the name Le Carre', shame on you and note that despite the quote, there aren't any actual firebreathing dragons in this collection of spy tales. Le Carre', known for his George Smiley espionage novels, wraps things up with a novel that's really a series of short stories tucked into a narrative frame. This episodic novel is about cold warriors reminiscing about the past, about real spy work (as opposed to La Femme Nikita-esque shootem-ups), about the psychology of faith and betrayal, about the peculiar mind of the real secret agent. Ned, junior to Smiley by some years, is on the verge of retirement. His last post is teaching the new generation, which for the first time includes female spies. It is at a dinner party which Smiley attends that the series of tales, covering Ned's entire career, is spun out for the students. Though this is Ned's narrative, we see quite a hit of George Smiley. It is comforting for long-time Le Carre' readers to see Smiley seemingly at peace after his shadowy and painful career.

Ned's career makes for fascinating reading. We first meet him as an aged instructor, but quickly move into a tale from the beginning of his career. As a novice, his perceptions of his work are amusing and naive. The progression is natural throughout the book, until by the end of the book Ned himself has come to an equitable rest outside of the Circus (Le Carre's nickname for Britain's secret service). Little betrayals, big betrayals, doubt, faith, love, hate - all part of Ned's career. The machinations of spies, or what's called "trade-craft" in the novel, is fascinating. Even if you've never read a Le Carre' novel before, this one is worth reading. It comes at you in manageable bites, and each bite has something worthwhile in it. For those who relish a series, it might he better to go back to Le Carre's earlier espionage novels, and follow the history in order. Secrets that take entire hooks to reveal are handed to the reader for free in The Secret Pilgrim. Once again, Le Carre' has produced a great read, chock full of trade-craft and the mystery of the human soul.

the angel of darkness
caleb carr
paperback, $7.99
752 pages

"All her smiles and respect were gone now; and for the first time, I could see hard and even murderous cruelty in those golden eyes."

Caleb Carr is known for his previous book, The Alienist, a historical mystery/thriller set in 1890's New York City. The Angel of Darkness takes place seven years later, and Carr uses a different narrator - but there is a serial killer to hunt, and once again the hunt is not easy or safe. Thankfully, Carr does not reproduce exactly his formula: I took it as a good thing when the killer was identified and found within the first quarter of the book. The Angel of Darkness provides a fascinating hunt into the past of the suspect, but the thrust of the book is the court battle that takes up much of the latter half of the hook. Clarence Darrow makes an appearance, and Carr addresses contemporary problems in our legal system using the court case. Darrow's tactics are a window through which we ruefully recognize the illogical state of our judicial process.

While reading The Alienist before this book might help, it's not necessary. Carr makes his characters vivid, and he provides their background for come-lately readers. Taggert, the street-wise exdelinquent, is a comfortable narrator for this tale. The investigative team stands out against a field of solo investigators in other such novels. Each of the six contributes something special to the hunt, though a larger role is given to three of the investigators.

As a paperback, the hook is a bit unwieldy - and some readers may find the text a bit overdone and in need of a slimming diet. There are sections which drag on without providing the reader any bang for their effort. Carr does a clever job of keeping the reader interested, but his placement of "leader" lines grows predictable after awhile. The historical content is excellent, as one might expect of a trained historian, and the inclusion of Famous Folks such as Darrow and Roosevelt adds a nice spice. This is a good read - if a lengthy one - especially for fans of mystery thrillers and courtroom dramas.

Classic:

You should already have read this month's book classic... James P. Hogan's Inherit the Stars

"The believer is happy; the doubter is wise."

--- Hungarian Proverb

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