I've read all of Charlie Lovett's books (except his earliest) and enjoyed them all. He became a must-read author for me when I finished his The Lost Book of the Grail. Lovett is a master of the literary mystery; however, The Enigma Affair is a departure for him-- an out-and-out thriller with whizzing bullets, edge-of-the-seat chases, witty repartee, and loathsome villains. I enjoyed every second of it.
The ensemble cast is excellent. It's soon apparent that Patton Harcourt is not your usual small-town North Carolina librarian, and Nemo (once you get a bit of his backstory) is one of the most sympathetic assassins you'll come across. Then there's Ruthie Drinkwater, who works at Bletchley Park; Alex Lansdowne, the owner of a very large collection of Nazi memorabilia; and Jean Simpson, a librarian who finds herself joining this motley crew after she becomes incensed over some stolen library books. As the cast grows-- each member adding an important element to the group's chances for success-- the witty dialogue between them provides laughs and lightens the darkness of the overall quest... because learning about Himmler's brand of alchemy has the power to suck all the light from a room. (On a personal note, if I thought any of the characters to be unnecessary, it was Ruthie Drinkwater, but your mileage may vary.)
If you're in the mood for a chase across Europe to save the world from chaos, hop aboard The Enigma Affair. It's too much fun to miss, and I certainly look forward to what Charlie Lovett will come up with next!
The ensemble cast is excellent. It's soon apparent that Patton Harcourt is not your usual small-town North Carolina librarian, and Nemo (once you get a bit of his backstory) is one of the most sympathetic assassins you'll come across. Then there's Ruthie Drinkwater, who works at Bletchley Park; Alex Lansdowne, the owner of a very large collection of Nazi memorabilia; and Jean Simpson, a librarian who finds herself joining this motley crew after she becomes incensed over some stolen library books. As the cast grows-- each member adding an important element to the group's chances for success-- the witty dialogue between them provides laughs and lightens the darkness of the overall quest... because learning about Himmler's brand of alchemy has the power to suck all the light from a room. (On a personal note, if I thought any of the characters to be unnecessary, it was Ruthie Drinkwater, but your mileage may vary.)
If you're in the mood for a chase across Europe to save the world from chaos, hop aboard The Enigma Affair. It's too much fun to miss, and I certainly look forward to what Charlie Lovett will come up with next!
