Turncoat

(7) well .. a mass market paperwork fobbed off on me by a relative who got it for 75 cents. But it wasn't half bad really. Set in post WW2 America, though I think perhaps written in the last decade, the author either did a commendable job of writing from a typical 1950's husband's viewpoint see: the weaker sex, or he has little knowledge of modern gender politics. One morning a nondescript history professor realizes his French wife isn't who he thinks she is. Her father - who is supposed to be dead - shows up at their front door and our protagonist is subsequently led on an intercontinental goose chase to save his wife from her past.

The wooden dialogue and simplistic narration is for the marginally educated masses. But actually I liked show more the plot, and I didn't guess the secret, and I enjoyed reading each night. That being said, I fell asleep easily and it aroused not much emotion in me, despite what should have been stirring subject matter of Nazi collaborators, executions, mysterious dreams (the best part.)

This was a decent mindless reading experience for an airport or a beach. I think I would classify as a sort of unisex chick-lit, if that makes sense. Apparently the author won an Edgar award which I thought was for slightly more high brow mysteries so perhaps I'll ferret out the novel of his that won next time I am in a used book store. show less

Very different from Elkins' "Gideon Oliver" books. This is one is a much darker historical thriller, starting off in the early 1960's, and working back to wartime occupied France. The characters are compelling and the atmosphere powerfully re-created. What's most interesting, however, is the way in which it brings to the surface the ambiguity of so many people's actions during the occupation.

A good story and historically accurate as well. I had to write a paper on it and compare the historical context, there was a lot of (good) stuff to choose from.