A Matter of Honor

ISBN 067164159X - Ironically, I picked this one up right after I finished Ludlum's The Gemini Contenders, and they have a lot in common - a secret hidden during WWII comes to light and becomes the responsibility of a later generation and the chase is on. I gave Ludlum 4 stars and give this one 5 for two reasons; Archer's book is an easier read and the hero of his book is around long enough to care about. Thought to be a traitor, Gerald Scott resigned his commission from the army. When he died, he had little to leave his family, other than the taint of that resignation and an unopened letter from a Nazi war criminal. Adam, his son, inherits the letter and takes a simple one day trip to Switzerland to retrieve the contents of a bank box the letter refers to. From that moment on, Adam's life is anything but simple. Chased by the Americans, the Russians, the Swiss and the British, and unaware of the secret he's got in his possession, Adam has to get to safety. First, he has to solve the mystery of his inheritance, figure out where safety is and who he can trust, and manage to stay alive doing it all. The secret itself seems a tad silly, but other than that, the story is fast-paced and very easy to follow, putting it a little bit above some overly convoluted thrillers I've read. - AnnaLovesBooks

I read this book in two days, just couldn't put it down. Once it takes off, which doesnt take long with Jeffery Archer, it REALLY takes off. I would like to compare it with the Bourne Identity movies, just action packed. A game of cat and mouse at its best. A little about the author, Jeffery Archer was the youngest memeber of the House of Commons in 1969, apointed Deputy Chairman of the Conservative Party 1985, Moved up to the House of Lords 1992. Bascially this guy was a big fish in the British Goverment. He wrote a couple of books, one of which "Not a Penny more, Not a Penny less" I think is magnificent and has about the same pace as this book. He was sent to prison in 2001 after a sex scandal which rocked...i want to say the world...but i can't be sure... Anyway the book starts off with a Adam Scott recieving his Father's will which contains a mysterious envelope......KGB, CIA and SAS all want it. He doesnt find out until after he gets it, by then everybody in the world and their highly trained assasins are after him. Being British he tries to run to them, but for the sake of the plot, they keep screwing up and he is always one step ahead of the russian assasin who REALLY loves killing people. Plus to add wood to the fire, the cops want him for a muder he did not commit. All this may sound over the top, but Archer weaves it superbly, making it unbelivably fast paced. The book being from a british author has a heap of british words, Trouser-Pants, Phoned-Called, Lift-Elevator and so forth. so it might be a little irritating if you do not know what he means, but honestly this little gripe doesn't in any way compare to the way the book is written.

I recommend this book highly. It seemed so innocent. A totally disgraced British colonel Scott sends a mysterious letter to his one and only son. The moment young 17 year old Adam Scott opens the yellowing and fragile envelope, he sets into motion a deadly chain of events that threatens to shake the very foundations and pilars of the free world. Within days, Adam's lover is brutally murdered by the men that his father set in motion and he's running for his life through the great cities of Europe, pursued not only by the KGB, but by the CIA and his own countrymen as well. Their common intent is to kill him before the truth comes out, before the truth comes out. These powerful men in smoke and cannabish-filled rooms plot ever more genious means of killing him dead dead dead, Adam finds himself betrayed, sad, and abandoned even by those he holds most dear. When at last he comes to understand what he is in possession of, he's even more determined to protect it, for it's more than a matter of life and death-it's a matter of honor to his lover (rest his soul), his mother and his brothers and sister.

As usual with Archer's books, I could not put this one down. His thrillers are always terrribly exciting, but I especially enjoyed this one. It is a novel about an ordinary person, who through certain circumstances, becomes drawn into international espionage through following up on a letter received as part of his father's will. I read the entire thing in one day and evening, starting in the morning, and finishing at midnight. And you won't be able to put it down either ! !

This story is a little bit out of reality, but it keeps you interested in the book and you can compare the FBI with the former KGB as they work almost in the same manner.