Old Boys: A Thriller

Why am I surprised that such a good writer does not appear on the best seller list? In a world filled with specious pleasures it is a treat to find a book like "Old Boys". The story of old friends and former spies who come together to find a friend and perhaps save the world is fun that also happens to be well-written. McCarry is graceful and witty. He doesn't resort to puffery; every line advances the story. Like his protagonist he never seems to take himself too seriously, yet it is obvious he knows exactly what he is doing. Good fun, good writing.

Suppose that an ancient manuscript exists that proves that Jesus Christ was an unwitting tool of the Romans, part of a covert action that went wrong. To make it even more plausible, the covert operation bears a close resemblance to an incident reported in the New Testament. What would an Islamic terrorist be willing to do to have proof that Christianity is a false religion. -- OK that's the premise. Now you have to take into account that this is a spy novel. Filled with open questions: What happened to or where is Paul Christopher? Is Paul's mother, arrested or possibly kidnapped by the Nazi's sixty years ago still alive? Is the Muslim terrorist Ibn Awad really alive, the CIA thought that they had killed him many years ago? Charles McCarry's stories have never really caught on. Only one of his ten novels McCarry's work has assumed almost cult like following. This is too bad, as his novels have had an erie way of predicting history. In The Better Angels (1979), there is a terriorist attack on the U.S. using passenger jetliners as the weapons.

McCarry is a delight. One old spy goes missing - and not for the first time. After a congenial dinner with his cousin Horace, Paul Christopher disappears. Horace gathers together a few of his and Paul's former colleagues (all once employed by the Company) and a worldwide search for Paul is undertaken. It's truly an "old boys"network in this one. The characters are wonderfully rich and developed. The plotting is beautifully done. While loaded with surprises, none of them require the reader to overcome disbelief. Even the bad guys - and there is no shortage of them - are interesting. And it's all played out in various parts of the world. This is simply my idea of a great read. It's long at 473 pages, but not a one of them is dull. McCarry is a master of his craft. Jerry

Charles McCarry has been my favorite author since I picked up a used copy of "Secret Lovers" on the way to the airport more than ten years ago. For some reason he remains undiscovered by most readers -- his books ought to be appreciated not only by fans of espionage fiction, but by anyone who likes a good story that is beautifully written. I have read all the Paul Christopher books, and a couple years ago, thinking that the last one had already been written, re-read them from first to last. This series has a richness of characterization and story, a unique melding of history with fiction, and a literary style that elevates it above any other author's work. Although a unified series, each book has its own merits. The first, Miernik Dossier, is not a narrative, but rather a collection of reports from the field that dance around the truth, and that brillianty illuminate the type of imperfect knowledge that espionage can provide. Current events provide another example. One of the books is a historical romance. Another has some aspects of fantasy/science fiction. This book, "Old Boys", is the only one written in the first person, and does not have one of the Christophers as narrator. Again, it is topical, and can stand alone as an absorbing novel, but in the context of the entire series serves as a capstone to this family's story. I strongly recommend "Old Boys" -- and urge you to read the rest of McCarry's fiction too -- Let's hope this is not, in fact, Paul Christopher's swan song.

As usual Charles McCarry has produced another exceptional thriller. Although it follows the latest twist in the Christopher family history it can be read on a stand alone basis. McCarry's novels are literate and absorbing unlike much of the genre. Sadly this may be McCarry's final work {according to the WSJ review}.