Remembrance Day

In this debut novel, Henry Porter provides the grist of more seasoned spy thriller authors: a plausible and twisted plot, a worthy villain, protagonists with real-life depth and flaws, and scenes rich in detail in the Clancy or Ludlum tradition. The self-serving hypocrisy of government agencies becomes the villain's arch angel, as often occurs in real life tragedies such as 9/11. The only thing that prevented a dreadful tragedy in this novel was the tenacity of the detective who was determined to solve the crime on his beat no matter what, a woman's belief in the system she worked for became greater than her personal ambitions, and the victim of police "profiling"-- if your mother is a terrorist, you are automatically a terrorist. A stunning first novel and an absorbing read. Porter joins my growing list of favorite spy thriller writers. I now look forward to reading Porter's next novel, "A Spy's Life."

This is one of those all too rare occurences: a truly great first novel in the thriller/suspense, etc. field. Here, Henry Porter proves that there is rich ore to be mined in the post-Cold War, post-Northern Ireland era. While the "Troubles" are an essetial part of the plot's background, the story is driven by a set of fascinating characters. In fact, Commander Kenneth Foyle of Scotland Yard's Anti-Terrorist Unit is a prime candidate for a series. Wathcing Foyle take hold of the case even against the wishes of his own service and the active enmity of the Security Service is an interesting story in itself as we watch the Security Service implode from its own intrigues and attempts to impede the main investigation into the bombing that killed Lindow's brother and implicated Lindow only because the authorities were protecting themselves from other revalations.Kirsty Lainge of the Security Service is an especially interesting character, although in some ways it did seem obvious what stance she would ultimately take and what the outcome would be for her. The question of Mary's relationship to all this is answered early but the fate of one of the injured bystanders is an interesting twist at the end. In fact, the last line of the book was very appropriate.I look forward to "A Spy's Life" with an assurance, from reading the reviews, that Henry Porter has not faded much, if at all, from his first effort. "Remembrance Day" is simply a great read and highly recommended.

Remembrance Day is a truly remarkable first novel. There is a depth and richness in plot and characterization not often seen in first time writers. The plot is intricate enough to keep readers happily and compulsively turning the pages. However, a problem with the book is the needless repetition of explanations from one character to another. This serves to slow the book down considerably and adds to the already overblown length. Nonetheless, it remains a compelling thriller and an excellent summer read. Larry Gandle Tampa, FL

Impossible to put down once you start. Fast plot, but believable well-rounded interesting characters. Avoids the boring stereotypical tough male hero outwitting the forces of evil. Great read

Irish born molecular biologist Constantine Lindow left Boston for a research job in London. Con waits for his brother near an Underground station when a bomb explodes. Many innocent people die and Con lands unconscious in the hospital. When he regains consciousness, Con realizes the police suspect he set off the bomb, working as an agent of the IRA. REMEMBRANCE DAY is a non-stop thriller that brings terrorism into the twenty-first century with the use of the telephone to set off a bomb. The story line is exciting especially when Con and Kenneth separately work on the investigation. Though some of the subplots add little to the main story line, they too generate much excitement and energy. In his debut tale, Henry Porter freshens up the terrorist thriller with a classy believable chiller.Harriet Klausner