The God of Chaos. Tom Bradby

The book will hold your attention, primarily because the exotic setting and the wartime atmosphere make the novel a better read than the confusing detection process alone would have. The detective himself, an American in a British organization, seems like a fish out of water. More character development, beyond making him a blunt man who says ain't and seldom sleeps, would have helped. (Perhaps this is the way British authors see us.) Some locations, such as the Kit Kat Club and the houseboat, are used too often. Nonetheless, this book will get you through that transoceanic flight.

The first of Bradby's novels that I read was The White Russian, which I really enjoyed. The God of Chaos is the second I've read, and it's even better. Bradby really introduces the reader to the sights, sounds, and even the smells of Cairo in 1942. In addition he also is very good in tightening the tension and fear (or hopes) of the city's inhabitants on the brink of the battle of Al-Alamein--even the British expecting that the Germans will win--even getting the reader to forget what she knows about history. On top of all of this Bradby adds the murder of a key British intelligence officer, the first of a series. The Royal Military Police officer assigned to the case is an American, who lost his job with the NYPD for digging too deeply into matters the powers that be wanted hidden. He's tackling the murder case(s) in Cairo exactly the same way, even when everyone tells him "Why bother? The Germans will be here shortly." There are enough red herrings here to stock an aquarium. The identity of the ultimate villain is a shocker. Be sure to read this one. I can't recommend it enough.

This is his best novel to date. I like his historical settings.

For those who like a good mystery with a little history mixed in, this was an enjoyable read. I had never heard of the author but thought the book looked interesting while searching the English section of a German book store. It didn't take long to get into and I found myself still reading as my plane pulled up at the gate in Washington, D.C. I love to read but with 3 kids, if a book doesn't keep me going, I move on to the next one. This was one of the best I'd read in awhile with interesting characters and a well paced plot. Can't wait to read his others...