The Mysteries of Algiers

Anyone looking for a James Bond thrill-ride should look elsewhere. True, there are bursts of intense violence and daring, but this is novel is closer in spirit to Albert Camus or Graham Green in that it is an intense psychological study of a fanatical Marxist out to do real damage in French Algiers circa 1959-1960. Some of the situations stretch credulity, but the atmosphere is vivid and convincing and the characters realistically disturbing. There are even some debates about Marxism that are quite interesting and thought-provoking. The ending, however, is a bit puzzling.

This vastly interesting thriller takes place over several months in 1959-60 in Algeria, at the height of the struggle for liberation from France (1954-62). It would certainly be useful to familiarize oneself with the history of Algeria's colonization by France, and especially the fight for independence (at the very least, rent "The Battle of Algiers" which will get you in the right mood). The story centers on a French army officer who turns out to be an agent for the FLN, his exposure by his neo-fascist lover, and his attempt to go underground. The book is highly effective at showing both the underbelly of the fight for liberation and its flip side on the French side. It's also a believable portrait of a committed Marxist and his adversaries.