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Jethro is a cat burglar operating in England just after World War II. On occasion the government takes advantage of his skills in exchange for not harming him or his family. When SPECTRES IN THE SMOKE opens, Jethro is mostly recovered from the injuries he sustained in THE SMOKE. He hopes that he will be able to stay away form secret government agents but this is not to be. Colonel Walsingham needs Jethro to break into an influential and rich man's house to find a secret membership list. He does not provide much detail about the list, the man, or the house. Even though Jethro does not have all of the background information he requires, he has no choice but to accept the situation. Unfortunately Jethro does not find a list but he does make a good haul that he keeps a secret from Walsingham. After taking minor revenge against Walsingham for using him, Jethro teams up with M15. Somewhere in England is a fascist group trying to destroy the current government. This group uses dark magic, sex and blackmail to accomplish its goals. Masquerading as a well-to-do gentleman, Jethro sets himself up to be recruited. The situation is dangerous and Jethro must find the membership list before it can fall into the wrong hands and before he is murdered. As in THE SMOKE, SPECTRES IN THE SMOKE is a well-written and atmospheric novel. Broadbent vividly presents war-ravaged England with descriptions of both the physical destruction and the emotional damage its people feel. He uses details of life and society with which many are familiar, combined with fictional situations, to demonstrate his point. Broadbent has the ability to make it seem as though the reader is experiencing the events in this book rather than merely reading about them. Jethro is an engaging and entertaining character. Even though he works on the outside of the law, he has his own standards of acceptable criminal behavior. To this end, he has little patience for those who do not follow his own code of conduct. Jethro is very loyal to his friends and family regardless of the trouble they find themselves in. In addition his voice as narrator is very appealing. His voice is cynical and world-weary; yet, he is also hopeful and eager to see any situation improve. The way he demonstrates his views on the world and society through his actions, words, and thoughts is one of the many things that makes this story work. Hopefully Jethro will remain a solid and reassuring character as this series progresses.
Reviewed by Sarah Dudley, June 2006
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Contact: Yvonne Klein (ymk@reviewingtheevidence.com)
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