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Peter Crookham arrives home late to find his brother stabbed to death. Peter's wife is covered in blood and holding the knife. He sets out to prove that she was not guilty of murder. One of the strengths of this book is that the main protagonist, Peter Crookham, recognizes his own limitations. He is an architect, not a policeman or a detective, and he understands that he is going to require help from professionals if he is to clear his wife's name. His first instinct is to ask the police to look at the case again but the arrogant Chief Inspector in charge is more interested in obtaining a 'result' than in examining the case carefully. Crookham next moves on to a psychiatrist and finally to a private detective, both of whom are able to help him in their different ways. All of this seems the natural action in his attempt to save the woman he loves. The plot moves along in a credible fashion without – until the final few pages – being wildly exciting. It is, however, always thoughtful and interesting, particularly when the narrative moves to Berlin, the sights and sounds of which Thomas captures very well. This realism is demonstrated not only in the plot itself but also on a human level. Crookham questions his own feelings when he finds that he is more upset by the possibility of losing his wife than he is at the death of his brother. At the same time evidence begins to accumulate that leads him to suspect that his wife might after all be guilty of murder. The reader's curiosity is aroused by the use made of the two different timelines - the present day and the seventies/eighties. The story in the earlier years takes place in Germany and introduces an unsavoury character named Tretow. It is clear that there is a connection between the two stories but only at the very end does it become clear. One chapter in particular takes on an entirely new light and is crucial to the understanding of how and why Crookham's brother was killed. One of the most appealing things about the book is how well Thomas incorporates his research into the novel. The visit to the psychiatrist contains enough explanatory detail to enable child psychology to be understood in context of the story. The grim scenes in the Stasi prison and the commentary given by an ex-prisoner provide an insight into what can happen in a society governed by tens of thousands of secret police, assisted by countless informers. Whereas some authors, having carried out their research, cannot resist including large swathes of it in their books, Thomas uses it sparingly and very effectively, always aware that he is writing a novel and not a scientific treatise or a social history. There are one or two minor details that could be criticized. For example, the punishment meted out by the Stasi to the spy appears a little lenient in the light of what we have learned about them. Similarly, the ending, which occurs in the grounds of the Holocaust Memorial, is the only time the book approaches being melodrama. Unfortunately, there is one more substantial fault. There is a brief epilogue which takes place six months after the mystery has been solved and, without giving too much away, it is difficult to believe that life could once again have become so idyllic. It detracts from the overall effectiveness of the book and seems entirely unnecessary. § Arnold Taylor is a retired Examinations Board Officer, amateur writer and even more amateur bridge player.
Reviewed by Arnold Taylor, December 2011
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