reiher@ucla-cs.UUCP (01/24/85)
I read a couple of Ross Thomas' novels over Christmas, and I was really
impressed. His books fit somewhere between mystery and spy stories, and
are favorably compared to John Le Carre's by many people. I liked them
very much. The two I read were "Briarpatch", his latest book, and
"Missionary Stew", the one before that.
"Briarpatch" concerns a Congressional investigator who returns to his
home city for two purposes: to attend the funeral of his sister, a murdered
police officer, and to persuade a boyhood friend who is an ex-CIA agent to
spill the goods on his ex-partner in some very shady arms deals. Sounds
complex? It is, and this is just what's on the surface. The book
is extremely well plotted and the characterization is excellent.
"Missionary Stew" is even better. An investigative reporter on the skids
and a man who writes political appeal letters team up to uncover some
unsavory doings in a Central American country. Again, the plot is first
rate and the characters very well developed. Incurable movie fanatic that
I am, I couldn't help seeing a film version with Redford and Newman in the
leads.
What I like best about these novels is the style of writing. Thomas'
prose is a joy to read just for its own sake, never mind the characters
and plots. Unlike most of those in the mystery/spy genre (or sf, or
Westerns, or trashy best sellers), Thomas can really write. He is the
sort of author that gives a good name to genre fiction. His books are
quick moving and fairly short (less than 300 pages), full of surprises,
and generally first rate. I recommend these two books highly and intend
to read more of his novels.
--
Peter Reiher
reiher@ucla-cs.arpa
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