Book Review
Title. Silverview
Author. John Le Carré
Published by. Viking
an imprint of
Penguin Books
This was enjoyment. A perfect read, I felt, even before getting half way through the 207 pages.
I lost myself in the new life that Julian Lawndsley had created for himself in a small seaside town after a high flying job in the City. The new venture, was to establish an upper-crust bookshop, and then Edward turns up. There is much more on the newcomer’s mind than books, but the story carries on and seemingly unimportant matters arise.
It would be stupid to assume that it is a story of a sleepy town with paperback readers ensconced in the conventional striped deck chairs. The characters are introduced with flair and Julian, God bless him, is drawn into the passing intrigue as though he was placed there! Ideas get aired and the bookshop is almost doing well when the computers go missing. There are several added twists with Deborah, her daughter and, seemingly erroneous characters entering the fray.
As one can assume with Le Carré there is always sleight of hand, sentences that mean something else although totally innocent in context, and letters being delivered by Julian. Surely he cannot be that innocent or naive? Then we get the arrival of the men in suits and clearly there is or has been a problem. The story is ramped up from there. The dilemma that faces the spy masters and those in power has to be solved and the story concluded. I wonder, did Le Carré, expect heads to roll?
I like the way the book starts with a moral issue that altered the professional course of one of the characters. There is very little I can add except to say from a master craftsman what else would you expect! And now no more books from this superb writer. He died in December 2020.
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