2 Mystery/Adventure Classics

As part of my library training, my boss periodically force-feeds me the classics of a genre. Two such titles were Ken Follett's Eye of the Needle and Thomas Perry's Butcher's Boy.

Follett has written a well-paced adventure novel set in World War II England that follows a villainous Nazi spy and a history professor-turned spy hunter. The novel follows the Nazi spy more than anyone else--which is probably for the best since his action is more interesting anyway, especially when he meets a feisty farm wife on a storm battered island.

I shamefully admit that I had preconceived notions about Nazis, such as believing that Nazis are evil incarnate. And yes, Follett does provide ample reason to hate Nazis. Not only does the spy cold-heartedly kill his landlady and stiletto countless other hapless Brits, he cuckolds a handicapped veteran and kills a dog. But Follett allows the reader to take pleasure in watching the Nazi spy repeatedly extricate himself from certain capture. Ultimately, however, there is one thing from which he cannot escape. Can an evil Nazi find love in the arms of the enemy?

Thomas Perry's Butcher's Boy is similar to Eye of the Needle in a couple ways. The action of both is centered around the antagonist, both of whom are ruthless professionals. In the case of Butcher's Boy, the antagonist is a hit man who must be at a certain place at a certain time in order to conduct his business, while trying to be invisible before and after the hit. Both stories also switch back and forth between the antagonists and the pursuers, which gives the novels nice pacing.

The real joy of Butcher's Boy comes from watching the cunning hit man achieve impossible objectives by preparing for multiple situations while at the same time improvising solutions, like an evil twist on MacGyver.

However, unlike Eye of the Needle, the novel sidesteps a dramatic clash between the pursued and the pursuer, instead opting for a bit of the deus ex machina. Despite this flaw, I still found it to be an enjoyable and quick read.

Therefore, I highly recommend these books to any wannabe evil MacGyvers, aspiring lawyers, and business school students.

By the way, Follet's Eye of the Needle won the Edgar Award for Best Novel in 1979, while Perry's Butcher's Boy won the Edgar for Best First Novel in 1983.

Posted by Mike Waugh at December 1, 2004 09:28 PM