| p>The book opens in Hamburg in Northern Germany; | | | | arrived potential terrorist, and Tommy, and Annabel. |
| indeed most of the events take place there. A law | | | | So opens A Most Wanted Man. |
| abiding Turkish family take in a Chechen refugee, an | | | | The book as you might expect is beautifully written |
| illegal immigrant, a pious Muslim young man who | | | | by the master of spy drama. It is particularly well |
| reached the west via a circuitous route that included | | | | researched, especially the Muslim connections and |
| Turkish and Russian prisons where he was dreadfully | | | | scenes, yet for all that, it doesn't really go anywhere. |
| abused, a young man who doesn't appear to speak | | | | There are numerous Germans rushing around from |
| any language that well. | | | | competing security services, eager to grab a piece of |
| But the young guy, Issa, is strangely not without | | | | any pie there might be, the British are there too, of |
| means. His father was a corrupt Soviet general in the | | | | course they are, blackmailing Tommy to do their |
| final days of the evil empire, busy salting away ill | | | | bidding, while the omnipresent CIA lurk in the |
| gotten gains from heaven knows what crooked | | | | background, though who or what or where is difficult |
| enterprises, depositing vast funds in the apparent | | | | to identify. That's them. |
| safety of Tommy Brue's independent English bank, | | | | The ending I found something of a disappointment, a |
| Brue Freres, now based in Hamburg. | | | | little more clarification would have been nice for this |
| Sixty year old Tommy is approached by Issa's | | | | confused reader, and the rather predictable |
| lawyer, Annabel Richter, a beautiful if earnest young | | | | anti-American stance I thought a little wearisome. I |
| woman from an old German family steeped in the | | | | guess that all depends on your point of view. It |
| law, a young woman still seeking her true vocation in | | | | seems that many people love this book, and an |
| the world, as she represents Sanctuary, a human | | | | almost equal number the reverse. |
| rights organisation supporting the causes and claims | | | | If you enjoy spy novels in general and John Le |
| of immigrants seeking a better life, a striking young | | | | Carré in particular, you will probably adore this |
| woman who twice-married Tommy Brue promptly | | | | work too. If not, there are lots of better books out |
| falls in love with, just as the competing security | | | | there, and many of them written by JLC himself, |
| services are gearing up their interest in the newly | | | | that I would recommend without hesitation. |