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Executive Times |
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2008 Book Reviews |
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The Ghost
by Robert Harris |
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Rating: |
*** |
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(Recommended) |
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Click
on title or picture to buy from amazon.com |
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Recruited Robert
Harris sets his new novel, The Ghost,
on Martha’s Vineyard in winter, and starts the action when a new ghostwriter
is recruited to complete on a short deadline the memoirs of a recently
retired British prime minister. The plot moves quickly and the characters are
both interesting and complex. The unraveling of secrets will delight most
readers. Here’s an excerpt, from the end of Chapter 2, pp. 30-32: I took out his card. Sidney L.
Kroll of Brinkerhof Lombardi Kroll, attorneys, M Street, Washington, DC.
After thinking about it for ten minutes or so, I went back and sat on the
sofa and called his cell phone. He answered on the second ring: "Sid
Kroll." I could tell by his inflection
he was smiling. "Sidney," I said,
trying to sound natural using his first name, "you'll never guess what's
happened." "Some guys just stole my manuscript?" For a moment I couldn't speak.
"My God," I said, "is there nothing you don't know?" "What?" His tone
changed abruptly. "Jesus, I was kidding. Is that really what
happened? Are you okay? Where are you now?" I explained what had happened.
He' said not to worry. The manuscript was totally unimportant. He'd
given it to me only because he thought it might be of interest to me in a
professional capacity. He'd get another sent over. What was I going to do?
Was I going to call the police? I said I would if he wanted, but as far as I
was concerned bringing in the police was generally more trouble than it was
worth. I preferred to view the episode as just another round on the gaudy carousel
of urban life: "You know, que sera, sera, bombed one day, mugged the
next." He agreed. "It was a real
pleasure to meet with you today. It's great that you're on board.
Cheerio," he said, just before he hung up, and there was that little
smile in his voice again. Cheerio. I went into the bathroom and
opened my shirt. A livid red horizontal mark was branded into my flesh, just
above my stomach and below my rib cage. I stood in front of the mirror for a
better look. It was three inches long and half an inch wide, and curiously
sharp edged. That wasn't caused by flesh and bone, I thought. I'd say that
was a knuckle-duster. That looked professional. I started to feel
strange again and went back to the sofa. When the phone rang, it was
Rick, to tell me the deal was done. "What's up?" he said,
interrupting himself. "You don't sound right." "I just got mugged." "No!" Once more I described what had
happened. Rick made appropriately sympathetic noises, but the moment he
learned I was well enough to work, the anxiety left his voice. As soon as he
could, he brought the conversation round to what really interested him. "So you're still fine to
fly to the States on Sunday?" "Of course. I'm just a bit
shocked, that's all." "Okay, well, here's
another shock for you. For one month's work, on a manuscript that's supposedly
already written, Rhinehart Inc. are willing to pay you two hundred and fifty
thousand dollars, plus expenses." "What?" If I hadn't already been
sitting on the sofa I would have fallen onto it. They say every man has his
price. A quarter of a million dollars for four weeks' work was roughly ten
times mine. "That's fifty thousand
dollars paid weekly for the next four weeks," said Rick, "plus a
bonus of fifty if you get the job done on time. They'll take care of airfares
and accommodation. And you'll get a collaborator credit." "On the title page?" "Do
me a favor! In the acknowledgments. But it'll still be noticed in the trade
press. I'll see to that. Although for now your involvement is strictly
confidential. They were very firm about that." I could hear him
chuckling down the phone and imagined him tilting back in his chair.
"Oh, yes, a whole new wide world is opening up for you, my boy!" He
was right there. Dialogue,
plot and characters are expertly maneuvered on the pages of The Ghost.
Read it before the winter chill leaves. Steve
Hopkins, January 22, 2008 |
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The recommendation rating for
this book appeared in the February 2008 issue of Executive Times URL for this review: http://www.hopkinsandcompany.com/Books/The Ghost.htm For Reprint Permission,
Contact: Hopkins & Company, LLC • E-mail: books@hopkinsandcompany.com |
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