By Hugh Laurie
I know Hugh Laurie from
the television show House, where he plays a Sherlock Holmes inspired doctor who
is driven to solve the case by any means necessary. I acquired this book and thought it would be worth
the read. I didn’t know what to expect,
but I’m glad I started reading it without any preconceived ideas.
The book’s main
character is Thomas Lang, a retired army officer living in London. He makes a living picking up odd jobs here
and there, mostly involving security/bodyguard work. Thomas is approached to perform a service as
a hitman against a particular businessman, Alexander Woolf. Refusing the job, he decides to track down
the man who offered him the job, only to discover that it was Alexander Woolf
himself. This sets that stage for the
unrolling of plot, told in the unconventional Laurie-style. Woolf explains that he approached Thomas to
find out if he was a good man, and that his interests lie in conspiracy to use
a newly developed light helicopter to defuse an artificially created terrorist
attack. Soon Thomas finds himself being
pursued, beaten, shot at, and involved with numerous unsavory characters. Undercover, it’s up to him to help stop the
terrorist attack.
I’m afraid it’s somewhat
difficult to give this book the review it deserves. I wasn’t blown away by the plot, characters,
or the story itself. I did, however,
appreciate the writing style. I think
trying to write about an author’s style is difficult to do without giving particular
examples. The narrative was free
flowing, and the descriptions were typically unusual. This was a fairly enjoyable read, and I could
definitely sense the Hugh Laurie influence behind it all.
Rating: 3 out of 5
Bunsen Burners
Up Next: (too many to
count)
