Mini review: “The Scarlet Papers” by Matthew Richardson (audiobook edition)
This has been widely praised as the spy book of the year (2023) so it was always going to be read at some point.
The story involves a legendary spy, Scarlet King, who in her old age writes a memoir detailing many secrets, some of which the British government really does not want to become public. She contacts a historian who specialises in the intelligence services – someone who could vet the book and vouch for it’s authenticity. Things get more complex from there as the plot unfolds.
There is a lot to like about this book – it reminds me a lot of the Len Deighton books that I enjoy so much. There is a measured development of the background and the characters, followed by the action kicking off in earnest. Scarlet King is an excellent character. Deighton’s books demonstrate the work and skill involved in coming up with a detailed, coherent plot and that is also reflected here. The impact of growing old, seeing how characters change over time and how this affects their influence and power – all done well. I also like the way that real life people and events are woven into the fiction – or is it the other way around?
But this is not necessarily the classic that it is made out to be. The story seems to take a few steps too far, losing the edge it had built up. Also, in relation to the narration, the switching between a male and a female narrator works well (why not a female narrator all the way through?) and both do a good job at telling the story. Where they both fall down is when they attempt to do characters of the opposite sex – neither can quite pull it off. I felt that some of the nuance of the words was lost – I definitely got the impression that if I was reading the book I would have imagined a different intonation of the dialogue and ended up with a tougher view of some characters.
I would definitely recommend the book, just temper your expectations and don’t believe all the hype. This is all about enjoying the journey.
Spare Cycles 