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| No Exit Press 18 December 2014 |
In 1914, war correspondent Christopher
Marlow ‘Kit’ Cobb arrives in Vera Cruz,
Mexico to report on the complexities of civil war. En route to a meeting with the revolutionary
Pancho Villa, Marlowe assumes a false identity in order to pursue the German
diplomat Friedrich von Mensinger. However, his journey is fraught with danger
and very soon Kit finds himself caught up, not just in perilous political intrigue,
but also in a dangerous intimate relationship with a young Mexican woman, who may
have more than a passing interest in the revolution. Kit is a dangerous
protagonist, a man of great contradictions, and his overriding belief in
getting things done is the fundamental focus of the novel.
There is no denying that the
author is adept at this particular genre, and controls the narrative in a very
accomplished way. The story is complex, full of adventure and unfurls almost
like cinematography, until you can almost imagine it being one of those late
night movies that grabs your attention, until almost without realising, and
against your better judgement, you get drawn into the story. The plot is well
controlled and very detailed; however, I have to say that I struggled with the
book, particularly in the first two thirds, when I was very tempted to give up.
The story, well written though it may be, just didn't grab my attention fully,
and I must admit to skim reading over parts of the narrative.
If you like complicated
historical fiction and enjoy starting an adventurous thriller series from the
beginning then The Hot Country is a
good place to start, as this sees the commencement of the Christopher Marlow Cobb
series of books of which there are now three.
My thanks to Real Readers and No
Exit Press for my review copy of this book.
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