Ian Rankin in early form, but just as great.
Ian Rankin is such a great writer and it is refreshing to read a novel which shows him in the early stages of the writing process. A great book, and a departure from his Rebus series, but you can feel that he was heading in that direction.
An enjoyable read!
Reviewed by AJ Cooper for Reader Views (5/08)
Miles Flint, the innocuous and quirky spy, always traveled around with the idea that someone was out to get him. His co-workers thought his behavior was a bit silly and somewhat unorthodox, always checking for bombs or planted bugs everywhere he went. His hobby of choice is the study of bugs, more specifically beetles. He is married and has a son away at school. Miles and his wife spend more time away from each other; when they are together things really do not seem to work anymore. Can their marriage survive the anguish ahead?
His responsibility as a spy is to watch and listen and report back on these observations without taking any action or being observed. This all changes when Miles stops by work to inquire on a recent bombing and to make some calls. There is some activity on the phones, one of which is a person of interest setting up a meeting at a local hotel. Miles decides to go to the meeting place and observe first-hand. Everything was going smoothly until Miles is distracted by a beautiful woman and loses the man he is watching. He must now report this blunder to his boss and hope that nothing happens. Miles must now face the investigation and the repercussion of his actions. Who can he really trust or turn to? His wife does not know of his actual duties and his son doesn't either. He is forced to face the troubles ahead because of his rookie mistake. Many things happen and Miles is forced to travel to other countries to discover who is behind these crazy and deadly events. He is led down routes he thought he would never have to take and work with people he did not know he could trust.
I really enjoyed the outcome of this book. The excitement of getting to the end of "Watchman" kept me on the edge. I was eager to turn the page to find out how Miles would come through, not only in his secret life, but also if he would be able to make things right with his wife. I would recommend this book to anyone that has an interest in intrigue and who wants a small glimpse into what may or may not happen in the world of spies. "Watchman" also shows how human nature and our own views can have a big impact on the outcome and perception of others.
Great detective story
Ian Rankin at his best. The Rebus storoes could be read all week without becoming mundane he truly is a great writer. If you like that genre look at a new Author called Conrad Jones and his novel Soft Target its fantastic. The best thriller I have read !!
A few good points, but has some problems
I had never heard of Ian Rankin before, but found this book prominently displayed in the bookstore under "New Releases" in mystery. The book is not really a new release, nor is it a mystery. It was initially released in 1988 but the first American release was in 2007. This review is like a euology for a person dead twenty years.
The novel is a spy thriller that takes place in the UK in the era of IRA bombings and prior to cell phones and ubiquitous video surveillance. The central character is Miles Flint, a refreshingly unassuming and anti-glamorous domestic spy. Flint stumbles into a scandal within his agency that takes him from London to Ireland and Scotland. It is easy reading but plods along for the first two thirds. The prose is simplistic with few memorable quotes. The plot becomes a little bit convoluted as is common in this genre, but the denouement is implausible and has holes.
This book is OK for a quick read if you don't have anything else at hand.
Before Detective Inspector John Rebus, there was Miles Flint.
I recently rediscovered Ian Rankin when he appeared on an episode of Anthony Bourdain's No Reservations (the Edinburgh episode). Rankin, a Scottish author, is best known for his "Tartan Noir" Detective Inspector John Rebus novels (e.g., Let It Bleed; Tooth and Nail; Hide and SeekThe Naming of the Dead). Although Watchman was published with a new introduction by Rankin in 2004, it is actually a 1988 spy thriller and one of the author's earliest works. It tells the story of Miles Flint, a surveillance officer who works for MI5. He is sent to Belfast to observe (hence the title) what he believes will be the arrest of some Provisional Irish Republican Army men. However, the mission is botched and what Flint actually witnesses is the assassination of the Irishmen, thereby placing his career and his own life in danger. He suspects that the mission failed because of an inside tip that originated with his own organization. Though it doesn't quite hit the same marks of the Rebus series, the Watchman is suspenseful and witty. In fact, there is even one cheeky point in this spy novel where the spies are smoking Dunhills (James Bond's preferred cigarette) and reading Graham Greene spy novels. Watchman is a quick read that won't disappoint Rankin fans.
G. Merritt
(11 reviews)
