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A review by rosseroo
The Information Officer by Mark Mills
3.0
I have to admit I have a soft spot for crime novels or thrillers set amidst the backdrop of World War II, which is why I picked this one up. The story is set on the tiny island of Malta (which lies roughly 50 miles south of Sicily, 150 miles east of Tunisia, and is roughly double the size of the city of Washington, DC) in 1942, as daily Luftwaffe raids seek to pound the British garrison into submission. Along with the garrison, there are a coterie of British civil servants, including the titularly titled Max, who is basically a glorified head of propaganda, tasked with maintaining morale among the Maltese locals (Malta was a British possession until 1964), many of whom are pro-Italian.
Amidst the fearsome bombing campaign (which was far more intense than the legendary London Blitz), Max dashes around the island on a rickety motorcycle seeking out stories, meeting with newspeople, and trading quips with other Brits over drinks. And soon enough, he has to decide whether or not to cover-up the serial killings of bar hostesses, where the only clue is a British submariner's badge. Told over the course of nine days, the story should be a fast-paced thriller, but somehow manages not to be. Part of the problem is that there are too many subplots: Max is embroiled in not one, but two romantic situations, then there's the question as to whether the British naval presence will retreat to Alexandria, the separate question of whether or not the relief forces of Spitfires will arrive before the Germans invade, and finally, the presence of a German spy on the island.
Another significant problem is the large cast of thinly developed characters -- including Max himself. In attempting to create a crowd of potential suspects, the author doesn't do any of them justice, and we are left with types, instead of people. Unfortunately, his efforts at misdirection are somewhat clumsy and many readers will have figured out the killer well in advance of Max. Finally, in his worthy attempt to tell the story of Malta under siege, the author loses track of the central drama of the killings, and the story bogs down. It's an excellent portrait of a place and people under severe physical and psychological stress, but the storytelling is crowded out. Ultimately, a passable beach or airplane read, but little more. If you have a particular interest in Malta, it may have a little more resonance.
Amidst the fearsome bombing campaign (which was far more intense than the legendary London Blitz), Max dashes around the island on a rickety motorcycle seeking out stories, meeting with newspeople, and trading quips with other Brits over drinks. And soon enough, he has to decide whether or not to cover-up the serial killings of bar hostesses, where the only clue is a British submariner's badge. Told over the course of nine days, the story should be a fast-paced thriller, but somehow manages not to be. Part of the problem is that there are too many subplots: Max is embroiled in not one, but two romantic situations, then there's the question as to whether the British naval presence will retreat to Alexandria, the separate question of whether or not the relief forces of Spitfires will arrive before the Germans invade, and finally, the presence of a German spy on the island.
Another significant problem is the large cast of thinly developed characters -- including Max himself. In attempting to create a crowd of potential suspects, the author doesn't do any of them justice, and we are left with types, instead of people. Unfortunately, his efforts at misdirection are somewhat clumsy and many readers will have figured out the killer well in advance of Max. Finally, in his worthy attempt to tell the story of Malta under siege, the author loses track of the central drama of the killings, and the story bogs down. It's an excellent portrait of a place and people under severe physical and psychological stress, but the storytelling is crowded out. Ultimately, a passable beach or airplane read, but little more. If you have a particular interest in Malta, it may have a little more resonance.