Helpful Score: 3
Why in the world would a blameless Member of Parliament drown himself into the River Thames? Robert Barnard provides the answer but not until, as always, he has revved up the suspense and made fun of a lot of sacred cows in the process.
Helpful Score: 1
Billed as a "mystery," Political Suicide doesn't have much to recommend it by today's standards given there's only one murder and the victim was dispatched out of sight before the story even begins to unfold. But as a novel of social satire that involves politicians, members of the media, many shady characters, and one very tenacious employee of Scotland Yard, it is most successful. If you admire British humour, you'll find a laugh on every page. For one small example, the hilariously pretentious wife of an MP is described thusly, "Her face was long and handsome, and all suggestion of the horse was kept at bay by skilful make-up." This book is much more of a puzzler than a thriller, but contains at its core a desire for truth, justice, and the British way that is both insightful and admirable.
