Book: Argylle
Author: Elly Conway
Publisher: Bantam Press
Pages: Rs 352
Price: Rs 799
The thing with crime thrillers is that one false step and a legion of fans will be baying for your blood. Lovers of this genre want excitement and a story that keeps them hooked. And I would safely assume that Argylle by Elly Conway just about makes the mark. The spy thriller is filled with intelligence talk, megalomaniacs out to ruin the world, some sob past, partners fighting and some romance. You get the whole package.
Meet Argylle, a young man living off the radar in Thailand as a tourist guide. His drug-dealing parents gave him the best in education and lifestyle but also brought him chaos with their deaths. His ‘skills’ accidentally put him in the eye of the CIA head, Frances Coffey, who shrewdly thinks he would suit the espionage missions they do.
From the forest of Thailand to training in the USA, Argylle is part of a squad. But Argylle starts on the wrong foot with some mates. Things don't start as expected. Their new mission involves a Russian billionaire with an American past who is standing for presidentship and has a secret mission that involves a lost Russian artefact and Nazi involvement in its stealing. The plot pits Argylle and his team to stop the Russian maniac all over Europe while dealing with a mole.
From the gist, it is not hard to realise that the plot runs like any spy thriller available by dozens. It does not mean readers should not pick this book up. It consists of all the ingredients that would keep you hooked. A plot that slowly opens its cards, some history lessons and takes the story ahead, some good if not best villains, a hero struggling to deal with his personal life - you have it all. The plus point would be the history lessons around WWII. It might fascinate history lovers.
And this is also the trouble with the book. You would love to read till the end, but the moment you finish the book, you will not take the characters with you outside the pages. The engagement ends with the book. You would have all the fun till the last page. Another essential letdown, according to me, was the decent end that feels a bit predictable.
Argylle by Elly Conway is that read perfect for a rainy evening - engaging and enjoyable.
