An Officer and a Spy

This iconic cautionary tale grabs you by the soul, then straps you to a brilliantly constructed and wildly unpredictable rollercoaster of ambition, hate, hubris, obsession, perseverance, faith, loyalty, heartbreak (multiple and relentless), deceit, ever-present danger, and a cleansing dose of wit and unfailing insight into human nature. Harris' novel would not release me until the ride was done (Acknowledgements included). I was vaguely aware of the Dreyfus Affair prior to this read and made a disciplined and successful effort to not Google, Wiki or fire up a Youtube documentary along the way. Let Harris' tale come fresh and do all of the work. You won't be disappointed. I want to see the film if ever made, as this book is so visual and tasty that it begs for it, but I equally dread seeing how far it would inevitably fall short of matching this masterwork.

An excellent work of historical fiction written by the always good Robert Harris. The book fills in a part of the history of France prior to the First World War of which I was unaware. While the pace seems plodding at times, it fits with what the main characters are going through. The transition from soldier to spy by the main character is well done.