The picture Mangan gives of Tangier at this point in time (1956) is quite well done, bearing in mind that we see it solely through the eyes of white colonials. Had it just been the “ that day” tedium, I would probably have stuck with it, though. I was sucked in by the great cover – had this had the ubiquitous girl in the red jacket on it I’d have known to avoid it like the plague. (FF’s Tenth Law: having the narrator constantly refer to ‘what happened that day’ without informing the reader of what did happen that day is far more likely to create book-hurling levels of irritation than a feeling of suspense.) So Mangan is merely following the herd, and sadly it’s a big herd, getting bigger by the day. Regulars will know that I’ve spluttered with annoyance often over the whole “ that day” faux-suspense thing that seems to be an essential part of so-called thrillers these days – presumably because the authors can’t actually think of anything thrilling to write about. I don’t want to be unfairly brutal – this is a début, and it shows some promise.

I made it to the 25% mark before deciding I could take no more. As Lucy and Alice take turns at the narration, carefully ensuring their voices are indistinguishable to add an element of confusion, they each dance round the subject of what happened that day while being very careful not to tell the poor put-upon reader. This is the first time Alice and Lucy have met since that day… but no, of course we don’t get told what happened that day. Suddenly one day, out of the blue, Lucy turns up at their door. Alice hates it, scared to go out alone and miserable when she goes out with her overbearing and unsympathetic husband (mind you, he’s also pretty miserable at having to go out with the whining, pathetic Alice). He loves the life there, the seedy bars, the feeling of danger in the streets as Morocco demands its independence from its French colonisers. Now Alice is in Tangier with her newish husband. Alice and Lucy were once best friends, students together at the expensive Bennington College in Vermont.

Christine mangan books