Title: A few good points, but has some problems
Product review: I had never heard of Ian Rankin before, but found this book prominently displayed in the bookstore under "New Releases" in mystery. The book is not really a new release, nor is it a mystery. It was initially released in 1988 but the first American release was in 2007. This review is like a euology for a person dead twenty years.The novel is a spy thriller that takes place in the UK in the era of IRA bombings and prior to cell phones and ubiquitous video surveillance. The central character is Miles Flint, a refreshingly unassuming and anti-glamorous domestic spy. Flint stumbles into a scandal within his agency that takes him from London to Ireland and Scotland. It is easy reading but plods along for the first two thirds. The prose is simplistic with few memorable quotes. The plot becomes a little bit convoluted as is common in this genre, but the denouement is implausible and has holes.This book is OK for a quick read if you don't have anything else at hand.
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