The Rhythm Section

Rather unusually, Mark Burnell writes an introduction to his novel, first published in 1999, in which he disclaims any 9/11 foresight. In the course of it he says that two elements essential to any thriller are proper development of character and a plot free of obvious contrivance. Nobody would disagree with this and it is only a pity that neither is observed in this novel.

As far as characters are concerned, there is really only one person in it – Stephanie Patrick – and the fact that she exists under a number of pseudonyms doesn't alter the fact.   We learn immediately that she and her brother Christopher are all that remains of her family, their parents, brother and sister having been killed when a terrorist exploded a bomb on an aircraft. We are not surprised to learn that the effect on her had been devastating and that she became so uninterested in her life that she became a prostitute, with no ambition to be anything else.

However, we are also told that, in spite of what appears to have been a happy childhood, she was a very rebellious teenager, determined to have her own way, no matter what her parents felt. So contrary was she that, although perfectly capable of gaining entry to Oxbridge – something her parents strongly desired for her – she had deliberately gone to a provincial university in order to spite them. We are told that Stephanie was highly intelligent, but that doesn't appear to extend as far as knowing what was good for her.

When, therefore, a man is kind enough to help her in an emergency, giving her food and accommodation for a period of weeks, she is unable to see that this constitutes an opportunity to change her behaviour and make something of her life. Instead, Stephanie coldly rejects all he offers and walks out on him. The problem for the reader is that she is so totally self-pitying and unpleasant that it is difficult to have any sympathy with or care what happens to her.

When Stephanie is presented with an opportunity to take revenge on those who killed her family there is a change in her but everything she does is governed by that desire. Whilst this is understandable, it does nothing to increase her humanity and we find it difficult to interest ourselves in what she does. Perhaps the author is subconsciously aware of this and introduces large amounts of first-person narrative in which she attempts to understand how she has got herself into this situation. Unfortunately, they are rather dull passages which have the effect of slowing down the plot.

If Stephanie is unattractive as a character, she is also unbelievable. She has some training as a spy but what she manages to achieve in her new role is totally unconvincing. She seems to be able successfully to second-guess all her many opponents and when she is unable to do that she manages to overpower them physically – almost another version of Wonder Woman.

The author is quite successful in his aim to keep the plot free of contrivance, but it lacks any real suspense and seems to lumber along rather laboriously. Numerous minor characters are introduced, sometimes so minor that if they are re-introduced it is difficult to remember who they are and, more importantly, what they represent.

Various incidents occur in which Stephanie (or Petra, as she is now known) finds herself in mortal danger. Unfortunately, we are perfectly aware that she is going to survive, the only question being how. Large amounts of time are spent flying from one capital city to another and when my attention inevitably wandered, I found myself asking if the journey was really necessary. The ending is so far-fetched as to be entirely beyond belief.

It seems to be the author's intention to write at least one more Stephanie Patrick novel and, judging by her final perverse decision in this novel, we will have more of the same. Those who have managed to reach the end of this one may be unlikely to be holding their breath in anticipation.