Friday 19 January 2001

Helena Osborne: The Joker (1979)

Edition: Hodder & Stoughton, 1980
Review number: 722

Susie Burke is an actress, one who obtains parts more for her
looks than her ability. She also carries out slightly shady jobs on
the fringes of the intelligence world, entertaining people who need
to be kept out of the way for one reason or another. She is also
having a clandestine affair with Home Secretary David Hallam.

The various threads of her life become entagled when she is
involved in the search for Eva Pech, a senior Hungarian official
who has disappeared in England - possibly kidnapped, possibly in
hiding before attempting to defect.

Written from Susie's point of view, The Joker is an
amusing thriller. Susie is not as dumb as she acts, but it does
take her a fair amount of time to work out exactly what is going
on. She does so just in time to provide quite a tense ending.
Enjoyable, undemanding, fun.

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