'Labyrinth' by Kate Mosse (2005)

I borrowed this book from the library as it reminded me a little of The Da Vinci Code but with medieval history thrown in. I did not enjoy it as much as I hoped I would but I think this was due, at least in part, to my current short term memory loss; I kept having to reread passages as I thought events weren't making sense.....

Labyrinth is an archaeological mystery set both in the Middle Ages and present day France. The detailed descriptions of the setting are well-written and insightful. In essence this is a 'quest for the grail' story with both the heroines discovering that their lives, separated by centuries, are intertwined with the fate of the grail.

It divides into two main storylines that follow the two protagonists, Alaïs (from the year 1209) and Alice (in the year 2005). The two stories occur in a shared geography and intertwine. The novel relies heavily on historical events such as the massacre at Beziers and the Crusade against the Cathars in the South of France from around 1200. It is these passages where the novel shines. The medieval setting is truly brought to life, and the complex political and spiritual environment is rendered in very human terms. These passages move the story along at a satisfying pace.

The modern day part of the story is more of a straightforward detective-style thriller. I found this a bit cumbersome and unsatisfying. The characters seemed wafer-thin and it was absolutely no surprise that one of them is centuries old; there was little dramatic suspense throughout the modern parts.

The main problem for me was that I really enjoyed the medieval bits and just when I settled into an historical novel it would change to the modern detective mode. Once I'd adjusted to this, it was time to change again. The two plot lines were not well-paced to heighten tension and they did not work together to bring a rousing crescendo as I had hoped.

Two petty points also affected my enjoyment. The first was the authors insistence on sprinkling the medieval bits with words from the dead language of southern France. This was done inconsistently and immediately translated (often unnecessarily!). This annoyed me as it smacked of an "ooh aren't I clever finding all these dead words!" mindset. It really did add very little and after a while was simply irritating (I'm pleased to say that Lisa found this to be the case as well!).

The second point was that the bibliography listed its sources alphabetically by title not by author. Surely that's not acceptable anywhere?

Labyrinth won a British Book Award and on the whole I think this was deserved. I would recommend this to anyone who enjoyed The Da Vinci Code or likes historical dramas... just don't get confused which is which!

'The Firm' by John Grisham (1992)

I haven't read a John Grisham novel before. I've always been a bit snobbish about them in the same way as I was about The Da Vinci Code. But as I enjoyed the thriller aspect of that I thought I'd give The Firm a go. I actually enjoyed it.

The story follows Mitch, a Harvard graduate hotshot lawyer who is recruited to an obscure firm in Memphis, turning down offers on Wall Street. The salary and perks are beyond belief. He and his young wife move to Memphis and try to fit in with the overbearing involvement of the legal firm.

Mitch is then approached by the FBI (referred to, cutely, as "the fibbies" by some characters!) who advise him that the accidental deaths of several associates of the firm over the years are not so accidental. They pressure him into becoming an informant. It becomes apparent that the firm really represent a powerful mafia family and run their money laundering activities through the Caymans.

Mitch increasingly realises that the FBI will not be able to protect him, and also that the firm are increasingly suspicious of him...what will he do?

I enjoyed this. It was easy to read and easy to follow all the plot twists. The characters were a bit thin; Mitch is too perfect, the 'baddies' are pure caricatures ( I especially liked "the Nordic"!). Grisham did try to set up a moral aspect to the story (who can Mitch trust - should he follow the course of least resistance or stand up for justice) but this is sacrificed to the full-on rush to be exciting. And it certainly is....there were passages in the book when I could not have put it down if I had wanted to. I particularly enjoyed the passage where documents are being removed from a condo to a neighbouring hotel room, photocopied and returned, whilst one of the firms operatives is in a drugged stupor nearby....but may awaken! It really is a page turner.

The ending is a little abrupt; I wanted to know what happens next....Lisa confirmed that she had the same sensation.

Trying to be post modern about it (and I don't think it really warrants it) The Firm could be read as an indictment of the yuppie-culture of the 1980's and the impact that had well into the 90s I thought a good subheading would have been "If a job offer sounds too good to be true, then it probably is!".

If you like thrillers then you will probably like this. If you like legal thrillers then you will really like this. It is an easy, unchallenging, relatively un-thought provoking read (which is sometimes a good thing!). I can't help wishing that it would have been slightly more entertaining if Ally McBeal had been offed by the mob - but maybe that's just me!