David Wolstencroft, Good News, Bad News

Good News, Bad News

David Wolstencroft

Dutton, Aug 2004

ISBN: 0525947949

British Security Services Agents twenty-seven years old Scotsman Charlie Millar and almost fifty George Shaw separately receive good news that their next respective assignments will be their last ones for each of them. The cover for their final assignment is a shabby photo-processing booth, where each must hide his real identity from the other, while awaiting their final mission orders. However, the bad news is that those final assignments are to assassinate the other.

Quickly, Charlie and George realize something is not right as the cover is really for one person. When they learn each other's assignment, they agree to flip a coin with the loser on the run, but first want to learn why their employer would use such a drastic means to terminate them. As Charlie and George work closely together, the good news is that they make headway; the bad news is that treachery runs very high in their agency that wants them and others dead immediately.

The good news for readers is this is an exhilarating espionage tale reminiscent of F/X as Charlie and George trust no one except somewhat each other; the bad news is that the audience needs to set aside several hours to finish in one sitting. The tale hooks the audience once George explains to Charlie in their photo lab section that he is retiring because his cousin's aorta was too tiny to handle the stress. The plot never slows down though it is often amusing with comparative observations on spying and modern life by the delightful George and Charlie until a final explosive confrontation in North America.

Harriet Klausner