Colin Harrison (1) (1960–)

The main character is a successful immigration attorney and collector of historic New York City maps. At an map auction, he's accompanied by his neighbor, a young woman, and she sees someone and leaves quickly and mysteriously with him. Turns out she's having an affair with the young soldier she meets. The main character spies on them making love, and she confides in him. Her husband, a rich Iranian-American financier, who also learns of the affair, and the result is not good.

I liked the opening well enough, it pulled e into the book. The middle part I liked a little less, though, with a cliched portrait of the financier and his family. Lots of good action there and at the end, which I enjoyed a lot, though how this attorney and map collector became such a great driver is not explained. A book that seems to present itself as being better than it is, maybe because of the writer's name. I haven't read him.… (more)

A lot of different GR views about this new book by Colin Harrison. I really like the depth of his characters and his descriptive writing, most especially his feel for New York and its diverse residents. There is a lot of obsession for both the protagonist (an immigration lawyer, from a modest family) and the antagonist (a very successful international banker, with great wealth) and some brutal crimes surrounding the beautiful blonde wife of the Iranian antagonist and a decorated war hero. Some of the tangents that Harrison chooses are a bit much though. I sure hope we don't have to wait another eight years for his next book.… (more)