Part of the Family

January 1, 2021
Philby is the granddaughter of Kim Philby, Britain's most notorious MI5 agent turned traitor, so it's no surprise that her new book reflects her intimate understanding of the world of espionage. She offers up a shadowy, treacherous, troubling thriller that will grip readers from the first page. Anna, David, and Meg meet at university and form a close bond. When they move to London after graduation, Harry, a journalist, joins their circle. All four have dark secrets. Eventually, Anna falls for Harry, who's remote and fickle, so she turns to David. She's shocked when Harry enlists her to spy on David, who's the son of millionaire Clive Witherall, owner of TradeSmart, a company Harry claims has dumped tons of toxic waste in Africa. Harry is single-mindedly focused on bringing Clive to justice. His passion (and Anna's lingering feelings for him) convinces Anna to spy on David, but the situation becomes steadily more byzantine. Every character is complex, enigmatic, and chameleon-like, and it's challenging to know who the enemy really is, who's telling the truth, and who's lying. The tension ratchets up with every page, and there's a palpable sense of danger and impending doom as the narrative rushes toward its shocking conclusion in a series of mind-boggling twists.

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