Triple Threat
by Julian Wild
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Not usually a crime reader, I was drawn to Triple Threat's theatrical setting and period, having been there, in West End theatre life, in 1983. In fact, on one particular show mentioned in Triple Threat!
I (or my imagination) 'recognized' numerous scenes, addresses and venues alluded to, interior and exterior. Quickly lured into the plot by these elements, I was further entranced as the authentic backstage banter and protocols confirmed this was written by a kindred spirit of sorts, someone who had, like myself, been there and walked uniquely special, at times torturously challenging, professional path. It spoke to me directly. The characters, similarly, all rang eerily true for me!
I appreciated protagonist Jon's 'journey' in the parallel literal and metaphorical senses. His inevitable young existentialist contemplations on a future in a magical yet uncertain industry, and his beautiful scenic geographical route taken after rapidly exiting his professional world in flurry of bafflement, resonated nostalgically for this native northern English expatriate.
It was like that trip 'back home' I've never actually taken since relocating to the southern hemisphere decades ago. The wondrous British countryside, its history, the regional dialects and welcoming faces (the bad eggs you encounter along the road notwithstanding) all contributed to a great ride for this reader.
After guessing throughout 'whodunit', it turned out I was close to spot on, which is reassuring should I venture further into this genre. It was neither too easy nor too impenetrable to fathom. Julian Wild's raw narrative stylistics are fresh and unpretentious, making for an ideal bedtime read. Throughout, I heard perhaps unintentional 1980s echoes of the great J.B. Priestly's pre-WWI 'Lost Empires' which I similarly liked for all the same reasons.
Triple Threat was a welcome and refreshing change and I look fondly forward to its sequels.
View all my reviews
I (or my imagination) 'recognized' numerous scenes, addresses and venues alluded to, interior and exterior. Quickly lured into the plot by these elements, I was further entranced as the authentic backstage banter and protocols confirmed this was written by a kindred spirit of sorts, someone who had, like myself, been there and walked uniquely special, at times torturously challenging, professional path. It spoke to me directly. The characters, similarly, all rang eerily true for me!
I appreciated protagonist Jon's 'journey' in the parallel literal and metaphorical senses. His inevitable young existentialist contemplations on a future in a magical yet uncertain industry, and his beautiful scenic geographical route taken after rapidly exiting his professional world in flurry of bafflement, resonated nostalgically for this native northern English expatriate.
It was like that trip 'back home' I've never actually taken since relocating to the southern hemisphere decades ago. The wondrous British countryside, its history, the regional dialects and welcoming faces (the bad eggs you encounter along the road notwithstanding) all contributed to a great ride for this reader.
After guessing throughout 'whodunit', it turned out I was close to spot on, which is reassuring should I venture further into this genre. It was neither too easy nor too impenetrable to fathom. Julian Wild's raw narrative stylistics are fresh and unpretentious, making for an ideal bedtime read. Throughout, I heard perhaps unintentional 1980s echoes of the great J.B. Priestly's pre-WWI 'Lost Empires' which I similarly liked for all the same reasons.
Triple Threat was a welcome and refreshing change and I look fondly forward to its sequels.
View all my reviews
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