Best Book This Fall — Robert Harris’ An Officer and a Spy

After reading a number of books that were either meh or merely good, I am really pumped about this book!  I loved An Officer and a Spy by Robert Harris.

I resisted joining a book club for a very long time on the theory that I didn’t want to discuss a beloved book to death.  I have changed my tune, and An Officer and a Spy is one of the best reasons for joining a book club so far.  I never would have opened this book, but the book club I just joined had already selected it.

This is a wonderful, intelligent book, rich with all kinds of period detail and just one heck of a story.  It is told from the perspective of French army officer who somewhat reluctantly comes to the conclusion that Alfred Dreyfus was framed and then just can’t let it go.  Newly promoted to lead counter-intelligence, Colonel George Picquart is the relentless investigator.  He doesn’t always get it right, but he keeps going at great risk to himself.  The tension and pace of this novel are terrific.  As a lawyer, I particularly liked the book’s legal proceedings, but I don’t think that limits this book’s general appeal.  There are a wealth of interesting characters, and even if it is occasionally difficult to keep the various high level villains straight, each conversation propels the action.  In short, it was very hard to put down this excellent historical novel, and I highly recommend it.