An Unlikely Agent
London, 1905. Margaret Trant, a young secretary for an import-export company, sees no future for herself when her boss, the sleazy Mr Plimpson, informs her they have to relocate the ailing business to Deptford. What is more, she would also have to convince her bad-tempered and bullying invalid mother to move with her, so she resigns. When a stranger on the tram hands her a newspaper open at the recruitment page, Margaret decides to apply for a job claiming to “open new horizons beyond your wildest dreams”. She is offered the job, and finds herself in a dreary office above a backstreet shop that sells hearing trumpets. However, this turns out to be a front for a secret branch of the intelligence service, Bureau 8, where Margaret is now employed as “an unlikely agent”, helping to track down a ruthless band of anarchists known as the Scorpions.
Menczer’s debut novel is remarkable. Every character and detail are somehow tied up into the unfolding plot, leaving the reader to try and fit the pieces together as the novel progresses. The style and language are genteel and old-fashioned, but surprisingly interspersed with some violent scenes, as well as laugh-out-loud humour, as Margaret tries to negotiate her way around the Bureau and its bunch of eccentric characters. The atmosphere and etiquette of Edwardian London are persuasively conveyed with Margaret Trant as a likeable and believable character, using her obsessive passion and knowledge of crime fiction to figure out the clues. Menczer demonstrates an excellent knowledge of the popular fiction of the early 20th century. If you are looking for a beautifully written gentle and funny thriller, full of twists and turns, and with a strong female lead, this is a compelling and recommended read.
