"The Great Escape", publisher Norton has just reissued Paul Brickhill´s famous novel "The Great Escape", from which the movie was drawn. Paul Brickhill was not just a journalist doing a job, he was actually one of the prisoners at Stalag Luft III. His book, first published in 1958, is one of the great adventure stories of World War II, and John Sturges´ movie does it full justice.

Another oldies were "A Murder of Quality" and "Call for the Dead", the first two novels of John Le Carre. Both feature George Smiley, the sad, cuckolded, but quietly lethal spy immortalized by Alec Guinness. What pleasure it is to read John Le Carre´s prose, full of flint and asperity, in books that move through three acts of murder and betrayal (Le Carre´s true subject) in less than 200 pages each. Is there anyone in the field today who writes half as well?

New Lynley Series by Elizabeth George

Defying the conventions of mystery novels, Elizabeth George has allowed something tragic to happen to a central character in the series, which revolves around a British nobleman, Lynley, and his frumpy, working-class partner, Barbara Havers. In the new book, the investigators from New Scotland Yard battle a serial killer who preys on teenage boys in London.

"With No One As Witness," which was released in March 2005, is in its seventh printing, with about 200,000 copies out. The book has already made its way to the top of best seller lists around the United States. Much of the appeal of the Lynley books, which have been adapted into a TV series produced by the British Broadcasting Corp. and WGBH in Boston, stems from George´s unconventionally complex main characters and the way they evolve over the course of the novels.

Elizabeth George, in an interview, says the offending plot was necessary to the overall story arc of her characters. She was surprised by the criticism but dismissed claims that she has done irreparable harm to the series, which has played out over 12 previous novels and a book of short stories. "Whether the readers like the book or don´t like the book, I always like to think my intentions are to grow as a writer," she said. "If I were governed by what I thought the reader wanted to read, then I would run the risk of writing formulaic books that the reader would soon grow tired of."

Criminal Twist

Karin Fossum is a household name in her native Norway, much like Ruth Rendell or P. D. James in Britain. Like those two masters, she lets character drive her stories, and what may seem at the beginning to be a meandering plot slowly builds to the climax, which often isn´t at all what one expects.

"When the Devil Holds the Candle" is the third English translation of Fossum´s series featuring Inspector Konrad Sejer. It´s a spellbinding story of madness and murder. Three events start the plot. Idle youths Zipp and Andreas want money for beer, and decide to snatch a purse. They select a woman pushing a baby in a pram, assuming she´s an easy mark. When she fights back, the baby falls from the pram and, ultimately, dies. Next, they encounter a small black boy on his way home from school, and torment him. Finally, they rob an elderly woman, and something terrible happens.

That is Fossum´s focus in this mesmerizing novel and, by the end, we have, at least this time, the answer.

Lecture explains ´Da Vinci Code´

A history-based discussion on the fact and fiction of Dan Brown´s novel, "The Da Vinci Code" drew more than 100 listeners on 8 Oct 2004 - Friday. In conjunction with Homecoming week, the College of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences sponsored the discussion led by Norm Jones, head of the history department. The lecture was free to the public and many individuals who had read Brown´s book came to the lecture.

The book has gained popularity for several reasons, Jones said. "It has come to us in a point in time of interest in religion and spiritual issues, a certain amount of suspicion about organized religions - certainly the Catholic Church - has had its problems in the United States," Jones said.

Jones said the book incorporates flaws and historical inaccuracies, however, Brown presents the theories in a way where they could be perceived as believable. The book presents the quest for the Holy Grail and explains the grail is not an object, rather a descendent of Jesus Christ, Jones said. "Statistical odds, we all contain that genetic material," Jones said about the theory.

The lecture focused on the history of the Bible, the conservative religious group Opus Dei, the Templar Knights and the Priory of Sion. Jones said Brown incorporated specific biblical and non-biblical references to support his theory of the role of the sacred feminine and the conspiracy that the Catholic Church is hiding secrets. "Brown, of course, does not make any claim that he is telling the truth," Jones said.

One argument Brown makes in the book is the marriage of Mary Magdalene to Jesus Christ, Jones said, however, this is highly improbable. If Jesus were married to Mary Magdalene, "it would have been mentioned and would have been celebrated," Jones said.

The book incorporates symbols and cryptic messages in a fast-paced plot, Jones said, which allows Brown´s theories to appear plausible. The history of the Priory of Sion - the secret group that is charged to protect the Holy Grail - is presented as truth in the book, Jones said.

Other books that related to the book: