By Christine Yunn-Yu Sun
Traitor’s Gate is the sixth book in the William Warwick series by renowned English novelist Jeffrey Archer.
Initially, this reviewer found it difficult to delve into the story due to a lack of knowledge of the heroes and villains in the previous titles.
It felt like sitting down to watch a movie when it is already halfway through.
Yet, the story quickly proves its worth as a meticulously researched and skilfully executed showpiece.
The complex and formidable procedures in which the Crown Jewels are transferred between the Tower of London and Parliament are well explained.
It helps to explain the great lengths that master criminal Miles Faulkner goes to in his determination to revenge against Chief Superintendent Warwick and his team.
Faulkner is as intimidating a character as his lawyer Booth Watson is slithery and slimy.
It makes Faulkner’s ex-wife Christina a bit stereotypically shallow in comparison.
Indeed, assuming all the relevant characters are already well developed in the previous titles, there is very little illustration of their personalities and characteristics in the book.
In contrast, Warwick’s children Peter and Artemisia stand out with their little school project, which fits in the grand scheme of things in the story flawlessly.
Jojo, daughter of Warwick’s best mate Inspector Ross Hogan, also helps to explain Hogan’s personal circumstances.
Particularly outstanding is the depiction of the numerous happenings throughout the Golden Hour, the “immediate period post-offence when arrest and forensic opportunities are at their maximum” according to the We Are London website.
The author effortlessly presents everything that happens at once, leaping from one character to the next with just enough probing to reveal their perspectives while maintaining the breathless pacing.
Especially near the end of the book, it feels more like watching a thrilling movie than reading a book.
It all makes this reviewer want to read the whole William Warwick series from the start and even to explore the author’s other books.
This is perhaps the best result any story can achieve.
With that said, it is interesting that Traitor’s Gate, published in September 2023, is set in 1997 when Tony Blair was elected Prime Minister of the United Kingdom.
Does this mean there will be many more books forthcoming to chronicle Warwick’s brilliant career, even after An Eye for an Eye, the latest in the series?
This reviewer certainly hopes so.
