Mexico Set

LEN DEIGHTON

1 There is no 'love' in the tennis match of espionage
This is the second novel of the Bernard Samson trilogy which begins with Berlin Game and ends with London Match. The story opens with Dicky Cruyer cursing at a pedestrian in a Mexico trafic jam. Interestingly enough, Mr. Deighton shows us the pedestrian 400 pages later to see if we've been paying attention.

Samson, a professional MI-6 field operative, is devastated by the defection of his wife, Fiona, to the other side. Read KGB. Read the evil empire. To all that ask him 'if he still loves her' he denies he does. But Mr. Deighton leaves any number of clues for his readers to make us know that at best, it's just false bravado.

Handicapped somewhat emotionally by the strain of realizing that their whole marriage, the children, the shared experiences was but a stage she played upon, Bernard must also face the onslaught of accusatory hearings from his employers at London Central, the 'deskmen' lacking any field experience where hard men do the hard things that he hates so much.

We see the old characters Frank Harrington, the Iago-like Dicky, the self serving Bret Rensselaer, and his close friend for life Werner Volkmann and Volkmann's straying wife, Zena.

Deighton's humor is subtle and droll. When faced with a dilemma Dicky says "Muy BLOODY complicado," Bernard thinks 'that's only because he doesn't understand.'

Blood is spilt, sometimes innocent blood, sometimes not so innocent. Bernard is loyal, confused, older, tripped up by forces that should be aiding him but who have their own agendas. Erich Stinnes, the KGB officer who interrogated him in East Berlin says to him, "I hate deskmen." Samson replies "Me too. They're bloody dangerous."

Excellent read about the life and death struggles of the alphabet agencies of the 70's and 80's. You don't have to read Berlin Game first but it helps. Things are different now . . but maybe not. Maybe there are just different letters. 5 stars. Larry Scantlebury

2 Bernard Samson is a gem.
This book can standalone as a good spy story, but only reaches excellence when read as part of the trilogy - Berlin Game, Mexico Set, and London Match. The tension ebbs and flows throughout the trilogy, but it isn't until the climax of London Match that we see the full scope. Highly recommended!

3 Tennis anyone? 'Game' to Fiona, 'Set'...
...as yet undecided, in this the second book in the 'Berlin Game', 'Mexico Set' and 'London Match' spy trilogy featuring Bernard Samson. And what a contest this is - Bernard's wife - Fiona stunned most of us in the first book by being exposed as the long serving KGB mole inside MI6. She won that 'game' by defecting East, having done her damage and leaving more behind. Bernard is shattered. He exposed Fiona but is now under suspicion himself (MI6 is wondering - can you be married to a 'mole' for over a decade and not know? or is he one himself?).

Bernard has a chance to redeem himself by bringing in Erich Stinnes, Fiona's KGB assistant who is supposedly defecting. Off he goes to Mexico to debrief Stinnes, but soon questions arise and Bernard is again in a fix. Is Stinnes a Fiona 'plant' designed to further discredit Bernard and convince London that he is KGB? or is he genuine? Poor Bernard. Amidst all this he has to contend with political infighting in MI6, unwanted advances from his sister in law, Tessa and deal with self doubt and guilt over Fiona. He often wonders whether the collapse of their marriage and Fiona's betrayal was all her own doing or did he have something to do with it.

Suffice it to say the plot unfolds suitably and all the above questions are satisfactorily answered.

4 A great series
Bernard Sampson is back and dealing with the tragedy he experienced in the last novel. Bernard Sampson is a character who puts James Bond to shame because he is simply more realistic. Don't read this novel if you haven't read Berlin Game.

5 Second installment in classic spy trilogy
Still reeling from his wife's defection Bernard Samson is dispatched to Mexico City, accompanied by his boss, the obnoxious Dicky Cruyer. Their mission: To enroll a KGB agent who may, or may not, have knowledge that will help clear up the mysteries surrounding the defection of Bernard's wife.

The book provides an entertaining portrait of Mexico in the early '80s, as well as the incompetence and self-serving attitude of Britain's Foreign Service.

While the book can be enjoyed in its own right, it is part of a series, and as such can be best enjoyed when read as such.

6 very good read
close to Le Carre's best. highly readable and believable.