The Talbot Odyssey    by Nelson deMille Order:  USA  Can Warner, 1991 (1984) Hardcover, Paperback     Reviewed by Sally Selvadurai This is a book of intrigue, spies, WWII, the Cold War, double agents, unsuspecting civilians and plots to destroy the West's economic supremacy. DeMille does a credible job of drawing us into the circle of deception, but his characters remain shallow and one-dimensional. The plot itself is far-fetched, though somehow the reader remains convinced that right will prevail and the world will not suffer a total malfunction of all communications systems and electrical equipment. The heroine of the story, Katherine Kimberly, is not altogether believable. Kimberly is supposed to be a modern woman - lawyer, jogger, still single in her late thirties and a good judge of character. How then does she enter the story as the lover of the worst sleaze-bag in the book, the abusive, sadistic, egotistical Peter Thorpe? Surely she would have seen through Peter's obvious character flaws. And the supporting characters are truly stereotypical: the badly dressed, overweight, vodka drinking Russian, the pompous British ex-spies, the strong, silent ex-New York City cop who did a tour of duty in Vietnam, the seductive Russian spy ... the list goes on. However, to give this book its due, the story is entertaining, with numerous twists and turns to the plot. It provides a good diversion, for the reader who's looking for an escape from reality - perfect for a rainy day at the cottage. Note: Opinions expressed in reviews and articles on this site are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of BookLoons. Find more Mystery books on our Shelves or in our book Reviews