RECALLED TO LIFE takes its title from Charles Dickens' A TALE OF TWO CITIES, where the phrase refers to the liberation of the long-imprisoned Dr. Manette. As is so often the case with Hill, literary allusions are important clues--and so it is here, for the plot introduces us to long-imprisoned Cissy Kohler and the question of her guilt. Hill here invokes all manner of I-Spy mayhem, introducing a character who will pop up again in ARMS AND THE WOMEN. His treatment of these subjects is gleeful, albeit occasionally convoluted. The novel's highlight is Dalziel's hilarious trip to the United States--which, granted, may be more amusing to Americans, who will be able to recognize the New York delicatessen he visits (yes, it's a real one), as well as the living museum at Colonial Williamsburg. A sharp-witted black female CIA agent is the most interesting supporting character. Those who saw the dismaying television adaptation of this particular novel can rest assured that they know nothing about its plot.
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