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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
furiously entertaining, unusual 'crime' novel, 9 Nov 2006
Julian Symons writes extremely readable crime novels, in which psychology and mystery - rather than 'puzzles', or overt violence - predominate. The Man Who Lost His Wife is a somewhat different sort of 'crime' story that, while containing plenty of tension and darkly enigmatic happenings, is rather more relaxed than usual, and quite often droll.
The story concerns the adventures, or rather misadventures, of a very ordinary Englishman, Gilbert Welton, who, having been abandoned by his wife - she has let him know she needs some time away to think about herself and their relationship, and where she intends (possibly) to 'holiday' - becomes so worried he may lose her forever, leaves his publishing business in others' hands, and follows her, to Dubrovnik, Yugoslavia, and later Sarajevo.
Characterisation is a Symons' speciality, and he shines here brilliantly. Some standouts include Jake Bunce, a young Maileresque author, an enormously irritating fellow-Englishman, Jerry Painter (a 'troubleshooter' for Topline Car Hire), a highly-sexed, attractive young woman named, at various times, Lulu, Anna, 'Dolly', and Hedda, a pair of young American hitch-hikers, one armed with a 'small revolver', and the unforgettable Ivan Radonic, 'President of Police', an expert mixture of threat and avuncularity.
The main focus is on Gilbert. We witness his growing frustration, anger and jealousy, alternating between his fundamental honesty and decency, and perfectly understandable moments when 'civilized' rationality abandons him. He is wonderfully sympathetic, all the more for being so fallibly - and dangerously - human.
This is my fourth Julian Symons novel, and currently - whether because of the playful riffs on his usual themes, the superbly-timed wit, the central character, that it was so well done, or simply that I am acquiring a real taste for Symons - my favourite.
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