The Tinder Box (Hardcover)

I love a good novella. They can be an amazing experience to read; short, sharp, shocking, more rounded than a short story, easier to fit into your life than a novel. They're especially wonderful when you come across a really superb one, such as Ian McEwan's "The Comfort of Strangers", or Ruth Rendell's "High Mysterious Union" or "The Strawberry Tree". "The Tinder Box" is possibly one such novella - a wonderful book that has completely reinvigorated my faith in Walters. Of late, her books have been a little dissatisfying, Acid Row and Fox Evil in particular; even Disordered Minds, which showed occasional glimpses of her excellence, still isn't as good as her early novels.

The Tinder Box actually sometimes covers similar thematic ground to the three above listed books (prejudice; small communities; isolation; vigilantism), but is more successful in its examinations of them than all those longer works, despite its far shorter length (a mere 115 pages). The main plot line is thus: in the village of Sowerbridge, an elderly woman and her nurse are killed. Suspicion falls on Patrick O'Riordan, the son of Irish immigrant tinkers Liam and Bridie O'Riordan, and evidence is discovered which implicates him. He is charged with the crime, and bound over for trial. Back in the village of Sowerbridge, his parents become victims of a hate campaign, vicious threats and vandalism, and are tormented by their fellow residents. Only one person has faith in the possibility of Patrick's innocence, Siobhan Lavenham, and it is due in part to her persistence in undermining the prejudiced investigation that the truth eventually comes to light.

As I say, this is a super piece of work. It's tightly plotted, svelte, a quick and thought-provoking read. It may be short, but it packs a punch, and has an intelligent, satisfying and surprising solution which is reminiscent of Walters at her very best. I loved it. It's very well written, with real characters and the sharp psychological insight for which Walters is known.

Not just the themes, but many of the situations are very similar here (the isolated member of the community (a la Fox Evil), the two ringleaders in a campaign against them (a la Fox Evil), vigilante violence (a la acid row), prejudice (a la Disordered Minds), a lone sane voice amid the madness (a la almost all her work), yet they're all re-packaged in such a way that it doesn't matter. Besides, the devices are more successful here in any case. It should be repetitive, but it's surprisingly fresh. Some potential purchasers may feel a little perturbed at spending £9 on this little book (as I say, a mere 115 pages), but I have to say that I myself recommend it highly, despite the price. I don't regret spending on this at all, especially as it's of such quality. Put it in these terms: I'd rather pay for this short novella than pay for an entire novel by James Patterson. Actual quality can be hard to find sometimes; seize it when you have the opportunity.

As you would expect in a novella everything is compacted here and this makes the story all the more direct and to the point. There’s no time wasted in lengthy descriptions or passages taken with only getting to know the characters. We’re immediately plunged into the crime and the subsequent punishment meted out, rightly or wrongly.

Siobhan Lavenham is the Irish lady living with her husband and two small boys in the small rural Hampshire village of Sowerbridge. When another village resident, Lavinia Fanshaw, an old lady and her live-in nurse are murdered the eyes of suspicion fall on Patrick O’Riordan an Irish labourer. As Patrick is taken into custody to stand trial the other villagers begin to turn against Patrick’s parents. Malicious phone calls to the O’Riordans are made and vicious graffiti starts to appear on their property. Only Siobhan appears to stand by them and she is convinced the authorities are ignoring the threats and fears that the attacks on the O’Riordans may get more serious.

This is the first novella of Minette Walters’ that I have read so I was a little surprised at how condensed the book is. Obviously by its very nature a novella is short but as I enjoy her writing so much I was disappointed with the overall content. That said, you do have to respect the book for the skill it is written with and how Mrs Walters has pared the book down to its bare bones and yet has still crafted a very effecting and thoughtful composition.