THE TWENTIETH DAY OF JANUARY - Ted Allbeury

Imagine that during the cold war the Russians through sleeper agents, financing and buying influence managed to get a President of the United States elected and therefore bringing about the downfall of the West.

This is the basis of what is a really exciting spy novel. The plot sounds far fetched but its not unfeasible when read. Everthing is for sale, so why not the position of the most powerful man on earth.

Allbuery's hero's are much more physical than those of le Carre when solving problems but this is still intelligently put together.

The title has nothing to do with the story but rather the date U.S Presidents are sworn into office.

A great Christmas read or any time read actually.

OUR KIND OF TRAITOR - John le Carre

le Carre is back, I was really worried after his last novel 'A Most Wanted Man" that the master had lost it, but he hasn't and this latest work proves it.

We have a young British couple on holiday in the West Indies who meet up with a Russian gangster and after a game of tennis things rapidly get complicated.

It leads from this meeting to working for MI 6 and traveling across Europe until the rather sad ending.

Nobody can build tension with two men sitting across a table talking to each other like le Carre.

The only complaint is that we never really figure out who the main character is as feature characters seem to drift in and out- but this is only a small fault.

This keeps you guessing and is great entertainment, its not a 'Smiley" but its very, very good and I hope he keeps churning them out if he can keep up this quality.

Nice one Mr. Cornwell.