Overall the group agreed that this is an incredible story and they would recommend it as a good read. Some of the Group really enjoyed this book other found the blurring of fact and fiction somewhat confusing.
This is a fictionalised version of a set of extraordinary events set during the early years of the First World War.
The facts of the book are that the Prime Minister, Herbert Asquith, had fallen deeply in love and became obsessed by a young aristocratic woman, Venetia Stanley. Over the period of 1912 to 1915, he wrote at least 560 letters to her, sometimes writing four times a day. He shared Secret messages about the war and sent her actual documents setting out Military secrets which could have been deeply damaging if they had been passed to the enemy. His letters were found and subsequently published after Venetia’s death. Her letters to him had been destroyed.
Robert Harris has taken this story and introduced a fictional young Detective Constable who is tasked with finding out why secret documents have been found discarded. This leads him to carry out surveillance on Venetia and her correspondence. The letters from Asquith are the actual letters sent but her replies are imagined by Robert Harris,
In reality this obsession played a big part in Asquith being ousted as Prime Minister and his decline in Politics
Robert Harris is a British novelist and former journalist. Although he began his career in journalism and non-fiction, he is best known for his works of historical fiction. Beginning with the best-seller 'Fatherland', Harris focussed on events surrounding WW2, followed by works set in ancient Rome.