Book Review : The Flaw in the Crystal by Godfrey Smith

Roger Meredith is the narrator of this novel. He is a civil servant who is given the task of analysing the character of a man called Graham Several who is under consideration for a sensitive overseas mission.

Is Several the right man for the role? He appears to know everyone worth knowing, is attractive to both men and women, and very good at everything he does. Meredith is sucked into Several’s world and gets caught up in his lifestyle and friendships, but as I read through the book, I felt that Several had no faults and was just too perfect. Several has a bad temper when riled, even thumping one of his closest friends when someone else has upset him.

There is a big twist at the end and the questions are, can Meredith walk away or has he become too close to Graham Several?

The book improved as it went on and I’m glad I stuck it out to the end. There aren’t too many versions of this book around and I found my copy in MacLeod’s in Vancouver.