Readers' rating:
Published Jun 2015
416 pages
Genre: Thrillers
Publication Information
Four years of horrific fighting have finally ended on the battlefield, but in the spring of 1919, Paris is filled with delegates from around the world who are still trying to hammer out the terms of peace. One such delegate is British diplomat Sir Henry Maxted, in charge of liaising with the Brazilians regarding seized ships. But before a deal is reached, Sir Henry turns up dead outside a Montparnasse apartment building, apparently having fallen from the roof. His sons Max and Ashley are sent to Paris to collect the body, and it quickly becomes clear that the theory the French police have put forward is flawed. But since the murder of a diplomat could be disastrous for the peace conference, no one is keen to ask questions—except Max.
What begins as an innocent inquiry into his father's death soon leads Max into a dangerous world of secret allegiances, international espionage, and people double-crossing each other at the highest levels of government. How far is he willing to go to discover the truth about the death of a father he barely knew? And how much will the authorities—and others—let him find out before threatening Max's own life?
"The plot... drifts lazily at times, lacking urgency, and is burdened with a confusingly large cast of characters. Max, however, is a likable hero, and fans of period mysteries set in times of historical transition will be satisfied." - Publishers Weekly
"A sly, highbrow take on the espionage thriller with a rich background that lends sophistication to an already opulent story." - Kirkus Reviews
"Robert Goddard is the master of complex, tricky thrillers that dazzle with surprises... Another stellar performance." - Sydney Morning Herald
"Dashed good yarn-spanning... The action is insistent and often deadly." - Toronto Star
This information about The Ways of the World was first featured
in "The BookBrowse Review" - BookBrowse's membership magazine, and in our weekly "Publishing This Week" newsletter. Publication information is for the USA, and (unless stated otherwise) represents the first print edition. The reviews are necessarily limited to those that were available to us ahead of publication. If you are the publisher or author and feel that they do not properly reflect the range of media opinion now available, send us a message with the mainstream reviews that you would like to see added.
Any "Author Information" displayed below reflects the author's biography at the time this particular book was published.
Robert Goddard is the Edgar Award-winning, internationally bestselling author of Long Time Coming, Into the Blue, which won the first W H Smith Thumping Good Read Award, and Past Caring. He read history at the University of Cambridge and lives in Cornwall.
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