REVIEWED BY TINA KARELSON:         


VICTOR CANNING – The Python Project. The Companion Book Club, UK, hardcover reprint, 1968. Originally published by William Heinemann, UK, hardcover, 1967. Also: William Morrow, US, hardcover, 1968. Paperback reprints include: Pan, UK, 1969; Charter, US, date?

VICTOR CANNING The Python Project

   I picked up this British book club edition at a library book sale last year because it looked like good, mindless, vintage fun. And it is — though too witty and well crafted to be called mindless.

   London P.I. Rex Carver is the first-person narrator. He’s vaguely connected to British intelligence, but not at all happy about their attempts to insinuate themselves into his life, which they do while he’s working on his latest assignment: finding a python bracelet for a rich, seductive, young widow.

   His client claims her brother stole the bracelet and some money. Of course the situation is more complicated than it first appears, as evidenced by Rex being frequently bashed over the head and required to travel to places like Tripoli.

   Life is tough in swinging ’60s London, especially when your partner/secretary is on vacation.

   More on Canning and his books can be found at: http://myweb.tiscali.co.uk/wordscape/canning/

Editorial Comment:   You also need go no farther than this blog for coverage of many of Canning’s books, most recently David Vineyard’s review/essay of two of his novels, which you can find here.