Larry Beinhart: The Librarian

As a former librarian, I have never looked at the profession as glamorous, let alone dangerous. However, that is not the experience of David Goldberg, the central character of Larry Beinhart's latest political thriller, who discovers something he shouldn't in the archives of reclusive right-wing billionaire Alan Carston Stowe.

Beinhart's four previous novels include American Hero, which was later made into the film Wag the Dog.

The Librarian is essentially a chip off the same block, but Beinhart's inspiration this time comes from the current United States Administration's war on terror and the subsequent invasion of Iraq.

Beinhart also alludes to the controversial 2000 election, which saw George W. Bush edge out Al Gore for the presidency amid allegations of voting irregularities in Florida, an event which also forms the backdrop of Paul Auster's recent, equally good but different Brooklyn Follies.

In The Librarian, Beinhart writes about a world in which as "the old man" (Stowe) says: "When men plot to rule the world, they do it in plain sight."

Goldberg is drawn into Stowe's world by Elaina Whisthoven, a stereotypically mousey, dowdy former fellow-librarian, who is perhaps secretly seeking revenge for his having made her redundant several months earlier.

An apparently indisposed Whisthoven persuades Goldberg to stand in for her in her new job at Stowe's lavish mansion but after she disappears, he ends up taking on the position permanently.

It transpires that Whisthoven was forced out of the job by the shadowy Gray Man, who next turns his attention towards Goldberg before the librarian has the chance to stumble upon the secrets in Stowe's files that could jeopardise the re-election of the incumbent, Republican President, Augustus Scott.

Running against Scott is Anne Lynn Murphy, a former Vietnam War nurse turned reality TV host. She is unexpectedly presented with the chance to become America's first woman leader after the other two male Democratic presidential nominees are killed in a plane crash.

But ruthless, "lucky" Scott is first taught the valuable lesson that "some people never lose, of course, everybody dies. But that's different" by his father at age 10 after his little league baseball team finished bottom of their tournament.

Unfortunately, both points could prove all too true for the luckless Goldberg.

The Librarian is a breezy, smartly written book, which keeps you turning the pages quickly and nimbly walks the line between a wry, satirical comedy and a taut, exciting thriller.

* Stephen Jewell is an Auckland journalist.
* Scribe, $34.99