When I saw this book on the Bookazine shelves I initially
presumed it was about the infamous Venezuelan terrorist Ilich Ramírez
Sánchez also known as Carlos the Jackal. But no, this book, The Jackal’s
Share (ISBN 978-0-330-53255-6, Pan Books, 2013) by Chris Morgan Jones is not
about Carlos, and is in fact the second spy thriller from this author. The
first, An Agent of Deceit was given critical acclaim, and this one follows
on with the same secret agent, Ben Webster, being one of the principal
characters.
The book is divided into three parts, each leading the reader to even more
closely follow the exploits of Ben Webster as he attempts to understand and
unravel the history of the obscenely rich client (Darius Qazai) who has
hired him to show that he has no hidden agenda or a murky past as Qazai is
interested in selling his company to the Americans who will carry out due
diligence checks. Having hired Webster’s company, which was not one of the
leading entrepreneurs in the investigations field initially looked rather
strange for one so rich, but by Part Three you begin to see why.
Set in and around the Middle East, and Iran in particular, Chris Morgan
Jones leads you into a world that we are not conversant with since the Shah
of Iran was deposed. However, some aspects of western culture remain - the
subculture aspects!
Investment banking is not a subject which sits comfortably with me, but the
reader is led through the making of a private banking facility and how
private investors who wish to remain anonymous can do so with an ease that
standard banking facilities cannot offer. From there, the money can take
many different trails, so that the old adage “follow the money” becomes very
difficult. And deliberately so. But it also becomes apparent that goodwill
only lasts as long as the money trails remain hidden.
Strains of today’s reality are placed in the book, to raise it from pure
fiction, to something that might just be truth, such as the introduction of
Ahmadinejad, rejection of Sunni businesses and a hatred of the US, and the
property market crash in Dubai.
Ben Webster is not portrayed as a super-hero, but as a very ordinary man
with everyday problems, both family and ethically. How he deals with some of
the problems can occasionally make the reader wince, but he exhibits real
world angst. And at times a real world ineptitude.
In fact, the psychological portrayal of the major players in this book is
what makes the entire book so relevant and acceptable in the eyes and mind
of the reader. Inconsequential details are not presented as an attempt to
inject ‘reality’, but understandable human emotions are given and presented
by the characters in the book. Not always noble emotions, but do give form
and substance to the characters.
This book is a world class thriller, and at B. 385 is a bargain read for its
370 pages. Put a weekend aside to digest this book. You will not regret it.
One of the better books of 2014.
