(17. – 859.) The Heart of Hell by Alen Mattich – The third Marko Della Torre
novel is a continuation of Killing
Pilgrim. In that book Swedish Prime Minister, Olof Palme, was assassinated
by a killer from the Yugoslavian Secret Service. The story sees Della Torre
involved in an American plan to kill the assassin known as “The Montenegrin”.
With
this book carrying on the story it is difficult to review without passing on
information that would potentially spoil Killing
Pilgrim. There are spoilers in this review with regard to the earlier book.
It has been a few months since the
end of Killing Pilgrim and Della
Torre is back in Zagreb. The simmering conflict between Croatia and Serbia over
Croatia’s declaration of independence has boiled into war. Regular and
irregular Serb forces are attacking Croatia by land and blockading the Croatian
coast.
While America does not recognize
Croatia’s independence members of the Croatian government are working hard to
gain American support.
When America wants help in going
after the Montenegrin for killing the three Americans who tried to kill him the
Croatian government will gladly assist.
As Della Torre was a part of the
earlier mission he is pressed, even threatened, to aid the American
intelligence officers going after the Montenegrin.
It is clear to Della Torre that the
Americans are after corrupt police officer, Julius Strumbic, who was part of
the earlier mission. The American team is not interested in seeing Strumbic
arrested.
Still, why would America put such
resources into pursuing the killers of a trio of Americans who had undertaken a
dangerous mission? Della Torre never really knew why Palme would be assasinated
by a Yugoslavian agent. There were rumours related to Swedish assembly of
centrifuges used in nuclear power and bombs but why a Yugoslavian conducted
killing? Centrifuges were being sent to Yugoslavia but what risk could Palme be
to Yugoslavia?
Despite threats against his family Della
Torre refuses to join the Americans and sets out with his superior for Dubrovnik with some vague plan to warn Strumbic. While his journey
and quest are in the best traditions of thriller fiction it was the weakest
part of the plot. With Dubrovnik under a tight blockade it is almost impossible
to reach the city. It would have been simpler to have sent a message to
Strumbic. Though getting a message through would have been difficult it would
have been easier than breaching the blockade.
The actual getting through the
blockade was the best part of the book. It was ingenious and unexpected.
I did not really find enough in the
plot to sustain the American killing mission and resolution of Killing Pilgrim. Now it may be somewhat
unfair as Killing Pilgrim had such a
brillian premise and execution. The theme of The Heart of Hell is more modest. Mattich did raise my reading
expectations with the excellence of Killing
Pilgrim. I found The Heart of Hell
an average thriller.
I missed a deeper involvement in the
book of Della Torre’s family. They played roles but were not as important as in Killing Pilgrim.
Their minor presence left the book a more conventional thriller.
I did gain appreciation of the
ferocity of Balkan wars. Hatred runs deep in Croatia and Serbia.
****
Mattich, Alen - (2015) - Killing Pilgrim and Who Killed Olof Palme?
It does, indeed, Bill. And I think a lot of people don't really know that conflict very thoroughly. I know I didn't until I started reading about it. As to this novel, I know what you mean about having enough to sustain a story. I think that can be challenging in any novel, but perhaps especially for a thriller. And especially when it follows on from one that you thought was brilliant.
ReplyDeleteMargot: Thanks for the comment. I wish the books could have been reversed. I think I would have enjoyed The Heart of Hell more had it come before Killing Pilgrim. I will be interested to see whether a fourth book is closer The Heart of Hell or Killing Pilgrim.
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