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Book Review By Harriet Klausner
Good News, Bad News by David Wolstencroft

Good News Bad News

Dutton, Aug 2004
ISBN: 0525947949

British Security Services Agents twenty-seven years old Scotsman Charlie Millar and almost fifty George Shaw separately receive good news that their next respective assignments will be their last ones for each of them. The cover for their final assignment is a shabby photo-processing booth, where each must hide his real identity from the other, while awaiting their final mission orders. However, the bad news is that those final assignments are to assassinate the other.

Quickly, Charlie and George realize something is not right as the cover is really for one person. When they learn each other's assignment, they agree to flip a coin with the loser on the run, but first want to learn why their employer would use such a drastic means to terminate them. As Charlie and George work closely together, the good news is that they make headway; the bad news is that treachery runs very high in their agency that wants them and others dead immediately.

The good news for readers is this is an exhilarating espionage tale reminiscent of F/X as Charlie and George trust no one except somewhat each other; the bad news is that the audience needs to set aside several hours to finish in one sitting.

Harriet Klausner


Plot & Themes
Tone of story - suspenseful (sophisticated fear)
Time/era of story:
Spying/Terrorism Thriller Yes
Cloak & Dagger Plotlets:
Kid or adult book? - Adult or Young Adult Book
descript. of violence and chases - 20 %
Planning/preparing, gather info, debate puzzles/motives - 50 %
Feelings, relationships, character bio/development - 20 %
How society works & physical descript. (people, objects, places) - 10 %
Who's the terrorist enemy here?

Main Character
Gender - Male
Profession/status:
Ethnicity/Race

Main Adversary
Identity: - Male
Age: - 40's-50's
Profession/status:
Motive of antagonist - power
How sensitive is this character?
Sense of humor - Cynical sense of humor
Intelligence - Smarter than most other characters

Setting
United States Yes
Europe Yes
European country: - England/UK

Writing Style
Accounts of torture and death? - generic/vague references to death/punishment
Amount of dialog - significantly more dialog than descript
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