Novel set across early 1960s Europe

30th June 2023

The Continental Affair by Christine Mangan, novel set across early 1960s Europe, starting from Granada, then on to Paris, Belgrade and Istanbul.

The author is truly skilled at creating a sense of place and evoking credible and colourful locations. This has already been evidenced in her previous novels Tangerine and Palace of the Drowned  Her writing style is graceful and very readable, a pleasure in many ways.  She approaches her storytelling with verve and considerable intelligence.

Henri has left his home in Oran, he is a gendarme by profession. The early 1960s saw Algeria gain independence from France. The tumult that this brought spurred him to leave his country and the novel opens as he is whiling away time in the Alhambra, waiting to hook up with a drop. There are considerable sums of money involved and Louise, fleeing her own country (England), happens upon the stash, whips it into her bag and heads off for Paris, with Henri in hot – but distanced – pursuit.

She becomes aware of his presence, as it’s hard to overlook a man wearing a bowler hat in the city of light 🤔. She comes to call him ‘the Man from Oran’ (the author perhaps referencing the suave Man from Del Monte, an advertising campaign of the 1980s).

In Paris he follows her as she takes in the sights of the city, and he uses hotel staff to keep tabs on her when she is deciding upon the next leg of her journey. This sees them both hopping on a train to Istanbul, with an unscheduled stop in Belgrade. The route is possibly that of the Orient Express, which stopped running on this section in 1962, with its dining car and smoking car and all manner of curious people.

The novel describes the journeys and sojourns, interspersed with conversations the two protagonists have, once they have have connected and decide to spend time together.

There is clear influence from Patricia Highsmith, Agatha Christie is referenced, and I am sure I can detect a dash of Ingmar Bergman. So, the novel has all the components that would really draw me in with such a strong sense of place, thus, perfect for the TripFiction model. Much like Palace of the Drowned, I loved the concept but wasn’t bowled over by the execution and development of the storyline. Neither novel is in the league of her first novel Tangerine. However, I feel positive enough about my reading experience to suggest that those who love a mooch around wonderful places, with a bit of mystery thrown in, might well enjoy this novel.

Tina for the TripFiction Team

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With thanks to the publisher for an early copy.

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