Sirk TV Book Review: IBERIAN TIES [Vanguard]

In creating the aspect of a thriller, the idea and execution should be based in a unique or at least smooth parable of plausible scenarios. in "Iberian Ties" [Quintin Vargas/Vanguard/418pgs], the mystery of what is being shown has different ideas of what the outcome needs to be and how it gets there. The interesting element here is that the way the uncovering of the different motivations of the characters which although at times is good, is sometimes overly and overtly explained in the dialogue so matter of factly that the tension is completely drawn out in every scene. It becomes plain. Characters continually say what they are going to go and do and think in the presence of others so it takes the reader completely out of the story. Nate Shelley and his fiancée Miro Epstein are at a conference in the Canary Islands when a murder happens. The reasoning and the reasons such an occurrence and how it happened with the actions behind the scenes are laid out but almost with a lack of mystery. And there seems to be especially with Miro and Nate that it is a game. There is no fear (except at one point). It feels like they are taking it about as serious as a escape room version of "Clue". As a result, most of their journey has no tension despite life and death occurrences seemingly happening around them.

The aspect of point of view inside characters' head would have given a much better progression of sorts because the eventual exposition reads alot of times as corny or self evident which eventually makes the entire story seem very contrived. The way people act though supposedly done out of civility seems untrue to life. Even the way some of the characters take action into their own hands comes off as extremely implausible. The two lead characters are supposed to be world class psychologists but the way they use deductive reasoning, act and even speak seem more amateurish than accomplished. While the setting is nice and many of the details do make sense at times, the character work does not bring it together well. There is a much tighter book here somewhere but only by streamlining it and giving some more dimension to characters would it work. The female lead inspector (as her countenance and approach changes throughout the book) becomes very one dimensional and her reasonings, even with her husband and supposed history, do not add up as they should. The eventual climax and would-be resolution is meant to point to the essence of a whodunit but actually turns remarkably bland and unfulfilling. "Iberian Ties" has a good story base at its core but its execution leaves a lot to be desired. C-

By Tim Wassberg