Rogue Male Geoffrey Household Orion Books, 182pp, £6.99 ISBN 075285139X

Rogue Male was first published in 1939, when men were men and the British stiff upper lip really counted for something. Republished now as part of Orion's Crime Masterworks series, this is a thriller that starts with a bang - or, to be more precise, a lack of a bang - when our hero is thwarted in his attempt to assassinate a European dictator, who may or may not be based on Adolf Hitler. He is tortured to find out which organisation he works for, is thrown off a cliff and left for dead. But the rogue male isn't dead, nor does he work for anybody. The "assassination" was a sportsman's attempt at hunting "the biggest game of all" which swiftly turns into a battle for personal survival.

Told in the first person, Rogue Male is taut with tension from the first page. The forces hunting him include the enigmatic Major Quive-Smith, who, as skilled a huntsman as our hero, is hampered only by a wispy moustache and a trace of a German accent.

It is hinted that the fugitive hero is a famous figure in England, liked and respected by everyone for his sporting prowess - a sort of 1930s Gary Lineker, but without the crisps. His moral standards are impeccable; he refuses to cause unnecessary harm to anyone. Thieving is off-limits. Even the rabbits escape his wrath. In fact, if you're not a dead cat or Major Quive-Smith, you are safe in the company of the rogue male.

As with all hunted animals, the homing instinct draws him to a place where he has known happiness. For the hero, this is Dorset, where he once found true love. Even real men have emotions.

Household writes with skilled precision, drawing the reader into the mind of a desperate man, sharing his fears and small glimmers of hope for escape - before the net tightens, leaving him trapped in a den in Dorset with just a dead cat for company and a murderer at the door.

The greatest compliment to be paid to Rogue Male is that it has not dated. In 60 years, few will be clamouring about, say, Posh Spice's autobiography or the latest hyped novel, but this book will still be read by quivering youngsters and adults alike, enraptured by the hero's will to survive.

Post your comment

Please note: you will need to login or register before you can comment on the website