Kertamen

by Mauro Martone

A front-line game of cat and mouse between cops as tough and cunning as the conspirators – a murderous satanic cabal intent on influencing the 2014 Scottish referendum. Kertamen is a fast-paced thriller involving recurrent darkness, some moral dilemma and portal-stepping into Jerusalem in 30AD. Seen primarily through the eyes of Detective Inspector Chuck Kean of the Drug Squad. Kean is running a deniable investigation into a masonic cabal among the Edinburgh establishment, who are allegedly linked to child abuse. His team soon experience various unanticipated twists including the discovery that the background on the faction is an intricate one with links to Rosslyn Chapel and a migrant Templar, Adam de Gordon.
The clandestine investigation quickly becomes entangled within the foundation roots of a much bigger political conspiracy encased within the 2014 Scottish Referendum. Martone resurrects the political climate, passions and concerns of the voters, whilst cannily revealing a conspiracy akin to that of Dallas in 1963, lurking within the shadows. Connections to the oil and the arms industries, whose peripheral strategies are somehow aligned with the cabal, develop while Kean discovers that he is involved in an age old supernatural struggle between seraphs and fallen angels. One angel – Dai, mentors Kean in what develops into his own moral quest, after revealing to him that the referendum, along with other events around the globe, are all the chess games of the divine.

323 pages, Paperback

Published November 30, 2017

Reviews

[Bebe · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ian McEwan has accurately compared Gabriel Garcia Marquez’s pre-eminence to that of Charles Dickens. Though the great man’s passing may have put an end to South American writers of magical realism, anxieties at his influence. Yet his were stories of real people, not fairy tales. Macondo exists - that is its own magic, no? Rowling’s different kind of magical world and the dystopic universe of Tolkien are the outstanding contenders for Marquez's heavyweight title, but they have a very different approach to magic. Martone seems to dip his toes in the South American style by providing a real world setting then having magic invade it. I see a juicy potential on display here in “Kertamen”, which is grounded in old school fabulism and this pleasantly surprised me. I look forward to seeing how the follow-up develops both the plot and the writer himself?

[Si · Rating 3 out of 5]

While I did think this one was a tad scrappy at times, it was never enough to irritate me and I found this to be a brisk and interesting tale that was mostly well written. I would agree that it is magical realism within a crime caper and a bit unusual but I appreciate the ability that has interlaced the three aspects of Kertamen through three different threads: 1 The biblical connection, 2 The child abuse link within the establishment, and 3 The political conspiracy. Perhaps the editing could have been better but the prose itself is fine and the story is good.

What I will say is that this book ended up to be a pleasant surprise for me. It is a strange tale about the occult and it's slithering tentacles that have spread into the very fabric of the establishment in Scotland throughout the 2014 Scottish Independence Referendum. Not quite my thing but in the end I did enjoy it.

It is a tall political conspiracy but he has at times made it plausible, convincing even, with little blasts of excitement now and again too, as well as being a little bitty frustrating. To be honest it does begin quite precariously as well way back in the eighties in Scotland, fortunately I quickly developed an interest in the main protagonist Chuck Kean. Kean is a decent, family minded cop who is prepared to shake the rule book down if it means he can compete with the bad guys.

It is better than decent thereafter and there is a convincing representation of Scotch political mischief shadowing Kean's investigation which was enjoyable. The political stuff was a surprise discovery to find deep in what I suppose is a different type of crime caper. The right-wing MSP Anderson-Forbes, for example, seemed like a young, good looking, Nigel Farage, and his jumping around the Western Isles on the campaign trail with all those interesting aides of his, was the best of the three angles spun:

"Pamela Keith took the seat beside her husband and directly opposite Forbes before giving him another one of her cheeky little grins. She had been doing a lot of that lately and thus the gesture was becoming a discrete one reserved only for him. He caught the scent of course, couldn't miss it, but for Forbes, it was regularly in the air anyway and quite varied at that.

"She wore a blue pinstripe trouser suit with a Royal Stewart tartan shawl across her shoulders. She now very briefly opened her legs a couple of times to display her assets - well shaped thighs and crutch, which he could not help but glance at. He remembered that she had pulled her trousers up tight as they had approached the helipad, so this was most likely a deliberate display. He did however have more pressing matters to be thinking about now than some slutty married lawyer".

Oh, and there are some nice footnote musings to go too, which do no harm overall either. I am still not sure about Kertamen, then I wonder if that was the writer’s intentions? If pressed I will give it a three for the reasons I have mentioned but I do suspect that I am probably going to like this guy.

[Edith · Rating 3 out of 5]

What this pleasant, propulsive and neatly structured whodunnit, appears to be asking is, can organized crime, through a puppet head of state, be a perfect partner for big business? The analogy here goes even further and is quite clear, big business, crime and politics have a very cosy relationship. All of which is explored through an intense police investigation, which is spiced up with plenty of history trotting and an astute plot.

The alternating character stories are fused in a method akin to that of Godfather Part 2 and I enjoyed this aspect of the book very much. There is a rapid yet smooth advancement through the prominent characters and their settings, which are well forged by a writer who clearly demonstrates flexibility of genre as well as a prose that rotates between colloquial and learned. The much welcomed historical scope being a fine example, as well as the political plot of JFK proportions, which all run concurrently. Quite good then and enough to see me keep an eye out for the next edition.

[Kris 83 · Rating 3 out of 5]

Let me start by saying that this is not Pulitzer material, but it is a shit load of fun to read. Its really a story set in an escapist fictional dystopia which is seen through a well written crime investigation and a very shifty political campaign. The only problem I had really was with the jumping around with scenes and subplots. In the end he was able to tie everything together thankfully and I fairly enjoyed this especially the sudden twist at the end which left me stunned.

[Greig Marshall · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kertamen has a monster of a plot that will delight conspiracy buffs and entertain thriller readers. Much of the talk surrounding this book is concerned with it supposedly being cinematic etc but what I look for in a thriller is an ability to transport me to another place or time in words. With Kertamen I was not so convinced regards it being cinematic but I found Linear storytelling, short and long chapters set in different periods across history, a fast constant movement of play punctuated by sporadic violence and a few divine interventions. All of this is then set against the UK Indyref 2014 and a backdrop of a political conspiracy. I soon found myself asking whether or not such a charismatic fascist as Mr Forbes could ever become popular in Scotland with the electorate and I decided that I couldn't quite see that happening to be really honest. Despite this issue, the author had me almost convinced and I took to this book early doors and stuck with it. I suppose this is a story about a conspiracy which has apparently been polluting mankind for centuries but also of human relationships which are used by evil to keep people revolving around the demand of their egos. On one side you have biblical nephilim supported by fallen angels while on the other there are good angels and cops with ethics and Miami Vice themed clothing. I suppose all any screen adaptation of this will need is to put Ext or Int at the front of every scene and find some white wings and a few Hawaiian shirts for the cast-not. Seriously though, as a plot, it kept me reading and I was surprised to get lost in it. I suppose I would rate this riddle-filled thriller as surprisingly good. As for that weird ending though, it was more a case of - "what the hell just happened there?" and a sense of being pick pocketed frankly.

[Selwyn Leonard · Rating 4 out of 5]

This debut book welcomes you in from the off because despite the fast pace, it has a relaxed, colloquial style that leaves you feeling like you’ve just met up with an old friend who has a juicy secret to spill over a cuppa. It’s a fast-moving, intensity-packed, twisty-turny sort of enchanted conspiracy thriller. I did find it to be very thoughtful, quite intricately plotted and written by an author who shows a great deal of promise. His intimate knowledge of Edinburgh, Fife, and indeed Scotland itself, is clearly evident, as are all the historical thrills which he blends in to good effect. Accordingly, he generates a vibrant, up-to-the-minute portrait of an ever-changing capital city which he decorates with some impressive little historical recollections. Stick with this for the long-haul, I did, and I was not disappointed!

[Barry Stanley · Rating 4 out of 5]

This one is a slow starter but worth the read as it quickly develops into a good thriller. Its serious, experimental, enthusiastic, resonant, and visually hazy. It did tempt me to stay with it nonetheless and it was quite engrossing at times, but it was also frustratingly unsettling too. I found the plot to be drawn-out, interesting, and very crisp if that makes sense. Which was fortunate because Mr Martone does seem to have neglected the conventions of character depth. The complex and evocative story line does make up for this though and so I did quite like this one. I think that the shadowy historical elements to it are what perhaps separate it from other Scottish Noir and so it becomes quite unique in that respect. I should also add that having finished it, I am still none the wiser to unravelling its complicated mystery.

[Christian · Rating 2 out of 5]

I don't usually like posting negative reviews, but this book fell flat for me. The synopsis was much better than the actual novel.

The idea was interesting, but the execution unsuccessful. I thought the writing was very dry, the flow constantly interrupted by switching to different character sets - some of which added nothing to the story - and the characters themselves had no depth.

I'm not sure whether this was some sort of writing experiment, but I can't tell if it's supposed to be a crime novel, a thriller, a critique of Scottish politics, or a Christian exposé of some sort about dwindling faith.

Unfortunately it just didn't work for me...

[Michiko · Rating 4 out of 5]

There is a petit taste of a bottomless secret here that is brilliantly veiled and highly elusive. This book is a pleasing glimpse into a fanciful and vivid imagination. His prose is not always controlled because it is raw, but it expresses a new form of psychological realism that shuffles to the beat of an energetic tempo. The dialogue and the logic of "Kertamen" ring true enough to raise my suspicion that, at least by hearsay, Mauro Martone knows his subject matter well. A triumph and four out of five.

[Christopher Cleeves · Rating 4 out of 5]

A thought provoking page turner. The author is quite oblique with his characters who are mere extras in this dynamic thriller. They seem to surf along upon the rich story line itself, which is what engaged and held me. I found this book impossible to classify, but I deeply enjoyed it. I read it through on the warm weekend, laying in my garden.

[Elaine Parsons · Rating 4 out of 5]

Those who enjoy historical fiction that is fused with a contemporary urbanity, might find this page turner hard to put down.

It is an engaging book that is full of vivid surprise, anxiety, occasional wit, and a political clear eye that is often blunt as well as captivating. Wish he would hurry up and write the next instalment now.

[Dani De Cordoba · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good read. He has succeeded in telling a deep tale that transported me to ancient Judea because it is written with an imagination that made these historical flashes seem convincing. I had not really thought much about the Scottish political scene until now and think he has made the distance of it all seem quite immediate.

[Gus · Rating 3 out of 5]

Its better than ok but I only read it because my mate gave me it and its not really my thing. I prefer graphics or fantasy and he said this had its fair share of fantasy, which is partly accurate but not really. That said I found the writing and storytelling to be quite good and its impossible to say that Kertamen isnt interesting.

[Euan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Poignant, complex and inventive. There can be no doubting the remarkable scope of this author’s imagination. He has a talent for atmosphere and brought the day-to-day referendum period back reasonably well. History and thriller entangled into an entertaining nugget of tasty treats.

[Alec Nichol · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interdepartmental and political mischief with occasional rapid violence here. There is also a darkly atmospheric vibe of the 2014 Indyref going on and some cool time travelling flashbacks too.

I thought the plot was ambitious initially so I chose it for this very reason but I found that he had a very straightforward prose which propelled things along without too much of an effort.

I then found that there was magic within, such as the crazy sword thingy in the two mirror plots which were both well constructed and pleasantly written.

An ambitious first novel, most of which he molds together particularly well.

[Jack Aubrey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Like decaf Anne Rice, but characteristically Scottish. He captures the beauty of human integrity under siege in this refreshing example of magical realism.

[Ruth · Rating 4 out of 5]

A smart and busy thriller . . . It's tense, clever, and fascinating.

[Ken Guthrie · Rating 3 out of 5]

There is so much going on in this dark Scottish thriller that it may be easy to become confused at first. Some modern writers of magical realism have noted the public’s appetite for historical TV dramas like “Downton” or “Rome” and often lament the prospects for their novels by touching the historical line and ruining the original plot. Not so Martone however, who charges straight at us with a very different proposition altogether.

"Kertamen" is a contemporary political story that is designed to sprawl across a trilogy which is entertaining and gripping from the off. Only once you get into what you think is the actual plot, does he then trick and treat with little sprinkles of satire and the historical inclusions for the history buffs. This is clever and works well in support of the plot. What is really being touted behind the plot here though, is the suggestion that the world is entirely magical but that the greatest illusion of all, is the intention to make us believe that this is not the case?

I found the police investigation, as it trundled along gathering momentum through the endearing detectives, to be an enjoyable and often funny read. I felt that the whole Drug Squad twist was refreshing in itself and as far adrift from Messrs. Rankin or McIlvanney as say Haruki Murakami is. Most of the scenes involving the Drug Squad or the previous decades when Chuck was in uniform and imprisoned at the so called “Cab Office” etc, are pithy written by the author, which suits the plot. Pithy writing being the fairy dust of fictional success I have learned and I would suggest this to be a fine stocking filler this Christmas.

[Steve · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed the angelic portion in this well constructed Scottish Noir which was all so bizarre. Is it absurd-yep possibly. Is it interesting-aye for sure. It is certainly a gripping and crafty thriller which leaves an indelible imprint because it evokes the sorrowful state of power focused psychopaths within our society.

I got quite into this book and I guess when you can't get the story out of your head you know that the author has gotten to you so I admit that I was caught out with this one.

You see, I tend to avoid authors who are UBER POPULAR. My reasoning being that I presume that their popularity is a mark of pop-culture fame etc, rather than talent but I was referred to this by a reliable reading source and thought OK, I will give it a try. I now see that I had maybe jumped the gun a tad.

There is intriguing character and scene interplay that evokes occasional sadness, suspicion, pitifulness, ambiguity, and despite everything, a firm resolve to do the right thing. The predicament that the cops and Stroker find themselves in even evoked a sympathetic humour and I somehow found myself remembering thoughts from Heinlein's "Stranger in a Strange Land" whilst asking myself what Forsyth and Roxburgh would make of that ending:

“They laugh because it hurts so much - because it's the only thing that'll make it stop hurting”.

Kertamen is well researched historically too and because of that it also occasionally morphs into a period story from time to time but undeniably it is mainly a worrying tale on numerous different levels. It made me a wee bit uncomfortable at times particularly that police station scene with the creepy bent lawyer which goes all Dan Brown on us. Not to mention the cover-up of the paedophile ring within the establishment. Sound familiar?

This is a steady-handed mix of political precision, camaraderie, wit, and mob style violence that is both urbane and unreserved. It evokes a past style that makes you hope that it is all fiction and a product of an imaginative mind. If your like me though, you might end up suspecting that this dark Savelle-ish nightmare is someone else’s horrible reality.

[Brian Whyte · Rating 4 out of 5]

Although this is a superbly paced and skilled fusion of genres by an energising writer, I was left wondering what happens to Forsyth and the cabal? I got quite into the conspiracy and paranormal stuff but felt a wee bit frustrated at the twist at the end. I suppose it is the first in a trilogy, but the ending was a bit of a surprise. It is clearly well researched though and the little snip bits of historical detail throughout were like finding popping candy in a chocolate bar. More importantly, it is well imagined and written with a satirical undertone that entertains.

[Sean · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was gifted this as an early crimbo prezzie and enjoyed the classic 70's detective theme because of the Sweeney styled cops while the little injections of well researched WWII and historical stuff appealed to me. The political chapters were also quite interesting if not alarming, to be honest, but the chapter in ancient Israel with Christ was the real jewel in the crown for me. I wouldn't have minded a bitty more of that.

[Rosamund Krauthammer · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am glad I listened to whatever passing spirit prompted me to pick this up for a shufti recently. Full of fresh air and an aesthetic palate cleanser that casts a long shadow at the end. There is clearly something else going on here in this persuading geopolitical eye opener. At the same time he also shows that he can convincingly portray the classical world without the grating anachronism that assails some writers.

[Coleen Morley · Rating 5 out of 5]

This well written and thought up story is quite funny at times in an unpretentious way. He weaves a subtle but interesting Scottish conspiracy that is spiced up with a few supporting acts. I agree that it is hard to define this book but the police thriller part of it was really good so I'm calling it a crime thriller. He states in his notes that Kertamen is all fiction of course, but it seems to me to be far better than that.

[Rusty Leonard · Rating 4 out of 5]

Feisty conspiracy tale that is sort of “Rebus” merged with the “Da Vinci Code” and with a little bit of “House of Cards” going on in the background. If you are not familiar with 80’s Scotland you might get lost at the start but be patient as you are in for a bloody surprise. A refreshing depiction of what really is going on behind the political scenes.

[Sam Mackie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Was tipped off about this as a it was apparently a paranormal yarn, but I found it to be a lot more than that. I enjoyed it regardless and tore through it over a weekend travelling on trains. Martoni appears to take the role of camp fire bard here, enticing us to take a pew and warm ourselves upon this glowingly fast paced and vividly cinematic blend of genre.

I liked the switches from genre to genre and from character to character because it always came back to a relevant spot in the plot. I guess this book highlights the timely—and timeless—dilemma faced by whistle-blowers of any era - Which should they choose, allegiance to our conscience or to our masters? The term whistle-blower is all too familiar in today’s headlines, and this meticulously researched historical novel magnified the issue for me, all within an enjoyable drug squad caper that is encased within an ever more elegant political thriller and then sprayed from head to toe in an edge-of-the-seat paranormal dressing.

To cook all this up, maintain the electrifying pace, then serve it up with a lasting theological impression on the side, is a testament to the author’s sure hand.

Bring on more please.