Something Dangerous

The Lytton family are back and things are looking good. It is the end of the glorious 1920s and the family publishing house is flourishing. The twins, Adele and Venetia, vain, preoccupied and fickle, are celebrating their 18th birthday. The stage is set and it is only a matter of time before the villain enters. In this case, it is Nazi Germany, gathering credence and influence. The book darkens as the arrival of the Second World War throws the family into torment. The horror of combat, the occupation of France and the terrors of London in the Blitz are used as dramatic backdrops to the ever-increasing tensions of the volatile Lyttons. Adele, trapped in occupied Paris, must escape with her two young children. Venetia struggles through the agonies of labour as the London buildings collapse around her. Overseeing everything is Celia Lytton, whose impressively drawn character sees her switching from dominatrix to tormented lover within a few sentences. This sequel to No Angel hurtles along, and we encounter death, childbirth and infidelity at an astonishing rate, sometimes several times a chapter. The book never really pretends to be anything other than what it is, a family saga on a massive scale, and it is an effective if rather shallow formula. The read is fast and entertaining and only the sheer weight of the book will make you put it down. (Kirkus UK)