The Collation Unit

The Collation Unit by David Jarvis is an espionage novel published by Troubador Press. If you like thrillers with guns and sex, this is not a book for you. Instead, this is a spy book where the main enemies are from inter-department rivals among the British intelligence departments. This is the type of spy book I prefer. From the Troubador website I take it that it is a self-publishing company and this may be a 1st novel for Mr. Jarvis. I would say “well done you.” The story is not perfect but it was more than good enough to hold my interest throughout.
The Collation Unit is a spin out of GCHQ that collects and assesses the output from GCHQ. Their goal is to then move on and act on these results. Obviously other departments do not think this is their writ.
The majority of the novel takes places in Saudi Arabia where an Englishmen who previously designed and installed irrigation system on golf courses in Britain goes to Saudi Arabia to make money and develop irrigation system for pointless buildings and new cities in the desert. He is the guy the Collation Unit wants to use to find out what is going on about a shipment of …….? going to Saudi Arabia. Nukes, weapons, drugs? His name is Mark Tanner and he goes by his initials “EMPTY”. At the same time as this is occurring, Mr. Jarvis employs a “MacGuffin “as the Falkland War commences. This causes the intelligence community to divert satellite coverage away from the Middle East to the Argentina region. Leaving Empty to be The Collation Unit’s eyes.
Empty appears to be a born loser but perhaps this is not the case and I shall not spoil the ending.
The point is, if you are looking for a good read, plenty of surprises and are willing to accept Empty is far better in planning and executing his escape from Saudi Arabia than the Saudis or the British Intelligence realizes this novel is for you.

My thanks to NetGalley and Matador/Troubador for this advance copy.

This is the first novel I have read by David Jarvis, so I wasn’t entirely sure what to expect. First off it was refreshing to see some wit and humour to what otherwise was a serious subject. His use of words and the pace of the novel immediately draws you into the story. He has made good use of his knowledge of the Falklands War, and UK and Middle Eastern politics. The blend between fact and fiction is clever, keeping the story alive and credible. Initially I struggled with the roles of the various characters but as the story progressed, and with better concentration, these became clearer. The inclusion of the characters’ private lives added a further dimension which was a good contrast to the crux of the novel.

It is 1999 and Sir Cecil is an old man now, living his life as a recluse in an English village. The secrets he holds in his head could change the political landscape of Europe and the Middle East. The secret government department he used to work for sends someone to check on him every year. A new man comes to see him and Cecil reminisces about the past: a carefully edited past.
It is 1982 and Mrs Thatcher has sent a large task force to claim back the Falkland Islands from Argentina. The Middle East, as always, is a powder keg about to erupt.
Against this backdrop David Jarvis slowly builds the tension in a spy thriller that is innovative and thought-provoking. There's a splendid sense of irony running through the plot. It is stylish, satirical and gripping.

Thank you Net Galley and Troubador Publishing. What a fun read! Good writing here and that's always my top criteria for an engaging read. Not your page-turner spy thriller, but a slow burn of inter agency bickering and jealousy. All set against the Falklands War and a suspected arms deal going down in the Middle East.

Jarvis has a great and very dry sense of humor. I particularly enjoyed his description of a Saudi bank manager’s elaborate signature on an official document. Hilarious, especially if you’ve ever seen these epic calligraphic signatures in action. Also enjoyed the character named Empty, who, by all appearances, lacks any substance. I won’t spoil the discovery of why, exactly, he is called Empty, but funny, clever, and pertinent.

The ending fell short for me but all and all I loved this one. Not a book for fans of high action spy novels but perhaps for those who enjoyed the Slough House series by Mick Herron.