This tale follows Mark Darrow from his special sports admission to a small private college to his later appointment as president of the college. Mark takes over as president in the wake of several scandals, including the murder of a young female student sixteen years ago while Mark was a student for which Mark’s best friend is found guilty and jailed. The former President is accused of embezzling large sums of money from the school, so Mark has several public relations issues on his hands. Mark was never convinced that his friend killed the girl, so he spends too much time, according to the board, re-investigating the murder. At the center of it all is the spire, a building with a tall spire in the center of campus and is the school’s symbol. I guessed the outcome early on, but still a good mystery. One slightly “ick” storyline for me is Mark’s relationship with the provost’s daughter, who he first met when she was eleven. She is now twenty-eight, so there is nothing unseemly, but still slightly pedo to me. I always love Richard North Patterson's work (the President Kilcannon trilogy is a personal favourite of mine) and this was another little gem. Whilst it may not lack the punch of some of his previous successes, the story was still good enough to make me unable to put it down. I guessed early on (okay, when I read the cover) who the "killer" would be but there was still some little twists along the way. One of Patterson's strengths is the art he has at character writing - almost like a television script - making the dialogue flow and the interaction richer. I would have enjoyed another courtroom scene if possible, but overall, a great story.
What do You think about The Spire (2009)?
Man returns to his college as president solve murder from his time at school
—biglol94
Very good book, thrilling and loved the twists and turns in the book.
—AGriff
It was interesting and enjoyable, albeit a bit slow ay times.
—felix
