I was delighted, mesmerized, and shocked by Pears’ latest opus. The master of complicated narratives has satisfied me again.

If, like me, you’re already a fan, you will appreciate the return of Pears’ exquisitely intricate plot and multiple points of view. As in Instance of the Fingerpost, we have multiple narrators (three this time). As in Dream of Scipio, we have three different time periods for setting. As in The Portrait, we have psychological suspense and possibly sinister motives lurking throughout. But in this new novel, Pears also gives us a fresh look at international money markets and arms trading, providing fascinating historical background to some of today’s big issues. There is also plenty of personal drama amidst the high-stakes global dealing as the novel explores the death and life of John Stone.

If this is your first Iain Pears book, no worries. If you’re in the mood for fantastic characters, fluid writing and a complicated, suspenseful narrative, just jump right in. You’ll catch on fast to Pears’ nuanced and layered style.

Yes, Stone’s fall was a literal one— a suspicious, deadly defenestration. But his entrancing widow, Elizabeth, is more concerned with an addition to Stone’s will not long before the accident. She hires our first narrator, Matthew Braddock (a journalist), to investigate privately.

With each narrator, Pears takes us further back in time and to different parts of Europe. We start in Paris in 1953 with Braddock, then travel back with him quickly to London, 1909, just after Stone’s death. We delve into Paris in the 1890s in Part 2, then Venice in 1867 for Part 3. Each perspective reveals more about the deals, challenges, and passions behind the mystery Braddock is investigating.

The novel is not a light read (a hefty 800 pages chock full of economic, political, and personal convolutions), but it is enjoyable throughout— and very rewarding. I thought I was paying close attention, but Pears managed to surprise me several times. If you’re looking for a big book with big payoff, I heartily recommend Stone’s Fall. ~Tegan