An Enemy in View

Steven Greenhalgh is an historian and librarian at the University of
Alberta.

An Enemy in View is David Hoffman’s first venture into fiction
writing, following a career as both a federal public servant and a
professor of political science. The novel begins as Charles Haversham, a
former journalist who now works for the Privy Council Office in Ottawa,
is contacted by the Auditor General’s Office to investigate a
discrepancy in Dan Carpenter’s travel expenses. Carpenter is a
colleague of Haversham’s who also works for the Privy Council Office.
The investigation turns up a cryptic note and an unexplained
Spanish-dubbed CD-ROM. Haversham soon discovers that he has taken on
more than he bargained for when both CSIS and a Colombian drug cartel
become involved. Two mysterious deaths further complicate matters for
him when he suddenly finds himself with some explaining to do.

An Enemy in View unfolds like any good detective novel, as Haversham
slowly pieces together Carpenter’s hidden motives. The author’s
knowledge of the Ottawa area and the inner workings of federal politics
add, substance and a sense of realism to the novel. Equally well
conveyed is the darker side of federal politics through the presence of
corruption, lobbying, and blackmail. Haversham’s shaky marriage and
philandering add further to the story’s tension.

Although Hoffman might lack the experience of more established authors
of detective fiction, his first novel is a promising beginning and will
appeal to fans of the genre.