transmission no language, just sound

227

The Portable Door

This is first of a new series by Holt, based around a leading character called Paul Carpenter.
The book starts with Carpenter going to an interview for a job. Convinced he isn't going to get the job he obsesses over the other candidates. In particular the unpleasant thin girl in the corner.
After a very odd interview he is offered the post. On his first day he discovers that the thin girl, called Sophie, has also been given a job. Paul spends most of his time thinking about her and falling for her.
The job is boring and weird and things aren't what they seem.
Holt is a competent writer, and can be very funny, but I've always had the feeling that he jumps on bandwagons rather than writing things that he really wants to. Of course, I can't vouch for his historical novels, so I could be wrong.
Anyway this book is really very good while it's based around the weirdness of the workplace and kind of loses steam once he introduces a fantastical element.
Worth a read though. I'll probably read the sequel as well - which I suspect that it will irritate me.
Rating B