Sophie Gee

Yes.

Are you implying that it's incredibly complicated?

I was curious to see how your synopsis was going to go.

Because as I was reading it, I was thinking, bloody hell, this one's a toughie.

I think it's also become apparent from your having said earlier that they're in a pea soup fog.

So I think the audience is at ease at this point.

A lot of Graham Greene, yeah.

I know, that's more famous five than Graham Greene, I think.

Oh, bravo, Jonty.

Fabulous, fabulous synopsis.

And actually listening to the synopsis, I'm reminded of just how much is going on in this book.

So I cannot wait to get into it.

Like every component of that summary reveals one of the ways that Allingham is playing with genre and picking up on the way in which the novel as a form is transforming kind of under her pen in the moment.

And

Graham Greene, great shout out there.

Again, my host, Mungo, said that Graham Greene was incredibly important to Allingham and that she actually kind of nicked the twist of Brighton Rock in her late novel, 1958 novel, Hide My Eyes.

There was a moment of silence, a stunned and timeless pause during which the circle of upturned faces froze into grotesque masks, ludicrous in their astonishment.

Then the iron dropped back into place with a thud.

and the legs kicked out at once.

As with the grace which belongs to strength alone, a man unfolded himself before them.