THE LOYAL SERVANT - EVA HUDSON

Set in the staid corridors of the education ministry in Britain, we have Caroline a faithful government servant trying to do her job to the best of her ability whilst managing her three children and an indifferent husband and an overbearing mother at the same time.

The beginning of the saga is with the schools minister who has "apparently" committed suicide vis a vis the bottle of whiskey and the pills found beside him. Fast forward to Caroline questioning the motives of the death and that despite no note being left behind there was apparently a note found by someone else despite Caroline being the person who found the body and being absolutely sure that no note was around at the time.

How power can corrupt in any corridors of power wherever the country may be is the story here. To cover up one incident which took place long ago and which may now be the impediment for someone to reach the very highest position in the land, takes a lot of cover up and hard work. That the hard work includes ruthlessly stripping departments and employees of all their work, restructuring an entire organization and murder of several people who may stand in the way is small time work for someone who is so focused on getting to the top.

Caroline is a simple whistle-blower but she is assisted by a journalist who is more hard boiled and who is only focused on getting her story (at whatever cost). Angela does not come across as a particularly likable character but she is very much symbolic of a ferret digging everywhere to get to her source and facts. Caroline once she starts uncovering facts is helpless to withdraw (despite the fact that she wants to) after several incidents and accidents to her family - she is caught in a spin from which she cannot get out of and is just swept along till the final denunciation comes. I would have been very disappointed if it did not come!

Political fiction is a genre I have read very little of. Enjoyed this one.