The dig

by John Preston. Penguin, 2008.

One of the most reliable ways of telling whether you are going to like an author new to you is to look at who is recommending the book. John Preston’s book comes with praise from Ian McEwan and Robert Harris, so we can guess that it’s going to be engrossing and highly readable, if it’s anything like their work. It also comes with a recommendation from Nigella Lawson, which is slightly odd, but not completely off-putting. The Dig tells the story of the excavation of the treasure site at Sutton Hoo in Suffolk in the weeks immediately prior to WWII. I was reminded of J L Carr’s lovely novel, A Month in the Country – same period, same sort of atmosphere. Although it is well-known that the finds at Sutton Hoo were rich and very important, this if anything heightens the novel’s tensions as rivalries fluctuate among the different personalities involved. A recommended read – time well spent.

- John.