In an age where crown jewels serve as a euphemism at best for most, British bestselling writer and one-time Tory politician Jeffrey Archer tries to weave a thriller around their theft, almost like a post-Brexit ’wanna be’ clamouring to be let into the heist hall of fame. The heist genre has celebrated everything from robbing Fort Knox to the Royal Mint of Spain, the latter in Netflix’s wildly popular Money Heist.
If Archer, an established master of the racy airport paperback genre, is trying to compete with Netflix and its ilk for passenger eyeballs during a flight, Traitors Gate is probably not the right offering. Make no mistake, the premise is mighty beguiling—about a thief who orchestrates an elaborate heist of the crown jewels. ‘Traitor’s Gate’ refers to the water gate entrance to the Tower of London, which had a rather ironic dual role of housing criminals as well as safeguarding the royal crown, orb, sceptre, and other invaluable state treasures. Putting criminals and treasures under one roof—would that be British irony at work?
However, in Archer’s supposed thriller, it is not the prisoners (they aren’t there anymore) who dare to pull it off, but an ex-prisoner and master criminal Miles Faulkner. He tries to do the impossible— steal the crown jewels while they are being taken to the Buckingham Palace for the Queen to wear while delivering her annual state address to the British Parliament. (The story is conveniently set in the late 1990s, with more than one sarcastic reference, and one glaring factual error, about Princess Diana).
هذه القصة مأخوذة من طبعة October 15, 2023 من THE WEEK India.
ابدأ النسخة التجريبية المجانية من Magzter GOLD لمدة 7 أيام للوصول إلى آلاف القصص المتميزة المنسقة وأكثر من 9,000 مجلة وصحيفة.
بالفعل مشترك ? تسجيل الدخول
هذه القصة مأخوذة من طبعة October 15, 2023 من THE WEEK India.
ابدأ النسخة التجريبية المجانية من Magzter GOLD لمدة 7 أيام للوصول إلى آلاف القصص المتميزة المنسقة وأكثر من 9,000 مجلة وصحيفة.
بالفعل مشترك? تسجيل الدخول
A golden girl
One of India's most formidable beauties passed away earlier this month. The odd thing is she would absolutely hate this obituary; she hated being written about and avoided publicity for all of her nine decades. Indira Aswani was 93 when she died. But anyone who encountered her, even briefly, was in such awe of her grace and poise, and one could not but remember her forever.
The interest in wine is growing delightfully in India
The renowned British wine writer and television presenter Jancis Robinson, 74, recently came to Delhi and Mumbai to reacquaint herself with India's wine industry. This was the Robinson's fourth visit to India; the last one was seven years ago. On this trip, Robinson and her husband, restaurateur Nicholas Lander, were hosted by the Taj Hotels and Sonal Holland, India's only Master of Wine.
United in the states
Indian-Americans coming together under the Democratic umbrella could get Harris over the line in key battlegrounds
COVER DRIVE
Usage-driven motor insurance policies offer several benefits
GDP as the only measure of progress is illogical
Dasho Karma Ura, one of the world's leading happiness experts, has guided Bhutan's unique gross national happiness (GNH) project. He uses empirical data to show that money cannot buy happiness in all circumstances, rather it is family and health that have the strongest positive effect on happiness. Excerpts from an interview:
India is not a controlling big brother
Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay considers India a benevolent elder sibling as the \"big brotherly attitude\" is happily missing from bilateral ties. He thinks the relationship shared by the two countries has become a model of friendship not just for the region, but for the entire world. \"India's attitude is definitely not of a big brother who is controlling and does not allow the little brother to blossom and grow,\" says Tobgay in an exclusive interview with THE WEEK.
Comrade with no foes
Lal Salaam, Comrade Yechury-you were quite a guy!
Pinning down saffron
In her first political bout, Vinesh Phogat rides on the anti-BJP sentiment across Haryana
MAKE IN MANIPUR
Home-made rockets and weapons from across the border are escalating the conflict
SAHEB LOSES STEAM
Coalition dynamics and poor electoral prospects continue to diminish Ajit Pawar's political stock
