Mecca

by William Deverell

"A readable thriller that matches the newscasts. Action. Action. Action. Literature in the fast lane. Sit back in your easy chairs, pour yourself a drink, and read about the end of the world." Toronto Star

391 pages, Hardcover

First published October 1, 1983

About the author

William Deverell was born in 1937 in Regina, Saskatchewan. He put himself through law school by working as a journalist for the Canadian Press, Vancouver Sun, and Saskatoon Star-Phoenix. Deverell served as counsel for over a thousand criminal cases and is a founding director and former president of the B.C. Civil Liberties Association. He created the television series, Street Legal, and has written screenplays and radio plays. Deverell lives on Pender Island, British Columbia.

Awards:
Arthur Ellis Award
* 1998 – Trial of Passion – Winner
* 2006 – April Fool – Winner

Reviews

[Matt · Rating 4 out of 5]

William Deverell has dazzled fans with his wonderful writing on all things legal, particularly as they relate to the Canadian system. However, he stepped back with this piece, one of his early works, to offer up something completely different, as fitting now as it was upon its original publication. During a period of torture and deprivation, an agent of the East German Rotkommando utters a single word, ‘Mecca’. This clue can only mean that there is something planned in the holiest of Muslim cities by this terrorist organisation, though that remains entirely unclear. After washed-up poet, Jacques Sawchuk, is about to be extradited back to Canada, he panics about having to face jail time for his involvement in a terror attack over a decade before. However, he may be the perfect new recruit to place within Rotkommando to learn of their plans. Used as a pawn, Sawchuk is brought to Canada before being shuttled off to Europe, where he undergoes significant training akin to that given to new Mossad agents. Once he is planted inside a cell within Rotkommando, Sawchuk slowly learns of the plan to attack the Saudi palace. Meanwhile, there is a story developing that the American president is set to broker a deal with the Saudis to sell them missiles. These weapons will likely be used to obliterate the Isaraelis without a second thought. Needing only a few more votes in the Senate, key legislators have been bribed, paving the way to the approval of the sale. One journalist seeks to uncover this story and blow the deal out of the water, but it will take all his effort and a great deal of strategy not to find himself out of a job, or worse. When Sawchuk finds himself in the middle of the Saudi attack, he soon learns that those he thought were his friends only have his back when it suits him. Might he have been better off rotting in a Canadian prison? Deverell does a masterful job in this piece, completely out of his normal genre, to dazzle the reader and pull them in with this reasonable story of espionage. Recommended to those who like stories within this genre, set years before the topic became stale.

I came to discover William Deverell for his legal writing and have not looked back. His novels are deeper than most to which I am accustomed, but this is by no means an issue for me. Being forced to think kept me on my toes and allowed me to discover a more complex set of characters. Jacques Sawchuk proves to be less vapid than he presents in the opening chapters, as he is gritty and knows how to handle himself in touch situation. That being said, he is no hulk, as he undergoes significant pain at the hands of his enemies during a portion of the story, such that the reader cannot help but have pity for the man. His left-leaning sentiments bleed through they narrative, though this is a time when the world was truly in flux and ideological differences meant something a lot different than they do today. Many of the other characters that pepper the pages of this well-crafted book complement many of the subplots effectively, fuelling a gradual build-up of what could be cataclysmic circumstances. From spies to security personnel, Deverell places a number of key characters in specific spots to tell his story. The narrative is balanced and works effectively throughout. Set in the early 1980s, the story is free of that ISIS/September 11th theme that has been beaten to death, but chooses to focus on an increasingly powerful Israeli military that is pushing back its Arab enemies. There are some poignant moments throughout that seek to address rises in ideological clashes without flinging mud and using the 24 hour news cycle to bury opponents, which is a refreshing change. Stepping away from all things legal, Deverell makes a name for himself in the world of espionage writing without being forced to lose that Canadian flavour. This makes the novel all the more alluring to me, for I have issues with those authors who repeat the same themes in their works, as though no one has ever thought to discuss al Qaeda or ISIS as a veritable enemy of the protagonist. While I am eager to get back to his legal writing, I thoroughly enjoyed this Deverell treat!

Kudos, Mr. Deverell, for another stellar piece of writing. I’ll be sure to check out more of your books to see if I can continue my praise!

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http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com

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[Ellen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Once again William Deverell has comprised a story with twists, turns, surprises and an astonishing end. He intertwines the story with history and current events that not only make the reader interested in learning more, it makes you more aware of how our own government and those in control are being controlled by others. I am a new William Deverell fan and will anxiously await his next publication.

[Marc Leroux · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a review of the Audio Book version of Mecca by William Deverell. The book was originally published in 1983 and is sadly out of print … except for the audio book version, which has just been released.
The story is somewhat dated, in that it may take listeners a few minutes, and perhaps an internet connection, to figure out who the FLQ were, for example, but the story holds up to the test of time. It’s easy to relate to terrorism, corrupt government officials, crooked politicians … hummm, maybe we really haven’t come that far in 30 years. Slack Sawchuck is a former member of a terrorist group who agrees to infiltrate the Rotkommando in exchange for a full pardon, with pension. The story blends action with humor, and pulls it off in a spectacular fashion. More than anything, it is the characters in the novel, their motivations and their evolution that make the story so enjoyable. Highly recommended.
What makes it exceptional is the performance that Steve Scherf and Beverley Elliott provide. I love listening to books narrated by this duo. Even with a large cast of characters, Scherf provides unique accents, inflections and mannerisms to each, and does this in a way that never detracts from the novel itself. For a novel that is really focused on characters this becomes a fine line to navigate, and they really nail this. It’s always a pleasure to hear these two bring novels to life, and in this case, it’s another 5 star performance.
I’d highly recommend this audio book.

[Peter · Rating 3 out of 5]

William Deverell who is best known for his legal thrillers takes us into the world of religious terrorism/ Saudi Arabia and the Mossad. This is a good tale, tautly told.