THE YEARS DIVIDE US
By
Against the background of the rather seedy, liberal, literary fringe whose once fervent faith in the left is now confused by the issue of Stalin's communism, this tells in the first person of John- a political police officer attached to Scotland Yard and in plain clothes as a newspaperman, as he is given the case of Joan Wilbur, whose political position is suspect. Falling in love with Joan, John is the victim of disintegrating doubts and indecision, realizes intellectually that she's a traitor- actual and potential-but cannot escape his emotions, and when he helps to tighten the evidence against her, finally betrays himself and his post, warns her, but finds that it's too late. A trim treatment which lends a certain conviction and ideological sophistication to what is essentially a not too important story of romantic conflict and counterespionage.