FICTION.
THE ISLAND MYSTERY.*
NOVELS nowadays may be roughly divided into three claseee- war novels, non-war novels, and eve-of-the-war novels. This belongs to the third class ; the author skirts light-heartedly round the raw edges of war, with only brief suggestions or glimpses of what lies inside—enough to acquit him of levity or callousness—and by an ingenious plot and choice of scene he has removed the chief actors in his comedy from contact with distressing realities. The scene, a small island in the Levant, reminds us of one of Mr. Anthony Hope's earlier novels, Phroso by name, and the mock-royal atmo- sphere is suggestive of Ruritania. But these are only superficial re- semblances. The treatment is pure Birminghamesque, in the familiar vein of Spanish Gold—high-spirited extravaganza strongly flavoured with irony, from trhich none of the characters is exempt, whether Kaiser or King, American millionaire or Irish Nationalist Member. Donovan, the millionaire in question, was a plain citizen with a conveniently disordered heart, who, having amassed wealth beyond the dreams of avarice, sought (unlike most of his kind) seclusion and freedom from wires and cables and telephones. But his daughter Daisy wished to be a real Queen, and induced him to buy a small island from the King of Megalia. Gorman, the Irish Member, a friend of the King, acted as intermediary, and Daisy and her father went off to take up their residence on Salissa, which had already been made a submarine base by the Kaiser. After the manner of musical comedies, all the principal characters con- gregate on the island, including the King, a Sovereign of the type of King Milan of Serbia—genial and unscrupulous—with a gift for talking English slang like a Babu. The Irish Member is very good company, but the most important person is a polyglot Swiss who has been in service and secret service in many countries. The islanders, headed by the aged Stephanos and the vivacious Kalliope, form a picturesque chorus, and, though the fun is at times a little forced, The Island Mystery will provide a few hours of harmless diversion to those who turn to fiction as an anodyne.
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