22 JUNE 1929, Page 33

THE GOLDEN ALTAR. By Joan Sutherland. (Cassell. 7s. 6d.)—Post-War Paris

forms the setting. Simon Chanel, son of a French father and an English mother, is universally respected as a Deputy. Much as his Socialist opinions have been disliked by his opponents, his integrity has always been recognized. When, therefore, he resolves to break away from all Party ties and to establish himself as an independent leader, with the salvation of France as his single aim, the repercussions of his decision are considerable. Like all solitary fighters, he has to suffer misunderstanding, intrigue, and danger, but the most threatening foe to his cause is his love for the wife of a friend, an English journalist. Though Simon himself is an idealized type, the background of recent French politics is drawn soundly and vividly, as also are the scenes of cosmopolitan society in Paris. This is a vigorous and readable novel.