"The man within" by Graham Greene

Andrews is running through the woods at night, fleeing the revenge of the smugglers he has betrayed. Se stumbles into Elizabeth's house. He falls in love with her and she persuades him to go to Lewes as a witness in the trial of the smugglers. Consequences ensue.

This was Greene's first novel and it already has his hallmarks: formal dialogue in which the protagonists circle around one another and the issues, and the great moral issues as played out in the lives of ordinary people. For a 21 year old it is brilliant although he later refined his style by making more sparing use of inner monologue. But Andrews thinks he is a coward (he was bullied by his father and the gang of smugglers) and it takes the girl to convince him that he does brave things.

Not Greene's best but still a very good book. July 2015; 221 pages

Other Greene's reviewed in this blog:

• The brilliant Stamboul Train
• The excellent A Gun for Sale
• The delightful The Ministry of Fear