SIGNED MATA HARI

Does the literary world need another fictional tribute to Mata Hari? If itis penned by the inimitable Murphy (Here They Come, 2006), the answer isyes. Weaving back and forth in time between Mata Hari's prison cell inParis and her prior life in its many manifestations, the seductivenarrative spins an irresistible tale of a woman whose legendary exploitsare still a matter of historical debate. Was she or was she not a victimof time and circumstance? Did she really deserve to be executed as a spy?In the end, it doesn't really matter, but what does matter is that Murphyhas fashioned a mesmerizing novel that creatively reimagines the life ofone of the most notorious, and perhaps overvilified, women of all time.