A raving monarchist

the long version

The plot twists are slightly confusing and artificially concealed, but Rathbone expends considerable charm--through his aging academic narrator Archie--while arranging that a scheme to assassinate King Juan Carlos follows Archie and his young lover Maurice as they van-tour around Spain. Unbeknownst to Archie, you see, a terrorist--is he Basque? IRA? CIA?--is blackmailing Maurice into giving him periodic bits of assistance. Maurice, apparently "as apolitical as Julie Andrews or the Queen," cooperates with this mystery man. . . until he and Archie realize what this assassin is really up to; then Maurice (the "raving monarchist") risks his life to save the king. Eschewing a *Day of the Jackal* approach, Rathbone opts for vague suspensefulness and leisurely sightseeing (bullfights, fiestas, etc.) instead of mechanics and tension. He almost compensates for all his perambulation, however, with one gloriously atrocious pun: "That's an awful lot of Basques in one exit." [Kirkus Reviews][1] [1]: https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/julian-rathbone-3/a-raving-monarchist/