“The Piano Tuner” is splendid – just like Daniel Mason’s “The Winter Soldier”. You might argue that it is slightly too drawn-out in the middle, but perhaps that is a textual parallel to the situation in which the central character finds himself.
Overall, the writing is – of course – rather fine. The reader is immersed in the world Mason creates. And that’s no surprise when one reads the afterword and is rewarded with a glimpse of all the research effort – and time! – that went into writing the book.
As I neared the end I was struck (again) by Mason’s shortening of his chapters, and how, by doing so, the reader is accelerated through to the climax. It’s a simple but effective technique.
Exceptional.
Ian Gouge - Writer 