So what does French art nouveau have to do with Soviet-era espionage? According to former London Telegraph writer Charles Laurence, more than you'd think. In his book The Social Agent, Laurence travels back to his temporary childhood home in what is now the Czech Republic to uncover the truth behind his family's life there. In the 1950s and 60s, the family was relocated to Czechoslovakia so that Laurence's father could work at the British embassy in Prague. What begins as a patchy, yet wistful autobiographical recollection of a boyhood spent partially behind the Iron Curtain soon becomes an investigation as Laurence's distress over the loss of his sister leads him on a search for the truth behind his family's possible involvement in Cold War espionage.

During an interview with former family friend Geraldine Mucha, he notices a painting of Medea by Alphonse Mucha hanging on the wall. The Medea in this painting strikes him as unique in its depiction of Medea as shocked and confused rather than vengeful as her dead sons lie at her feet. This contrast between a terrible act and the reaction to it reflect the tone of the book as Laurence's search for his family's truth leads to his own feelings of confusion and betrayal.

Geraldine is the widow of the artist's son, Jii Mucha, whose role as the "social agent" of the title entwines him with everyone Laurence encounters and quickly shifts him to the main focus of the investigation. The book benefits from Laurence's use of time as he allows the reader to discover details about Jii just as he discovered them, beginning with his childhood recollections and leading into old reports by the StB (Czech secret police). The only stumbling block in this form comes near the end when Laurence temporarily lapses into a fictionalized daydream of events based on the reports. This abrupt change of style weakens the strength of Laurence's convictions by allowing his obsession with Jii to get in the way of his more straightforward style.

Additionally, while Laurence's short, concise style is refreshing, the book might have benefitted from a little more introspection by the author. In particular, a perceived contrast between his own parents and the Muchas carried over from his childhood is hinted at several times in the narrative but never fully developed although its resonance is certainly felt.

The Social Agent succeeds the most as an account of one man's journey to reconcile a child's limited point of view with a harsh adult reality. The sense of never truly knowing one's parents is something that every reader can relate to an it's what makes The Social Agent stand out as more than a mere espionage narrative.

The Social Agent will be released in March 2010 by Ivan R. Dee, Publisher.