Characters The Devil's Bible Steve Berry

John Westlake: The Reluctant Pawn and Complicit Widower

Overview

John Westlake is the British husband of Princess Lysa of Sweden, introduced as a wealthy businessman and knighted member of the royal family by marriage. On the surface, Westlake appears to be a victim—wrongly accused of being a Russian spy and isolated by the king. Yet as the novel unfolds, the reader discovers a man far more entangled: he has carried on a long-term affair with SVR handler Monica Butler‑White, accepted blame to protect his wife, and ultimately stands by as Lysa is murdered. Westlake is a study in duplicity, resentment, and survival. His arc forces the reader to re‑evaluate every assertion he makes and to question whether he is a pawn or a player.

Plot Role

Westlake’s function in The Devil’s Bible is that of a walking contradiction. He is both the prime suspect in a spy scandal and the one who exposes the true asset: his own wife. The plot hinges on his revelations:

  • Early chapters establish him as the king’s despised brother‑in‑law, summoned through a staff entrance (Chapter 2). He is immediately painted as a potential adversary.
  • Middle chapters reveal that Westlake was framed by Monica Butler‑White nine years earlier to protect Lysa, who was an unwitting “useful idiot” (Chapter 27). He admits he stayed silent to keep Lysa safe.
  • Climactic chapters undermine that sympathy: Westlake confesses to an affair with Monica, resents his passionless marriage, and chooses not to intervene when Monica drowns Lysa in a bathtub (Chapter 47). He later watches the house explode and plans to resurface as a grieving widower (Chapter 49).

Westlake’s role is therefore one of slow revelation. He is the character who holds the key to the central mystery—who the real Russian asset is—while also being complicit in the crime that sets the story in motion.

Motivations and Traits

Motivations

  • Self‑preservation: From the beginning, Westlake’s primary drive is survival. He accepts blame for espionage because Monica threatened to kill him and Lysa. Later, he cooperates with the SVR to protect his business and his life.
  • Resentment: He harbors deep bitterness toward King Wilhelm, who never accepted a commoner in the family. This resentment fuels his willingness to betray the royal house.
  • Sexual and emotional fulfilment: Westlake craves intimacy that his marriage cannot provide. His affair with Monica satisfies a need for passion and connection, which leads him deeper into SVR complicity.
  • Control and legacy: In the final chapters, Westlake shows that he wants to shape his own narrative—to reappear as a victim, inherit sympathy, and continue his business empire.

Traits

  • Calculating: Westlake plans his moves carefully. He has an ear fob for surveillance awareness (Chapter 14) and keeps a poker face during high‑stakes meetings.
  • Resentful but patient: He swallows humiliation for nine years, waiting for the right moment to act.
  • Detached: He describes his marriage to Lysa as “more like a couple of good friends” and shows no remorse after her death (Chapter 39, Chapter 63).
  • Adaptable: He quickly adopts disguises (clown costume) and improvises when forced into dangerous situations (Chapters 16, 20).

Chronological Arc

1. Arrival and Humiliation (Chapter 2)

Westlake is summoned from England, forced to enter the palace through a staff door—a deliberate insult. He dresses in a bespoke suit but feels the weight of the king’s contempt. This sets the stage for his simmering resentment.

2. Re‑encounter with Stephanie Nelle (Chapter 7)

Accused again of being a Russian asset, Westlake demands an apology from the king. When none comes, he leaves and sends a cryptic text, demonstrating both defiance and secret engagement with SVR.

3. Circus and Reunion with Monica (Chapters 14–20)

Westlake receives a note using the private nickname “Tomte” and goes to the Moscow Circus. There he meets Monica, dons a clown disguise, and participates in a staged attack on the king and queen. His actions appear coerced but later reveal deeper allegiance.

4. The Revelation (Chapter 27)

At the palace, Westlake publicly outs Princess Lysa as the unwitting SVR asset. He produces physical evidence and describes how Monica framed him. The king refuses to believe the accusation, but Stephanie Nelle recognizes the pattern of a “useful idiot.”

5. Confession of the Affair (Chapter 39)

In Sigtuna, Westlake reflects on his affair with Monica and his loveless marriage. He admits that Lysa considered sex “a chore” and that he cheated for years. This chapter reveals his emotional detachment and selfish motivation.

6. Murder of Lysa (Chapter 47)

Monica drowns Lysa while Westlake watches without intervening. He internally justifies the act as necessary to preserve his cover. The chapter establishes his full complicity.

7. Escape and New Plans (Chapters 49, 56, 63)

Westlake and Monica blow up the château to destroy evidence. He tells Monica he will resurface at Lysa’s funeral and then join her in England. He quotes Heraclitus on opportunity and decides not to push his luck further—indicating he has achieved his goal.

Relationships

Princess Lysa

Westlake’s marriage to Lysa is hollow. He calls her “friendly and cordial, but a roommate.” He resents her strict Protestant upbringing and lack of intimacy. Yet he also protects her for years—until his own survival and his affair with Monica take precedence. His final act is to let her die.

Monica Butler-White

Monica is Westlake’s lover, handler, and partner in crime. Their relationship is both emotional and transactional. He describes her as “vibrant, alluring… exciting, daring, and bold.” She uses him as a pawn in SVR operations, but he uses her to escape his marriage. After Lysa’s death, they plan to marry (Chapter 62).

King Wilhelm

The king despises Westlake for being a commoner. Westlake returns that contempt: he calls the king a “pompous, self‑righteous fool” (Chapter 27). This antagonism drives Westlake to side with the SVR and withhold the truth for nearly a decade.

Stephanie Nelle and Cotton Malone

Stephanie instinctively distrusts Westlake. She recognizes his pattern of lying and uses Cassiopeia Vitt to surveil him. Westlake, in turn, manipulates Stephanie by feeding her partial truths. Cotton Malone views Westlake as a tool to be used—perhaps a dupe, perhaps a conspirator.

Key Decisions and Consequences

Decision Consequence
Accept blame for espionage nine years ago (Chapter 27) Wins him safety and time, but cements his role as a pawn.
Reveal Lysa as the asset (Chapter 27) Shifts suspicion away from himself, but puts Lysa in mortal danger.
Attend the circus and wear the clown disguise (Chapter 16) Allows Monica to stage an assassination attempt and implicate Westlake again, but also enables him to later claim he was forced.
Watch Monica drown Lysa without intervening (Chapter 47) Liberates him from a loveless marriage and secures his SVR cover, but brands him as a murderer complicit.
Plan to resurface at Lysa’s funeral (Chapter 49) Enables him to play the victim and inherit sympathy, but leaves him permanently entangled with Russian intelligence.

Theme and Symbol Connections

Faith and Endurance

The novel’s epigraph from 2 Timothy 4:7 (“I have fought the good fight…”) contrasts powerfully with Westlake’s lack of faith. He endures not for righteousness but for self‑interest. His “race” is a cynical one, aimed at personal survival.

Deception and Betrayal

Westlake embodies this theme. He is deceived by Monica, but he also deceives his wife, the king, and the reader. His entire persona is a mask. The circus scenes—with clowns and illusion—symbolise the layers of false identity he wears.

Legacy and Sacrifice

Westlake sacrifices his reputation to protect Lysa, but that sacrifice is hollow; he later sacrifices her to protect himself. His concern for legacy is purely material: he wants to keep his business and avoid scandal.

Geopolitical Manipulation

Westlake is a tool in Russia’s effort to block Swedish NATO membership. His personal grudges are exploited for state‑level manipulation, illustrating how individuals become casualties of larger forces.

Identity and Masks

From the clown disguise to the “Tomte” nickname to his fake confession, Westlake is defined by masks. He asks “Who am I really?”—the story never fully answers, leaving the reader to settle for an opportunist.

Book-Specific Questions and Answers

1. Why does John Westlake accept the blame for being a Russian spy for nine years?
Westlake accepts the blame because Monica Butler‑White threatened to kill him and his wife, Lysa, if he did not. He testifies, “Not willingly. The SVR came to me… She told me that I had a choice. Go along and say nothing or be killed, and probably Lysa killed too” (Chapter 27).

2. How does Westlake’s affair with Monica Butler‑White affect his decisions?
The affair provides emotional and physical fulfillment he lacks in his marriage (Chapter 39). It deepens his resentment toward Lysa and makes him willing to cooperate with the SVR. Ultimately, he prioritises his relationship with Monica over protecting his wife.

3. What is Westlake’s true motive for revealing that Princess Lysa is the SVR asset?
Westlake reveals Lysa as a “useful idiot” to redirect suspicion and secure his own safety. He also wants to expose the king’s blindness and exact revenge for years of mistreatment (Chapter 27). The revelation forces the king to confront his sister’s exploitation.

4. Why does Westlake not save Lysa when Monica drowns her?
Westlake views Lysa’s death as necessary to maintain his cover and free himself from a marriage he despises. The text states, “He had watched his wife die without interfering, viewing her death as necessary to protect his SVR cover” (Chapter 49). His indifference is total.

5. What does Westlake plan to do after Lysa’s death?
Westlake plans to resurface publicly at Lysa’s funeral as a grieving widower, then join Monica in England. He says, “I will be at my wife’s funeral and then I will come to you. It is the only way” (Chapter 63). He intends to keep his wealth and start a new life with Monica.

Further Exploration