A practical joke takes a deadly turn with the death of a healthy young Foreign Office worker while he was a house guest at historic ‘Chimneys,’ an English country estate. At first his death seems to have been an accidental overdose or suicide but his friends who are also staying at Chimneys aren’t convinced. Their … Continue reading The Seven Dials Mystery by Agatha Christie (1929)
Espionage
Assignment in Brittany by Helen MacInnes (1942)
'Her purpose always was to strike at authoritarian governments. In the genre of highly literate suspense she is considered unrivaled.' Assignment in Brittany is Helen MacInnes’ second book and was published early in World War II not long after the Battle of Dunkirk. It is set in Brittany and captures the bleak atmosphere that must … Continue reading Assignment in Brittany by Helen MacInnes (1942)
So Disdained (1928)
So Disdained was Nevil Shute’s second book. It was written in the evenings over a three year period while he was working as an engineer on aircraft and was published when he was 29 years old.I’ve read many of his books and they tend to depict very ordinary people who are placed into situations often … Continue reading So Disdained (1928)
A Prince and a Spy by Rory Clements
A Prince and a Spy was published this year (2021) by Pegasus Books. It is set during World War II and the basis of the story is an actual historical event. In 1942, Prince George, Duke of Kent and Queen Elizabeth II’s uncle, died when his military plane crashed in Scotland on its way to … Continue reading A Prince and a Spy by Rory Clements
Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy by John le Carré (1974)
'...Mr George Smiley was not naturally equipped for hurrying in the rain, least of all at dead of night...Small, podgy and at best middle-aged, he was by appearance one of London's meek who do not inherit the earth.'Control, the commander of the Circus (the highest level of British Intelligence) is eased out of his … Continue reading Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy by John le Carré (1974)
Mr Standfast – How do I Love Thee? Let me Count the Ways…
This is the third time I’ve read Mr Standfast by John Buchan. It’s one of my favourite books by this author and the third time around hasn’t diminished my ardour.Mr. Standfast is the third book of five in Buchan’s Richard Hannay novels that began with The Thirty-Nine Steps, and was followed by Greenmantle. The book … Continue reading Mr Standfast – How do I Love Thee? Let me Count the Ways…
The Saltzburg Connection by Helen MacInnes (1968)
Settling down for a cozy read of this Cold War novel, I started to absorb myself in the character of former British spy, Richard Bryant. The story was interesting to start with but by the end of the second chapter it became completely engrossing after a most unexpected occurrence, and continued tense and unpredictable to … Continue reading The Saltzburg Connection by Helen MacInnes (1968)
The Thirty-nine Steps by John Buchan
The Thirty-nine Steps, written in 1914, is the first of five thriller/espionage novels in the Richard Hannay series by John Buchan. Barely a hundred pages long, Buchan's story begins with his thirty-seven year old hero returning to England after a long period in Africa. Disappointed and fed up after only a month of his new … Continue reading The Thirty-nine Steps by John Buchan
journey & destination 