Synopsis/blurb....
When a number of scientists mysteriously disappear in Berlin, what seems to be a straightforward case rapidly becomes a journey to the heart of a dark and deadly conspiracy. It is a conspiracy that takes Len Deighton's working-class hero on a journey that will test him to the limits of his ingenuity and resolve, and call on him to prove himself as a spy at the very top of his game.
'A STONE COLD, COLD WAR CLASSIC' - THE GUARDIAN
A book I mostly enjoyed but not as much as I had hoped to. The plot was a bit of a mess IMO, and what started out as an interesting premise, kind of fell by the wayside and morphed into something else.
I liked the unnamed protagonist and hero at the centre of the story. I enjoyed his interactions with his fellow British agents and support team. There's a wry humour in some of the exchanges with Alice and Jean. The salary of a British intelligence agent obviously isn't that great and our man is constantly trying to secure backpay and outstanding expenses from his boss.
There is plenty of action along the way here, at home and abroad with lots of danger for our man and like most espionage tales there's a question mark over people's true motives and trustworthiness which kept me (and our man) guessing.
Everything ties up at the end and makes sense, but I guess I must have missed something that The Guardian spotted. Enjoyable, but not up with the very best of Cold War fiction. Not that it has put me off hopefully reading more from this series in 2023.
3 stars from 5
Declarations Of War is my only previous encounter with Deighton's work, back in 2012. My only memory relating to that was it was a bit of a drag.
Read - December, 2022
Published - 1962
Page count - 368
Source - owned copy
Format - Paperback
Thanks for the pointers. I've enjoyed the two Herron books mentioned and will keep an eye out for the Macintyre book.
ReplyDelete... and if you like crime books never forget that John le Carré's Dad was an associate of the Kray Brothers and did time for insurance fraud!
ReplyDeleteWow, I never knew that!
Delete... and Kim Philby was Field Marshal Montgomery's cousin, Monty having been best man at Kim's father's wedding! Best read Beyond Enkription for more real fun and games!
ReplyDeleteBeyond Enkription........ on the wish list.
DeleteYou won't regret that - in the meantime read about Pemberton's People in MI6 and I'll bet it goes up your Wish List ! https://theburlingtonfiles.org/news_2022.10.31.php
ReplyDeleteMaybe, we'll see!
DeleteCurious that the book fell a little flat, an example how the book-film thing can swing both ways.
ReplyDeleteUsually when I've encountered both my preference has been for the book. It's rare when it falls the other way. This might be that instance.
DeleteInteresting - I liked both films and the book and, of course, those who made the original film had to be inspired by the book!
ReplyDeleteTrue.
DeleteI agree with you, Col. I read this last year and was disappointed. But, on the flip side, the early Ian Fleming-James Bond novels – also read last year – hold up pretty well and are better written than I remembered.
ReplyDeleteElgin, I hope to try more from the series later this year and also dip into Fleming's Bond books. I'm looking forward to them.
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