A spy novel/thriller/romance, set in Madrid in 1940 in the aftermath of the Spanish Civil War.The main character is a wounded veteran, Harry Brett, who received his wounds during the Dunkirk withdrawal. Harry is recruited by the British Secret Service to contact Sandy Forsyth, a shady Madrid-based businessman and former school friend of Harry’s. Harry’s cover is as an interpreter for the British Embassy. He arrives in Spain to a situation of political repression, food shortages, poverty and destruction.
At the end of the book, there is a “historical note”, putting the story into context. Some of the characters in the story, including Hilgarth and Hoare, lived.
Our comments included:
- I found this book interesting as I knew nothing about the Spanish Civil War before reading it.
- I really enjoyed it, though it was a bit hard to get into. I thought it’d be too political for me.
- I prefer the Shardlake books by the same author; I could get deeper into the characters in those books. I wanted to like Barbara, but she just seemed drippy.
- It seemed rather far-fetched that there were so many high-up people interested in Bernie, an Englishman in a labour camp, for his escape to be planned and managed.
- Themes of deception and betrayal recur through the book, also the gap between those in privileged and more affluent positions, and those others who are struggling.
- The public school old-boy network still exists today.
- Sandy just wanted what he thought would bring him the most profit, with no qualms if he hurt people on his way. Was anyone surprised by his fake gold mine and him turning up on the plane with the Argentinians at the end?
- I wonder if the book could have done without Harry and Barbara meeting at the end. They both had stayed loyal to those they had loved and appeared perhaps broken and resigned to their futures.
Marks out of ten: (some people who could not be present at the meeting emailed their marks in).
8 (x 5)
7 (x 4)
6 (x 1)