An underground newspaper reporter becomes the target of a European spy web in the looming shadow of WWII Paris in this heart-pounding thriller from the master of international intrigue, Alan Furst. Paris, 1938: a sensational story hits the tabloids: a murder/suicide in a lovers' hotel of an Italian political emigre and the wife of a prominent French politician. The assassination soon emerges as the work of Mussolini's secret police; the male victim was the editor of a clandestine newspaper that opposed Italian fascism. This is the story of Carlo, the man who replaces the victim as editor of the newspaper -- the man who becoms the next target for Mussolini's police, Stalin's propaganda apparatus, the M16 and of the Gestapo, even as the war grows closer every day.
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"A very good book. The author creates a great atmosphere, filled with suspense. I enjoyed another of his novels, BLOOD OF VICTORY, also set in pre/early WWII, a few years ago. I must find more of his work. " — Carolyn (4 out of 5 stars)
"A very good book. The author creates a great atmosphere, filled with suspense. I enjoyed another of his novels, BLOOD OF VICTORY, also set in pre/early WWII, a few years ago. I must find more of his work. "
“Furst’s reputation as one of today’s best writers, in any genre, is further solidified by this gripping historical thriller with echoes of Graham Greene…Furst excels at characterization, making even secondary figures such as shadowy presences from British intelligence and Nazi minders more than cartoon stereotypes. Through the exploits of his understated hero, Furst presents a potent portrait of Europe on the eve of WWII.”
“Alan Furst’s smoky ‘noir’ novels are addictive, and no less are George Guidall’s smoke-and-gravel performances of them.”
“Furst fans will delight in identifying the various characters from earlier novels who make cameos here, but that’s only a pleasant aperitif, like greeting old friends at your favorite restaurant. The real pleasure is the meal itself, and Furst serves another delicious helping of Paris suspended in a brief moment of time when everyone waited for something to happen, good or bad: ‘Il faut en fenir’ (There must be an end to this). Fortunately, for Furst readers, not quite yet.”
" Nice, atmospheric. Ending kind of sappy... felt like a cop out. "
" atmospheric, but seemed too much like a twenty-something fantasy set in WWII "
" Great espionage story: Romantic, adventurous with lots of intrigue in pre-WWII Genoa, Berlin and Paris. I like his stories! "
" My first Furst (say that 3 times fast...) and I loved it! Really atmospheric and a pre-war time period. "
" Minimal plot but exceptional Resistance in Paris atmospherics. "
" Spies in Paris and Berlin in 1938 and 1939 "
" Slow, internal spy novel set in Paris/Europe (though locations barely important - no scenic vistas here) during lead-in to WW2. Some repetitive writing, but generally intriguing, if not gripping. "
" I liked it a lot, like the author. Almost all of his books take place around WWII in Europe, this one is primarily in Paris about 1939. "
" A bit too much romance. But what I really minded was the following phrase referring to Molotov-Ribbentrop pact: "French and British swains sang to the Soviet maiden in the enchanted forest, but she only giggled and ran away. Towards Germany". That's just vulgar. "
" First I read from Furst....impressive...because on top of the great story was the backdrop of the Spanish Civil War told from Paris by Italian ex pats....what a tumble!! The Sun also Rises type flavor "
" Poor development of characters and very slow moving make this hard to keep reading. Ending unsatisfactory in pulling threads of story to a conclusion. "
Alan Furst is widely recognized as the master of the historical spy novel. He is the author of Night Soldiers, Dark Star, The Polish Officer, The World at Night, and others. He has written for a number of magazines and news publications, including Esquire and the International Herald Tribune. Before becoming a full-time novelist, he worked as a copy writer for ad agencies in Seattle; he has also lived in New York and France. Currently, Furst lives on Long Island, New York.
George Guidall, winner of more than eighty AudioFile Earphones Awards, has won three of the prestigious Audie Award for Excellence in Audiobook Narration. In 2014 the Audio Publishers Association presented him with the Special Achievement Award for lifetime achievement/ During his thirty-year recording career he has recorded over 1,700 audiobooks, won multiple awards, been a mentor to many narrators, and shown by example the potential of fine storytelling. His forty-year acting career includes starring roles on Broadway, an Obie Award for best performance off Broadway, and frequent television appearances.
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