Classic Thriller – “Ministry of Fear” by Graham Greene

I have, as my recent posts indicate, been reading far more than watching films. I find reading to be much … More

Classic Spy Novel – “Cause for Alarm” by Eric Ambler

Partial spoilers present: Ambler is the father of the literary spy novel. That much is long settled by the testimony … More

Spy Novel Review – Zoo Station by David Downing

This is a colorful spy story that has fans of the genre on either side of the fence. For some, … More

Classic Mystery/Spy Book – A Coffin For Dimitrios

A Coffin for Dimitrios by Eric Ambler is a true gem in the spy and mystery genre, though its really … More

WWII Spy Book Review – The Spies of Warsaw by Alan Furst

The reviews on this site are more and more bookish, which I really don’t mind but perhaps you do. For … More

Classic Book Review – ‘For Whom the Bell Tolls’ by Ernest Hemingway

I began, and finally finished Hemingway’s ‘For Whom the Bell Tolls.’ (Spoilers ahead)   I can see the benefits of … More

Biography Book Review Father Of The Submarine: The Life Of The Reverend George Garrett Pasha by William Scanlan Murphy

I must document this enjoyable tale. I really did gain a lot of insight and wisdom from reading this book. … More

Mystery Book Review – The Wreck of the Mary Deare by Hammond Innes

High-level spoilers ahead. The Wreck of the Mary Deare, written in 1956 by Hammond Innes, belongs to the genre of … More

WWII Spy Book Review – Dark Star by Alan Furst

Alan Furst is a magnificent teller of tales. But his tales are so intricately woven, finely detailed and endlessly researched … More

WWII Spy Book Review – Night Soldiers by Alan Furst

No real spoilers ahead. From the small town of Vidin in Bulgaria, on the eddy-filled Danube, a teenaged boy called … More

WWII Spy Book Review – Assignment in Brittany by Helen MacInnes

Helen MacInnes was a remarkable woman. She was a Scots Presbyterian young lady of Glasgow (my mother’s stomping grounds), degreed … More

Classic Spy Book Review – The Thirty Nine Steps by John Buchan

I had heard of John Buchan’s novels in my history studies, and Greenmantle was one of the required reading selections … More

Book Review – King Solomon’s Mines by H. Rider Haggard

In the ground-breaking King Solomon’s Mines, H. Rider Haggard tells of Allan Quatermain’s adventure through the greatest trials southern Africa … More

Tour Berlin with Joseph Kanon, get a summary of the book “Leaving Berlin”

This, Leaving Berlin, is on my short list of books to read. Cold War tension in the pre-wall city of … More

Book Review: Journey Into Fear by Eric Ambler

Set just before WWII, a British heavy arms designer finds himself in Turkey finishing up a contract when he is … More

Spy Film and Book Double Review: Our Man in Havana (1959)

Our Man in Havana (1959) takes us to pre-revolution Cuba on an enjoyable romp through the seedy capital city and epicenter … More

The Importance of Books… (and my daughter’s book tag)

My daughter is a book lover. I mean a real lover of books. Not just one who reads just to … More

Book Review: The Riddle of the Sands by Erskine Childers

This novel was written in 1903 and was one of the first adventure/espionage novels that had a patriotic purpose. Written … More