MAY CONTAIN MARKUP

By Len Deighton

FROM THE COVER: Bernard Samson had been behind a desk in Whitehall for five years when his bosses decided that he was the right man to slip into East Berlin and talk Brahms Four out of doing something disastrous. Berlin was the city he grew up in, the place he still loved like a mistress, and some of the members of the Berlin Network were men he'd known since they were streetwise Berlin schoolboys. But Samson knew there were few people he could trust, either in Berlin or at home. Too many missions had gone wrong; too many secrets had leaked. Somewhere somewhere nearer to the heart of things than he'd like to believe - there was the stink of betrayal.

As the shadows of treachery lengthen around him….

London. Hutchinson. 1983. 313p.

MAY CONTAIN MARKUP

By Terry Hayes

"I Am Pilgrim" by Terry Hayes is a gripping thriller that will keep you on the edge of your seat until the very last page. This intricately woven tale follows the life of a former intelligence operative known as Pilgrim, who is drawn back into the world of espionage to track down an elusive terrorist known as Saracen. As Pilgrim navigates a web of intrigue, deceit, and danger, the reader is taken on a thrilling journey across the globe, from the bustling streets of New York to the remote deserts of the Middle East. With its complex characters, meticulously researched plot, and heart-pounding suspense, "I Am Pilgrim" is a masterfully crafted novel that will leave readers breathless from start to finish.

London. Bantam. 2013. 707p.

MAY CONTAIN MARKUP

By Fiona McIntosh

Evie, a widow and stationmaster’s daughter, helplessly looks out for the weekly visit of the handsome man she and her sister call The Southerner on their train platform in the wilds of northern England. When polite salutations shift to friendly conversations, they become captivated by each other’s reticent manner. After so much sorrow, the childless Evie can’t believe love and the chance for her own family has come into her life again.

With rumours coming out of Germany that Hitler may be stirring up war again, local English authorities have warned against spies. Even Evie becomes suspicious of her new suitor, Roger. But all is not what it seems.

When Roger is arrested, Evie comes up with an audacious plan to prove his innocence that means moving to Germany and working as a British counter-spy. Wearing the disguise of dutiful, naïve wife, Evie must charm the Nazi Party’s dangerous officials to bring home hard evidence of war mongering on the Führer’s part.

But in this game of cat and mouse, it seems everyone has an ulterior motive, and Evie finds it impossible to know who to trust. With lives on the line, ultimate sacrifices will be made as she wrestles between her patriotism and saving the man she loves.

From the windswept moors of the Yorkshire dales to the noisy beer halls of Munich and grand country estates in the picture-book Bavarian mountains, this is a lively and high-stakes thriller that will keep you second-guessing until the very end.

Penguin. Random House. 2021. 434p.