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Night of the Fox
The classic Jack Higgins thriller—now available as an ebook
On the verge of the D-Day invasion, a covert British operative must race against the clock to rescue a stranded soldier and secure Allied victory
In May of 1944, shipwrecked American Colonel Hugh Kelso washes up on the shore of Nazi-occupied Jersey with a valuable secret. As one of the few men with knowledge of the impending invasion of Normandy, Kelso must be protected at all costs. Enter Henry Martineau, a British operative charged with the dangerous mission of impersonating a Nazi officer to infiltrate Jersey and retrieve—or silence—Colonel Kelso. The stakes couldn’t be higher as the fate of the war hangs in the balance.
On the verge of the D-Day invasion, a covert British operative must race against the clock to rescue a stranded soldier and secure Allied victory
In May of 1944, shipwrecked American Colonel Hugh Kelso washes up on the shore of Nazi-occupied Jersey with a valuable secret. As one of the few men with knowledge of the impending invasion of Normandy, Kelso must be protected at all costs. Enter Henry Martineau, a British operative charged with the dangerous mission of impersonating a Nazi officer to infiltrate Jersey and retrieve—or silence—Colonel Kelso. The stakes couldn’t be higher as the fate of the war hangs in the balance.
224 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 15, 1986
1510 people are currently reading
2290 people want to read
About the author
Jack Higgins
486 books1,283 followersThere is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
Jack Higgins was best known of the many pseudonyms of Henry Patterson. (See also Martin Fallon, Harry Patterson, Hugh Marlowe and James Graham.)
He was the New York Times bestselling author of more than seventy thrillers, including The Eagle Has Landed and The Wolf at the Door. His books have sold more than 250 million copies worldwide.
Born in Newcastle upon Tyne, England, Patterson grew up in Belfast, Northern Ireland. As a child, Patterson was a voracious reader and later credited his passion for reading with fueling his creative drive to be an author. His upbringing in Belfast also exposed him to the political and religious violence that characterized the city at the time. At seven years old, Patterson was caught in gunfire while riding a tram, and later was in a Belfast movie theater when it was bombed. Though he escaped from both attacks unharmed, the turmoil in Northern Ireland would later become a significant influence in his books, many of which prominently feature the Irish Republican Army. After attending grammar school and college in Leeds, England, Patterson joined the British Army and served two years in the Household Cavalry, from 1947 to 1949, stationed along the East German border. He was considered an expert sharpshooter.
Following his military service, Patterson earned a degree in sociology from the London School of Economics, which led to teaching jobs at two English colleges. In 1959, while teaching at James Graham College, Patterson began writing novels, including some under the alias James Graham. As his popularity grew, Patterson left teaching to write full time. With the 1975 publication of the international blockbuster The Eagle Has Landed, which was later made into a movie of the same name starring Michael Caine, Patterson became a regular fixture on bestseller lists. His books draw heavily from history and include prominent figures—such as John Dillinger—and often center around significant events from such conflicts as World War II, the Korean War, and the Cuban Missile Crisis.
Patterson lived in Jersey, in the Channel Islands.
Jack Higgins was best known of the many pseudonyms of Henry Patterson. (See also Martin Fallon, Harry Patterson, Hugh Marlowe and James Graham.)
He was the New York Times bestselling author of more than seventy thrillers, including The Eagle Has Landed and The Wolf at the Door. His books have sold more than 250 million copies worldwide.
Born in Newcastle upon Tyne, England, Patterson grew up in Belfast, Northern Ireland. As a child, Patterson was a voracious reader and later credited his passion for reading with fueling his creative drive to be an author. His upbringing in Belfast also exposed him to the political and religious violence that characterized the city at the time. At seven years old, Patterson was caught in gunfire while riding a tram, and later was in a Belfast movie theater when it was bombed. Though he escaped from both attacks unharmed, the turmoil in Northern Ireland would later become a significant influence in his books, many of which prominently feature the Irish Republican Army. After attending grammar school and college in Leeds, England, Patterson joined the British Army and served two years in the Household Cavalry, from 1947 to 1949, stationed along the East German border. He was considered an expert sharpshooter.
Following his military service, Patterson earned a degree in sociology from the London School of Economics, which led to teaching jobs at two English colleges. In 1959, while teaching at James Graham College, Patterson began writing novels, including some under the alias James Graham. As his popularity grew, Patterson left teaching to write full time. With the 1975 publication of the international blockbuster The Eagle Has Landed, which was later made into a movie of the same name starring Michael Caine, Patterson became a regular fixture on bestseller lists. His books draw heavily from history and include prominent figures—such as John Dillinger—and often center around significant events from such conflicts as World War II, the Korean War, and the Cuban Missile Crisis.
Patterson lived in Jersey, in the Channel Islands.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 228 reviews
February 24, 2023
Everyone is someone they really aren’t and it works! Even a Rommel impersonator/character is believable—if you stretch belief a little. This book is a typical post WWII thriller set just before the Normandy Invasion on the island of Jersey and has an authentic feel.
Night of the Fox was written by Jack Higgins and first published in 1986. I’d never read anything by Higgins but can see why he was so popular. One caveat—the middle one third of the novel is filled with a hugely dated romance/female character that plainly doesn’t work today.
Night of the Fox was written by Jack Higgins and first published in 1986. I’d never read anything by Higgins but can see why he was so popular. One caveat—the middle one third of the novel is filled with a hugely dated romance/female character that plainly doesn’t work today.
December 20, 2012
It’s near the end of World War II, and Hugh Kelso is an American officer who knows important information about the pending invasion in France when his boat is sunk in the English Channel. His rescue raft washes up on the shore of the isle of Jersey, which is presently under German occupation. Hugh is lucky to be rescued by Helen de Ville, a Jersey resident who hides him in her home and gets a message to the Allies that she has him. A rescue team is sent, as it is imperative that Hugh Kelso be kept out of German hands because of the information he has about the invasion.
The British send in Harry Martineau, who can perfectly imitate a German officer and has nerves of steel, and young Sarah Drayton, a nurse who can pass for his French girlfriend who also happens to be Helen de Ville’s niece. With their forged papers, Harry a/k/a Standartenfuhrer Max Vogel and Sarah fly to France to meet with the Resistance there, and then go on to Jersey to play their parts. At the same time, Field Marshall Erwin Rommel needs to be in two places at once, so he sends an imposter to Jersey to take his place. Rommel’s double and Standartenfuhrer Vogel cross paths and make each other nervous, and Vogel has also raised some suspicions with the powers that be on Jersey.
The story moves from Rommel’s imposter, to Harry and Sarah and their friends at de Ville Place, to the German contingent on the island, and cruises along at an easy pace while the danger slowly builds. Things happened that I knew were going to cause trouble, yet the story ambled along in an easy manner, which kept me turning the pages and eagerly anticipating being able to pick it back up every time I had to put it down. I’ve always enjoyed a good World War II story, and Jack Higgins seems to have a special flair for the era. I not only felt like I was right there on Jersey, but in the rooms with these characters, who were all warm, real people I would want to know. There’s something incredibly romantic about the World War II era, with the black market, the bartering, the danger, and the basic lifestyle most people were reduced to as the world at large went off the rails. This book in particular showed a glimpse of life under occupation, and the wonderful human spirit that can prevail in such conditions. Though Jack Higgins has been writing books for a long time, I’m fairly new to them, and I consider myself lucky that there are so many more waiting for me.
The British send in Harry Martineau, who can perfectly imitate a German officer and has nerves of steel, and young Sarah Drayton, a nurse who can pass for his French girlfriend who also happens to be Helen de Ville’s niece. With their forged papers, Harry a/k/a Standartenfuhrer Max Vogel and Sarah fly to France to meet with the Resistance there, and then go on to Jersey to play their parts. At the same time, Field Marshall Erwin Rommel needs to be in two places at once, so he sends an imposter to Jersey to take his place. Rommel’s double and Standartenfuhrer Vogel cross paths and make each other nervous, and Vogel has also raised some suspicions with the powers that be on Jersey.
The story moves from Rommel’s imposter, to Harry and Sarah and their friends at de Ville Place, to the German contingent on the island, and cruises along at an easy pace while the danger slowly builds. Things happened that I knew were going to cause trouble, yet the story ambled along in an easy manner, which kept me turning the pages and eagerly anticipating being able to pick it back up every time I had to put it down. I’ve always enjoyed a good World War II story, and Jack Higgins seems to have a special flair for the era. I not only felt like I was right there on Jersey, but in the rooms with these characters, who were all warm, real people I would want to know. There’s something incredibly romantic about the World War II era, with the black market, the bartering, the danger, and the basic lifestyle most people were reduced to as the world at large went off the rails. This book in particular showed a glimpse of life under occupation, and the wonderful human spirit that can prevail in such conditions. Though Jack Higgins has been writing books for a long time, I’m fairly new to them, and I consider myself lucky that there are so many more waiting for me.
January 3, 2013
It's always a mixed bag with a Jack Higgins novel. Some are really good, some I think the good Mr.Higgins wrote in his sleep. This one was from his golden era, and the genre that made him famous: WW2 and Nazi's. It was good and worth the read.
August 8, 2017
If there is such a thing as a perfect novel, this one is for me. Can anyone tell a tale of historical fiction like Jack Higgins? Not in my opinion. This novel has everything in it that a reader would ever ask. It is a thriller, an ingenious plot, a crucial stage of World War 11, and romance to boot. The characters are wonderful-all of them including the supporting staff. This is the kind of book that takes you away from the mundane and lets you travel back into time. You look forward to ending the day with the story in your hands as your eyes start to fade. Then you decide to savor the story and save it for yet just one more day. I never wanted this story to end.
If you still give a damn about reading reviews Mr. Higgins, I salute your brilliance and thank you for hours of delightful reading.
If you still give a damn about reading reviews Mr. Higgins, I salute your brilliance and thank you for hours of delightful reading.
July 20, 2023
The forty-fifth #jackhiggins #martinfallon #hughmarlowe #harrypatterson #henrypatterson #jamesgraham novel #nightofthefox published in 1986. Higgins returns to jersey in World War Two. This has elements of some of his previous novels such as eagle has landed and a game for heroes. A Similar framing device has been used in some of his other historical novels. This was really quite excellent. Thoroughly compelling. Plenty of character development, lots of historical facts cleverly mixed with the fictional elements. A great plot with some engaging tension. One of his best!
January 5, 2020
“There are 50 million people in France. You know how many we estimate are active members of the Resistance?” “No.” “Two thousand, two lousy thousand.”
This strikes me as a novel close to his heart. He wrote a lot but this one stands out as personal. Great plot, excellent!
This strikes me as a novel close to his heart. He wrote a lot but this one stands out as personal. Great plot, excellent!
December 23, 2021
This is the third consecutive Higgins' novel I have read and I think I will take a long break. A good, well plotted WWII story of an American being rescued and kept from the Germans because he knows too much of the Normandy invasion. Exciting, good characters. Recommended.
February 23, 2019
Night of the Fox (1986) is the second World War II thriller I've read by Jack Higgins. It's just before D-Day and the Allies having been running training simulations in Lyme Bay at Devon. American boats mistake signal lights for British convoys and are attacked by the German E-boats. Nearly 650 American servicemen are lost--among them are three men who have all the details of D-Day in their heads. As the bodies are recovered, the ranking officers hope that all three men are among them. Two are found, but a third, Colonel Hugh Kelso is still missing.
Badly wounded, he manages to scramble aboard a life raft and drifts until he lands on the German-occupied island of Jersey. Luckily, he is found by Helen de Ville and, with the help of "General" Sean Martin Gallagher--a Dublin veteran of the Irish wars, she manages to hide him and provide medical attention. But will they be able to keep him from the Nazi occupiers? Sean manages to send word to London via a French resistance group and the Allies face the fact that Kelso must be rescued or silenced.
A plan is formed and it will require their best--Harry Martineau, a British scholar who is fluent in German and particularly skilled in impersonating Nazi officers. He's done it before--and the Germans know it (much to their chagrin). He's got a flair for reckless courage, but it may be that he will trust his skills once too often. By his side is Sarah Drayton. She is an innocent nineteen-year-old who tried to sign up for the secret service once but was turned down. But this time they need her. She's a Jersey Island native who knows the terrain and can provide Harry with the bona fides to gain Helen and Sean's confidence. She'll need every bit of acting skill she's got to keep up her role as Standartenfuhrer Vogel's (Martineau's) French mistress.
World War II thrillers are not often my thing--but Jack Higgins sure knows how to write them. Having read The Eagle Has Landed (I've always enjoyed the movie made from it) a couple years ago, I picked this one up last year. It was another absorbing read. He has a particular flair for the WWII time period and in both books he has created fully-fledged characters that the reader cares about. All of the central characters get a full treatment with distinct personalities. With so many characters (there's a whole sub-plot with Rommel and another impersonator), it would be easy to lose track with less well-defined personalities.
Martineau is a particularly complex character. He is a brilliant scholar who has seen a bit too much in this war. He's lost his love (Rosa) to the Nazis and now he likes to see himself as a man of action willing to kill as many Nazis as possible. But he's lost his purpose just a bit. Not too long before the events in this book he was able to exact revenge on the man he held responsible for Rosa's death. It was satisfying at the time....but it's lost its savor. He now seems like a cold, hard man...and yet he can show compassion to Sarah when she breaks down one night. The other characters are only slightly less complex.
I've seen a few reviews that say Higgins gets a bit formulaic in his extensive output and I can see how that's probable. [He uses very similar framing devices for both this and The Eagle Has Landed.] But at this point, the stories are so interesting and well-told that they are very enjoyable for this reader.
The blurb on my copy says it was based on real events, but I haven't been able to find any specifics. Not sure if it just means the plot to kill Hitler and the German occupation of the island of Jersey (which were definitely real things)--or if there was an incident with a downed officer near Jersey. I'd be interested in any details on what Higgins was drawing from.
First posted on my blog My Reader's Block. Please request permission before reposting. Thanks.
Badly wounded, he manages to scramble aboard a life raft and drifts until he lands on the German-occupied island of Jersey. Luckily, he is found by Helen de Ville and, with the help of "General" Sean Martin Gallagher--a Dublin veteran of the Irish wars, she manages to hide him and provide medical attention. But will they be able to keep him from the Nazi occupiers? Sean manages to send word to London via a French resistance group and the Allies face the fact that Kelso must be rescued or silenced.
A plan is formed and it will require their best--Harry Martineau, a British scholar who is fluent in German and particularly skilled in impersonating Nazi officers. He's done it before--and the Germans know it (much to their chagrin). He's got a flair for reckless courage, but it may be that he will trust his skills once too often. By his side is Sarah Drayton. She is an innocent nineteen-year-old who tried to sign up for the secret service once but was turned down. But this time they need her. She's a Jersey Island native who knows the terrain and can provide Harry with the bona fides to gain Helen and Sean's confidence. She'll need every bit of acting skill she's got to keep up her role as Standartenfuhrer Vogel's (Martineau's) French mistress.
World War II thrillers are not often my thing--but Jack Higgins sure knows how to write them. Having read The Eagle Has Landed (I've always enjoyed the movie made from it) a couple years ago, I picked this one up last year. It was another absorbing read. He has a particular flair for the WWII time period and in both books he has created fully-fledged characters that the reader cares about. All of the central characters get a full treatment with distinct personalities. With so many characters (there's a whole sub-plot with Rommel and another impersonator), it would be easy to lose track with less well-defined personalities.
Martineau is a particularly complex character. He is a brilliant scholar who has seen a bit too much in this war. He's lost his love (Rosa) to the Nazis and now he likes to see himself as a man of action willing to kill as many Nazis as possible. But he's lost his purpose just a bit. Not too long before the events in this book he was able to exact revenge on the man he held responsible for Rosa's death. It was satisfying at the time....but it's lost its savor. He now seems like a cold, hard man...and yet he can show compassion to Sarah when she breaks down one night. The other characters are only slightly less complex.
I've seen a few reviews that say Higgins gets a bit formulaic in his extensive output and I can see how that's probable. [He uses very similar framing devices for both this and The Eagle Has Landed.] But at this point, the stories are so interesting and well-told that they are very enjoyable for this reader.
The blurb on my copy says it was based on real events, but I haven't been able to find any specifics. Not sure if it just means the plot to kill Hitler and the German occupation of the island of Jersey (which were definitely real things)--or if there was an incident with a downed officer near Jersey. I'd be interested in any details on what Higgins was drawing from.
First posted on my blog My Reader's Block. Please request permission before reposting. Thanks.
April 27, 2012
A good, old-fashioned thriller, set in WWII, mostly on the German-occupied island of Jersey. Good plot and well-done characters, although more plot- than character-driven. Not a wasted moment, but nothing essential omitted--a satisfying read.
April 18, 2015
Night of the fox
By far his best book. A completely believable high suspense thriller. Filled with mounds of intrigue. Takes place at the close of WWII, involving a high level rescue in the Jersey islands,currently under Nazi occupation. A fantastic read!!!
By far his best book. A completely believable high suspense thriller. Filled with mounds of intrigue. Takes place at the close of WWII, involving a high level rescue in the Jersey islands,currently under Nazi occupation. A fantastic read!!!
September 24, 2016
WWII spy thriller was made into a movie. British intelligence has to rescue an American officer that is lost behind German lines. Saw the movie and the book reads like the movie. Usually the book is better but so far this one is about the same. Reads like the movie script.
January 11, 2020
"The people's hero," Hitler said. "We must handle him carefully, wouldn't you say?"
"Or outfox him, my Führer," Himmler said softly.
"Oufox him. Outfox the Desert Fox." Hitler smiled delightedly. "Yes, I like that, Reichsführer. I like that very much indeed."
August 24, 2009
Prompted by an interest fused by THE GUERNSEY LITERARY AND PPP SOCIETY, I searched the card catlog at the library and found several books that dealth with the Nazi occupation of the channel islands. This is one of those books. It's not great, but it is a murder mystery and has characters devoted to skulduggery and strange sexual practices. The history of the Channel Islands helped me build on my research into this fascinating and unbeknownst, to me, era in history. This book was made into a movie so maybe that would be worth a look too.
July 21, 2014
One of Jack Higgins's earlier thrillers. It's set on the Island of Jersey during WWII. Two SOE agents go in to rescue an American Army officer accidentally stranded there. The book is filled with some great characters and the action never stops, what one expects of Higgins. wonderful story
May 11, 2015
A hugely-entertaining WW2 yarn serving as a clever "remix" of classic Higgins themes (e.g. cheeky Irish rogues and celebrity impersonations). Jersey, 1944: the German occupying force is startled to receive a visit from none other than Field Marshal Rommel, tasked by Hitler with overseeing the Western defences prior to the imminent (but still secret) Allied invasion. Ostensibly there for a surprise spot-check of Jersey's defences, the truth is (as always) somewhat murkier. Rommel, you see, isn't really Rommel: he's a German actor, recruited from the ranks to provide the REAL Rommel with an opportunity to meet with his anti-Hitler co-conspirators in France. But what Rommel doesn't know is that the actor hired to impersonate him is himself an impostor -- a Jewish refugee, in fact, who's exchanged identities with a dead German soldier.
But that's not all. Also washing up on Jersey's shores is an American officer, a "Bigot" in Army parlance (a codename given to the handful of men with full knowledge of Operation Overlord). He was taking part in a simulated Normandy-landing exercise somewhere on the Devon coast when a German E-boat interfered, leaving the wounded officer adrift in a life-raft on the English Channel. Someone has to go in and rescue him -- or, if that's not possible, silence him before the Jerries get hold of him. That man is Harry Martineau, ex-Oxford philosophy don turned ruthless assassin. Martineau's plan is to impersonate an SS bigwig, infiltrate Jersey (with a top-secret portfolio ensuring no-one dares question his presence) and whisk the Bigot to safety. But things ain't that simple. Right from the off, a pair of nosy Gestapo thugs start a covert investigation of Martineau's movements, suspecting something fishy. And then Martineau gets the wizard notion to incorporate another bit of naughtiness into his already-packed schedule. How about knocking off Rommel, while he's here...?
So, plentiful opportunities here for complications, convolutions and, er, kerfuffles of various hues. Sean Gallagher is the loveable Irish rogue this time around, a former General in the IRA, now turned to more peaceful activities. Also on the goodies' side is an Italian Naval officer, devastatingly charming, seconded (then stranded) on Jersey after his own side capitulated (and is now officially fighting AGAINST the Nazis). Oh, and there's a feisty young lady, too: a terribly proper English girl posing as Martineau's French tart. As before, the bad end badly, etc. Higgins has a great feel for the geography of the place, and the island makes for an exciting, confined setting. All enormous fun, and would make a terrific film -- though whether or not the 1990 TV movie fulfils that promise, I couldn't say. If you want a zippy, uncomplicated read, you could do a lot worse.
But that's not all. Also washing up on Jersey's shores is an American officer, a "Bigot" in Army parlance (a codename given to the handful of men with full knowledge of Operation Overlord). He was taking part in a simulated Normandy-landing exercise somewhere on the Devon coast when a German E-boat interfered, leaving the wounded officer adrift in a life-raft on the English Channel. Someone has to go in and rescue him -- or, if that's not possible, silence him before the Jerries get hold of him. That man is Harry Martineau, ex-Oxford philosophy don turned ruthless assassin. Martineau's plan is to impersonate an SS bigwig, infiltrate Jersey (with a top-secret portfolio ensuring no-one dares question his presence) and whisk the Bigot to safety. But things ain't that simple. Right from the off, a pair of nosy Gestapo thugs start a covert investigation of Martineau's movements, suspecting something fishy. And then Martineau gets the wizard notion to incorporate another bit of naughtiness into his already-packed schedule. How about knocking off Rommel, while he's here...?
So, plentiful opportunities here for complications, convolutions and, er, kerfuffles of various hues. Sean Gallagher is the loveable Irish rogue this time around, a former General in the IRA, now turned to more peaceful activities. Also on the goodies' side is an Italian Naval officer, devastatingly charming, seconded (then stranded) on Jersey after his own side capitulated (and is now officially fighting AGAINST the Nazis). Oh, and there's a feisty young lady, too: a terribly proper English girl posing as Martineau's French tart. As before, the bad end badly, etc. Higgins has a great feel for the geography of the place, and the island makes for an exciting, confined setting. All enormous fun, and would make a terrific film -- though whether or not the 1990 TV movie fulfils that promise, I couldn't say. If you want a zippy, uncomplicated read, you could do a lot worse.
February 5, 2015
I read the shorter Reader's Digest version of this story. I don't tend to read war books. Too much politics and maneuvering for me. Technical army terms confuse me. That is partly why I chose the RD version to read.
I actually enjoyed the story. It was more like a history lesson than a war book. I wonder if something similar really happened. I actually wouldn't be surprised to learn it did. It is set during World War II.
I enjoyed the story except the names. There were soooo many characters and some had two names (if you read it you will understand that statement). Sometimes I was confused as to who was who. But in the end it all made sense. Was that cryptic enough? lol I learned after reading it that there was a movie made about it in 1990. Perhaps that will make all the characters easier to follow.
I actually enjoyed the story. It was more like a history lesson than a war book. I wonder if something similar really happened. I actually wouldn't be surprised to learn it did. It is set during World War II.
I enjoyed the story except the names. There were soooo many characters and some had two names (if you read it you will understand that statement). Sometimes I was confused as to who was who. But in the end it all made sense. Was that cryptic enough? lol I learned after reading it that there was a movie made about it in 1990. Perhaps that will make all the characters easier to follow.
September 15, 2015
An excellent story, crafted by a master. When 'Jack Higgins' writes about wartime events involving ordinary people he ranks near the top of my writers list with stories as enjoyable as those of Dick Francis and Nevil Shute, vastly superior to the pap of the later Sean Dillon stories with the brigadier and the Jewish agent.
This story involves an American engineer, privy to the secrets of the Normandy invasion being shipwrecked and drifting ashore wounded onto a Channel island which is occupied by the Germans. The main characters in the story are the agents who try to rescue him off the island with a story of a Rommel impersonator visiting that same island superimposed onto the main plot. Imaginative and immensely enjoyable.
This story involves an American engineer, privy to the secrets of the Normandy invasion being shipwrecked and drifting ashore wounded onto a Channel island which is occupied by the Germans. The main characters in the story are the agents who try to rescue him off the island with a story of a Rommel impersonator visiting that same island superimposed onto the main plot. Imaginative and immensely enjoyable.
September 27, 2015
Good second world war story
I found this book very interesting . I have visited the Jersey Islands and they are beautiful . Many of the things and places addressed in this book still exist . The German hospital that was built underground is still there. Certainly unknown saga of the second world war
I found this book very interesting . I have visited the Jersey Islands and they are beautiful . Many of the things and places addressed in this book still exist . The German hospital that was built underground is still there. Certainly unknown saga of the second world war
March 10, 2013
A great, quick read that was thoroughly entertaining. The story moved along at a good pace and kept you interested.
March 16, 2013
An excellent read for lovers of World War II thrillers.
July 9, 2020
Among his very best, and that's saying a lot. Masterful.
February 20, 2021
A very good read
March 24, 2025
Точно онака како што една воена авантура треба да биде напишана.
Не е чудно што Хигисовиот „Орелот слета“ го вброи во еден од водечките писатели на бестселери (во своето време, денес секоја втора книга е бестселер на „Њу Јорк Тајмс“).
По само прочитани 2-3 страници сфатив дека сум го гледал мини серијалот пред 30 години, одлично се сеќавав на музиката од најавната шпица, на Мајкл Јорк како Ромел, на типот од „А-тим“ и целосно помнев неколку реплики.
250 страни исполнети со акција. Генијот на Хигис се чувствува преку одмерените дијалози, отсуството на непотребни објаснувања. Фокусиран е на приказната која откако во еден момент ќе започне да тече, не запира до последната страна. Не ми се допадна што Фортуна им беше премногу наклонета на јунаците, но и тоа го превидов во интерес на приказната.
Премногу уживање во само 250 страници!*
*но и доказ дека 250 страници некогаш се сосема доволни да се раскаже добра приказна.
Не е чудно што Хигисовиот „Орелот слета“ го вброи во еден од водечките писатели на бестселери (во своето време, денес секоја втора книга е бестселер на „Њу Јорк Тајмс“).
По само прочитани 2-3 страници сфатив дека сум го гледал мини серијалот пред 30 години, одлично се сеќавав на музиката од најавната шпица, на Мајкл Јорк како Ромел, на типот од „А-тим“ и целосно помнев неколку реплики.
250 страни исполнети со акција. Генијот на Хигис се чувствува преку одмерените дијалози, отсуството на непотребни објаснувања. Фокусиран е на приказната која откако во еден момент ќе започне да тече, не запира до последната страна. Не ми се допадна што Фортуна им беше премногу наклонета на јунаците, но и тоа го превидов во интерес на приказната.
Премногу уживање во само 250 страници!*
*но и доказ дека 250 страници некогаш се сосема доволни да се раскаже добра приказна.
July 22, 2020
Just ordinary
There are a bunch of twists and suspense. In the ending, it just wraps up ordinary enough that’s it. This was too great to be a coincidence but again it is all fictional. The weird thing that beginning and ending have zero relation with the whole story. That which threw me off and considered as a filler.
There are a bunch of twists and suspense. In the ending, it just wraps up ordinary enough that’s it. This was too great to be a coincidence but again it is all fictional. The weird thing that beginning and ending have zero relation with the whole story. That which threw me off and considered as a filler.
March 16, 2022
Didn't like much.
So many unnecessary details just to expand the pages. Writer has failed to keep the reader's curiosity. The gravity of the plot has been diluted by numerous unnecessary details.
It is a story during a world war, and said to be most daring escape. But not for me, just and ordinary story with no real interest
So many unnecessary details just to expand the pages. Writer has failed to keep the reader's curiosity. The gravity of the plot has been diluted by numerous unnecessary details.
It is a story during a world war, and said to be most daring escape. But not for me, just and ordinary story with no real interest
April 26, 2024
Wow!!!!!!
Although fictional, the whole plot, subplot, characterisation and mis en scene for the time is absolutely realistic, true to things i have learned from people who lived through the war.
The ideas of people passing themselves off as enemy military people, although not person come across, sounds like something that could have happened.
This is well written and well crafted
Although fictional, the whole plot, subplot, characterisation and mis en scene for the time is absolutely realistic, true to things i have learned from people who lived through the war.
The ideas of people passing themselves off as enemy military people, although not person come across, sounds like something that could have happened.
This is well written and well crafted
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 29, 2022
Good book
I enjoyed this book. Sometimes I had a hard time seeing who the speaker was. Good plot and character development
I enjoyed this book. Sometimes I had a hard time seeing who the speaker was. Good plot and character development
February 24, 2016
La notte della volpe, in originale "Night of the Fox", è un libro di Jack Higgins , pubblicato la prima volta nel 1986. Da questo romanzo è stato girato un film per la televisione nel 1990, interpretato da George Peppard come Martineau e Michael York come Rommel. E' il primo libro della serie con protagonisti "Dougal Munro & Jack Carter".
La trama del romanzo è presto scritta: la vicenda narrata si svolge negli ultimi giorni della seconda guerra mondiale. Hugh Kelso è un ufficiale americano che conosce importanti informazioni su l'invasione in corso in Francia, quando la sua barca affonda nel canale della Manica. La sua zattera di salvataggio approda sulla riva dell'isola di Jersey, che è attualmente sotto l'occupazione tedesca. Hugh ha la fortuna di essere salvato da Helen de Ville, un residente di Jersey che lo nasconde nella sua casa e riceve un messaggio agli alleati. Viene inviata una squadra di soccorso, perchè è imperativo che Hugh Kelso deve essere tenuto fuori dalle mani tedesche per via delle informazioni che sono in suo possesso circa l'invasione. Gli inglesi inviano Harry Martineau, che è perfettamente in grado di imitare un ufficiale tedesco e ha nervi d'acciaio, e la giovane Sarah Drayton, un infermiera che può passare per la sua ragazza francese che può passare per la nipote di Helen de Ville. Con i loro documenti falsi, volano in Francia per incontrarsi con la resistenza e da lì poi andare a Jersey per svolgere la loro missione.
La seconda guerra mondiale e i nazisti sono i cavalli di battaglia di quest'autore e sono quelli che lo hanno reso famoso. L'autore è bravo a rendere l'dea delle atmosfere dell'occupazione tedesca: il mercato nero, il baratto, il pericolo, e lo stile di vita della maggior parte delle persone e poi la trama è davvero interessante: si parla dello sbarco in Normandia e di una missione quasi impossibile.
Higgins però alterna strani momenti di scrittura ottima e altri dove sembra perdersi in strani meandri, dialoghi tirati e vicoli ciechi. Punti di adrenalina pura e altri dove tutto si ferma a macerare, come se fossero due persone diverse ad alternarsi alla scrittura. Lo consiglio agli appassionati di storie ambientate durante la seconda guerra mondiale.
La trama del romanzo è presto scritta: la vicenda narrata si svolge negli ultimi giorni della seconda guerra mondiale. Hugh Kelso è un ufficiale americano che conosce importanti informazioni su l'invasione in corso in Francia, quando la sua barca affonda nel canale della Manica. La sua zattera di salvataggio approda sulla riva dell'isola di Jersey, che è attualmente sotto l'occupazione tedesca. Hugh ha la fortuna di essere salvato da Helen de Ville, un residente di Jersey che lo nasconde nella sua casa e riceve un messaggio agli alleati. Viene inviata una squadra di soccorso, perchè è imperativo che Hugh Kelso deve essere tenuto fuori dalle mani tedesche per via delle informazioni che sono in suo possesso circa l'invasione. Gli inglesi inviano Harry Martineau, che è perfettamente in grado di imitare un ufficiale tedesco e ha nervi d'acciaio, e la giovane Sarah Drayton, un infermiera che può passare per la sua ragazza francese che può passare per la nipote di Helen de Ville. Con i loro documenti falsi, volano in Francia per incontrarsi con la resistenza e da lì poi andare a Jersey per svolgere la loro missione.
La seconda guerra mondiale e i nazisti sono i cavalli di battaglia di quest'autore e sono quelli che lo hanno reso famoso. L'autore è bravo a rendere l'dea delle atmosfere dell'occupazione tedesca: il mercato nero, il baratto, il pericolo, e lo stile di vita della maggior parte delle persone e poi la trama è davvero interessante: si parla dello sbarco in Normandia e di una missione quasi impossibile.
Higgins però alterna strani momenti di scrittura ottima e altri dove sembra perdersi in strani meandri, dialoghi tirati e vicoli ciechi. Punti di adrenalina pura e altri dove tutto si ferma a macerare, come se fossero due persone diverse ad alternarsi alla scrittura. Lo consiglio agli appassionati di storie ambientate durante la seconda guerra mondiale.
November 16, 2015
Night of the Fox is set in waning days of World War II. The book opens with Professor Alan Stacy visiting Jersey in the Channel Islands seeking to complete his biography of Harry Martineau. He arrives on the day of Martineau's funeral. There he meets Dr Sarah Drayton who tells him she has been expecting him and invites him back to her home. There she shows him several photos of Martineau taken in 1944 including one with Field-Marshal Rommel. She then proceeds to tell him the story behind the photos. This book is based on some historical facts. The Channel Islands were occupied by the Nazis. Allied soldiers were training for D-Day at Slapton Sands when they were attacked by a German E-boat. The Slapton Sands disaster is the basis of the story. Hugh Kelso, a US Army colonel, survives is washed ashore on Jersey. Kelso is an engineer and knows the date and location of the planned Allied invasion. If the Germans capture him it could turn the Allied invasion into a disaster. Therefore he must be rescued ... or silenced. Martineau, a retired SOE agent, is brought out of retirement. Accompanying him is Sarah Drayton, a nurse with family connections in, and knowledge of, Jersey. They are smuggled first into France and then into Jersey. An additional plot and twist to the story is the arrival in Jersey of Erwin Rommel. The Desert Fox. But this Rommel actually Corporal Erich Berger recruited to play Rommel's double while Rommel is actually meeting with other Nazi generals plotting to assassinate Hitler. When Harry learns the identity of ‘Rommel’ he decides to use this to his advantage to smuggle Kelso back to England. Their plans are almost derailed by a German policeman at the last moment. This book was made into a made-for-TV movie starring George Peppard as Harry Martineau. World War II stories seems to be where Jack Higgins excels. While this may not be as good as The Eagle Has Landed it is still an entertaining and action packed story.
July 10, 2021
The island of Jersey belongs to the UK, but in 1944 it's controlled by the Germans. So when a British colonel who knows the details of the D-Day landing, coming shortly, is washed ashore there, wounded, after the boat he is on gets attacked, Eisenhower has only two choices. Get him off Jersey before his knowledge can be extracted from him by torture or have him assassinated. A fellow named Martineau who is good at playing the part of a German officer and speaks the language perfectly is chosen to go in and do one or the other. Helping him is a teenage girl named Sarah who plays the part of his lover to perfection and isn't as sweet as she looks. Fortunately, there are many people on Jersey who hate the Germans and are willing to help. Add a civilian who is hired by Rommel to play him on a trip to Jersey (to fool Hitler as to Rommel's location) and you have a recipe for suspense and intrigue.
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