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The Tightrope Men
Giles Denison's life is turned upside down when he awakes to find himself in a luxurious hotel in Oslo and, peering into the bathroom mirror, discovers the face of another man! He has been kidnapped from his flat in London and transformed into famous Finnish scientist, Dr Harold Feltham Meyrick. Compelled to adjust to his new persona (including meeting his daughter) and to play out the role assigned to him by his captors, he embarks on a dangerous escapade from Norway to Finland and across the border into Soviet Russia.
285 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1973
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406 people want to read
About the author
Desmond Bagley
131 books165 followersDesmond Bagley was a British journalist and novelist principally known for a series of best-selling thrillers. Along with fellow British writers such as Hammond Innes and Alistair MacLean, Bagley established the basic conventions of the genre: a tough, resourceful, but essentially ordinary hero pitted against villains determined to sow destruction and chaos in order to advance their agenda.
Bagley was born at Kendal, Cumbria (then Westmorland), England, the son of John and Hannah Bagley. His family moved to the resort town of Blackpool in the summer of 1935, when Bagley was twelve. Leaving school not long after the relocation, Bagley worked as a printer's assistant and factory worker, and during World War II he worked in the aircraft industry. Bagley suffered from a speech impediment (stuttering) all of his life, which initially exempted him from military conscription.
He left England in 1947 for Africa and worked his way overland, crossing the Sahara Desert and briefly settling in Kampala, Uganda, where he contracted malaria. By 1951, he had settled in South Africa, working in the gold mining industry and asbestos industry in Durban, Natal, before becoming a freelance writer for local newspapers and magazines.
His first published short story appeared in the English magazine Argosy in 1957, and his first novel, The Golden Keel in 1962. In the interval, he was a film critic for Rand Daily Mail in Johannesburg from 1958–1962. Also during this period, he met local bookstore owner Joan Margaret Brown and they were married in 1960.
The success of The Golden Keel led Bagley to turn full time to novel writing by the mid-1960s. He published a total of sixteen thrillers, all craftsmanlike and nearly all best-sellers. Typical of British thriller writers of the era, he rarely used recurring characters whose adventures unfolded over multiple books. Max Stafford, the security consultant featured in Flyaway and Windfall, is a notable exception. Also typically, his work has received little attention from filmmakers, yielding only a few, unremarkable adaptations. Exceptions were The Freedom Trap (1971), released in 1973 as The Mackintosh Man by Warner Brothers, starring Paul Newman and Dominique Sanda; and Running Blind which was adapted for television by the BBC in 1979.
Bagley and his wife left South Africa for Italy in 1960, and then England in 1965. They settled in Totnes, Devon from 1965–1976, then lived in Guernsey in the Channel Islands from 1976-1983.
Bagley also published short stories. When not traveling to research the exotic backgrounds for his novels, Bagley spent his time sailing and motor-boating. He loved classical music and films, military history, and played war games.
Desmond Bagley died of complications resulting from a stroke at a hospital in Southampton. He was fifty-nine. His last two novels Night of Error and Juggernaut were published posthumously after completion by his wife. His works have been translated into over 20 languages.
Bagley was born at Kendal, Cumbria (then Westmorland), England, the son of John and Hannah Bagley. His family moved to the resort town of Blackpool in the summer of 1935, when Bagley was twelve. Leaving school not long after the relocation, Bagley worked as a printer's assistant and factory worker, and during World War II he worked in the aircraft industry. Bagley suffered from a speech impediment (stuttering) all of his life, which initially exempted him from military conscription.
He left England in 1947 for Africa and worked his way overland, crossing the Sahara Desert and briefly settling in Kampala, Uganda, where he contracted malaria. By 1951, he had settled in South Africa, working in the gold mining industry and asbestos industry in Durban, Natal, before becoming a freelance writer for local newspapers and magazines.
His first published short story appeared in the English magazine Argosy in 1957, and his first novel, The Golden Keel in 1962. In the interval, he was a film critic for Rand Daily Mail in Johannesburg from 1958–1962. Also during this period, he met local bookstore owner Joan Margaret Brown and they were married in 1960.
The success of The Golden Keel led Bagley to turn full time to novel writing by the mid-1960s. He published a total of sixteen thrillers, all craftsmanlike and nearly all best-sellers. Typical of British thriller writers of the era, he rarely used recurring characters whose adventures unfolded over multiple books. Max Stafford, the security consultant featured in Flyaway and Windfall, is a notable exception. Also typically, his work has received little attention from filmmakers, yielding only a few, unremarkable adaptations. Exceptions were The Freedom Trap (1971), released in 1973 as The Mackintosh Man by Warner Brothers, starring Paul Newman and Dominique Sanda; and Running Blind which was adapted for television by the BBC in 1979.
Bagley and his wife left South Africa for Italy in 1960, and then England in 1965. They settled in Totnes, Devon from 1965–1976, then lived in Guernsey in the Channel Islands from 1976-1983.
Bagley also published short stories. When not traveling to research the exotic backgrounds for his novels, Bagley spent his time sailing and motor-boating. He loved classical music and films, military history, and played war games.
Desmond Bagley died of complications resulting from a stroke at a hospital in Southampton. He was fifty-nine. His last two novels Night of Error and Juggernaut were published posthumously after completion by his wife. His works have been translated into over 20 languages.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 63 reviews
July 20, 2018
Just about gets a three star rating. I enjoyed the story and the idea that a man had his face changed (it's fiction after all) for some deception be that criminal or other as the central aspect of the story, but the ending was weak and left too much unexplored.
The book is written during the cold war (1973) and intertwines the West/East rivalries and suspicions with the man waking to find his face changed. For the most part the story moves along at pace and links characters and countries as they try to understand, find, and dodge others. There are also nice and well-reasoned aspects with technology and what it could/couldn't do in "good" or "bad" hands.
Desmond Bagley also provides good descriptions of the countryside and cities his characters find themselves in too.
Overall an enjoyable early 1970s thriller, it but lacks the solid ending leaving too many avenues unexplored around the face change.
The book is written during the cold war (1973) and intertwines the West/East rivalries and suspicions with the man waking to find his face changed. For the most part the story moves along at pace and links characters and countries as they try to understand, find, and dodge others. There are also nice and well-reasoned aspects with technology and what it could/couldn't do in "good" or "bad" hands.
Desmond Bagley also provides good descriptions of the countryside and cities his characters find themselves in too.
Overall an enjoyable early 1970s thriller, it but lacks the solid ending leaving too many avenues unexplored around the face change.
July 21, 2025
Fourth (I think) Bagley in a row that I listened to in the car, as they're nice and easy to follow compared to a lot more modern fiction — but I think that's it for a while. Preferred the tough guy first-person voice of the previous three, whereas this one's third-person narrative was a little clunkier, (similar in that regard to Alistair Maclean's earlier-vs-later work).
Plot-wise, this one was also ALL over the place, at times feeling like at least three stories in one. And of course, the whole thing was centered on the still-refuses-to-die "Face/Off"-"Mission: Impossible" device where a main character can wake up looking exactly like someone else (regardless of whether just a really good mask or minimal — and totally scar- and bruise-free — plastic surgery). Oh, and let's then not forget the subsequent and extremely creepy "conflicted daughter falling for who she thinks is her father — but he just seems…different now" thing. Eew.
And finally, the title makes absolutely no sense until the very end, where (also like Maclean) everything gets neatly wrapped up in a very talky conclusion, and the "tightrope" thing gets just hammered to death.
Anyway...will definitely revisit Bagley in the future, but this is definitely enough for now.
Plot-wise, this one was also ALL over the place, at times feeling like at least three stories in one. And of course, the whole thing was centered on the still-refuses-to-die "Face/Off"-"Mission: Impossible" device where a main character can wake up looking exactly like someone else (regardless of whether just a really good mask or minimal — and totally scar- and bruise-free — plastic surgery). Oh, and let's then not forget the subsequent and extremely creepy "conflicted daughter falling for who she thinks is her father — but he just seems…different now" thing. Eew.
And finally, the title makes absolutely no sense until the very end, where (also like Maclean) everything gets neatly wrapped up in a very talky conclusion, and the "tightrope" thing gets just hammered to death.
Anyway...will definitely revisit Bagley in the future, but this is definitely enough for now.
February 22, 2022
Review to follow
September 15, 2013
Why I loved this book, it reminded me of Faceoff. The legendary movie that had, Nicholas Cage and John Travolta. Anyway this novel had me turning the pages so fast just to know what would happen next. Desmond Bagley is amongst the best thrillers writers of his time and am glad I got to read one of his books.
August 19, 2021
This is an unlikely but addictive read, as confirmed by a friend. Once you start to wind your way through the mystery of Deneson's existence you won't be able to put it down. Embedded in the Cold War era, this simple looking thriller, reminiscent of the Manchurian Candidate, is easy to read but highly enjoyable!
March 8, 2014
The plot, in the age of modern espionage, is outdated. Having said so, even then this is a pretty plain jane thriller. It starts off with cool opening, but fails to capitalise on it. It does not have any OMG moments. It's just a linear story which is lost somewhere between an adventure and espionage. The protagonist is not that strong and the adversaries are close to non-existent. The last bit can be defined as a bit "realistic" in the decisions made in the higher levels of espionage wherein a field officer is just a pawn in the greater game. But that's about it. There is not even one spike moment in the plot where it makes you turn that page to know what happened next.
This story os from the era where espionage depended critically on covert communication modes like dead drops, coded signals and double agents. I was not expecting modern communications but I sure was expecting the mastery of the cold war era. This book fails to rise to the occasion.
This story os from the era where espionage depended critically on covert communication modes like dead drops, coded signals and double agents. I was not expecting modern communications but I sure was expecting the mastery of the cold war era. This book fails to rise to the occasion.
June 18, 2016
Though some of the plot points were quite ludicrous, this was a fun and entertaining Cold War adventure thriller. The action started in Norway and soon moved to both Finland and the Soviet Union and, like all the author's works, it was well written and researched.
June 6, 2023
Better than The Brothers Karamazov
August 24, 2019
When I was a mere spotty-faced youngster, I was hooked on Alistair Maclaen's offerings. But then came that terrible day when I found I'd read them all (at least, as many as he'd by then published) and I had to cast my easy-to-read thriller net around the reaches of the bookshop (remember those) for another.
Thus came my brief flirtation with Desmond Bagley; and this one was a corker. I can't see this catching the imagination of today's reader's too much though. The plot does sound pretty ludicrous, and in many ways it is. But what really underpins it is the very real threat - no, certain knowledge - that we are all about to be annihilated by a thermonuclear attack before the end of the day. Every few minutes we all lift our heads and listen for the three-minute warning siren, don't we. Don't we?
And that is precisely why modern readers will most likely miss the true underlying tension of the plot. The niggling, constant fear of being the next Hiroshima or Nagasaki is gone. Anyone born after 1980 won't have much of a clue what I'm talking about. Oh, they might understand that there was a cold war going on, but the raw emotion of it - nope. They've not been bombarded by the 'Duck and Cover' government information broadcasts on what to do when the nuclear strike happens.
Recently, there was something of a furore when an obsolete Russian bomber flew rather too close to British airspace. It was all over the news, it was in the newspapers; hell, even the rolling news reporters sounded scared. My wife and I couldn't help laughing. When we were growing up in middle of the cold war, it was happening every day, often several times a day - and back then, the bombers were state of the art!
Although I may have over-egged it a little, it was exactly that tension that The Tightrope Men tapped into. As preposterous and far fetched as it all appears now, Giles Denison's nightmare situation seemed all too plausible back then. I was tempted to award it five stars but on reflection, because of the times we live in, I could only give it four - and even that many was probably fueled by nostalgia.
If you were a post-1980 child and you do give it a go, please, try putting yourself in the shoes of your parents and grandparents. It makes so much more sense if you do.
Thus came my brief flirtation with Desmond Bagley; and this one was a corker. I can't see this catching the imagination of today's reader's too much though. The plot does sound pretty ludicrous, and in many ways it is. But what really underpins it is the very real threat - no, certain knowledge - that we are all about to be annihilated by a thermonuclear attack before the end of the day. Every few minutes we all lift our heads and listen for the three-minute warning siren, don't we. Don't we?
And that is precisely why modern readers will most likely miss the true underlying tension of the plot. The niggling, constant fear of being the next Hiroshima or Nagasaki is gone. Anyone born after 1980 won't have much of a clue what I'm talking about. Oh, they might understand that there was a cold war going on, but the raw emotion of it - nope. They've not been bombarded by the 'Duck and Cover' government information broadcasts on what to do when the nuclear strike happens.
Recently, there was something of a furore when an obsolete Russian bomber flew rather too close to British airspace. It was all over the news, it was in the newspapers; hell, even the rolling news reporters sounded scared. My wife and I couldn't help laughing. When we were growing up in middle of the cold war, it was happening every day, often several times a day - and back then, the bombers were state of the art!
Although I may have over-egged it a little, it was exactly that tension that The Tightrope Men tapped into. As preposterous and far fetched as it all appears now, Giles Denison's nightmare situation seemed all too plausible back then. I was tempted to award it five stars but on reflection, because of the times we live in, I could only give it four - and even that many was probably fueled by nostalgia.
If you were a post-1980 child and you do give it a go, please, try putting yourself in the shoes of your parents and grandparents. It makes so much more sense if you do.
August 28, 2019
This is my third Bagley, the first two were more than two decades ago. I remember from the earlier ones that Bagley was fascinated with guns, amnesia and facial surgery, with the stories being fast-paced adventure thrillers with background research incorporated into the books as info dumps.
This third book fits to that description, almost to the point of parody.
Bagley did his research not only concerning Finland (one of the main locations), but about computers and upcoming technology as well. While descriptions about technology usually age badly, Bagley's descriptions on brute forcing encryption, lasers and surgeries seem "correct" almost 50 years later.
The big problem with the book is that while the characters have motivation in the form of mcguffin, the ways on which most characters are robed into the story tend to be unbelievable. Special award goes to the protagonist's face surgery, which doesn't directly tie into the plot at all and is only explained in the afterword.
Also: the romance is icky and unnecessary.
This third book fits to that description, almost to the point of parody.
Bagley did his research not only concerning Finland (one of the main locations), but about computers and upcoming technology as well. While descriptions about technology usually age badly, Bagley's descriptions on brute forcing encryption, lasers and surgeries seem "correct" almost 50 years later.
The big problem with the book is that while the characters have motivation in the form of mcguffin, the ways on which most characters are robed into the story tend to be unbelievable. Special award goes to the protagonist's face surgery, which doesn't directly tie into the plot at all and is only explained in the afterword.
Also: the romance is icky and unnecessary.
July 11, 2024
Desmond Bagley is an overlooked thriller writer of the same sort as Alistair MacLean. I really enjoyed rereading this book, of which I recalled very little from reading it decades ago. This book has a fantastic premise which was riveting. Suppose you wake up after a bender (as you think) and your face is unfamiliar, your name is different, and everyone thinks you are someone else. Especially those trying to kill you. What do you do?
The second part of the book, after the initial mystery has mostly been solved, was less interesting to me, although still quite competently told as a Cold War spy thriller.
The second part of the book, after the initial mystery has mostly been solved, was less interesting to me, although still quite competently told as a Cold War spy thriller.
March 14, 2022
A smarter and pacier thriller than I expected. The hook is gripping though preposterous, but that aside it all works okay and with an unexpected twist to the denouement.
One missing piece: the central character frequently proves to be more competent at the spy game than anyone expects. They remark on it. It's set up as a bit of a mystery, but comes to nothing. He's just competent at stuff, end of story. That was a little disappointing and I expected it to explain who he was and why he had been picked for this (as I said, preposterous) plan.
(Btw not actually the edition I read. My copy says "produced exclusively for The Times.)
One missing piece: the central character frequently proves to be more competent at the spy game than anyone expects. They remark on it. It's set up as a bit of a mystery, but comes to nothing. He's just competent at stuff, end of story. That was a little disappointing and I expected it to explain who he was and why he had been picked for this (as I said, preposterous) plan.
(Btw not actually the edition I read. My copy says "produced exclusively for The Times.)
September 11, 2020
I love Desmond Bagley books but sadly this is not his best. if you can suspend belief then the story is okish. A man has his face changed, then changed back later! Bit far fetched but what Desmond Bagley does best is spy stories and the actual plot is wonderful. Enjoyed this book, but maybe another is better!!
November 15, 2010
This IMHO is the best of Bagley's books. I love the concept and the execution.
November 19, 2013
Spellbinding..thrilling ride all the way..a kind of new take on impersonation and Amnesia...Kept me turning pages till there were no more...Bagley is a master, no doubt
August 11, 2021
Another well plotted book from Bagley. Some of the premises were a little hard to believe, but that's fiction I guess!
March 6, 2022
Giles Denison wakes up in a hotel in Finland instead of his home in London, but cannot remember how he ever got there. When he looks into the mirror, however, the face of a stranger is looking back. His entire body seems to have changed except for a scar on his leg. After his physical alteration, he is now resembling Finnish scientist Dr Meyrick.
In the past he has been working on a mechanism to stop nuclear missiles, but the secrets and research are buried in a garden in Russia. When an attempt is made to take his life, he seeks contact with the British authorities. A team is formed to retrieve the documents. Treason, shoot-outs, gunfights and threats are all part of the story.
At the end of the book I have to say this is one of the worst books I have read in years. 5-year-olds have more imagination. This story really lacks in-depth complexity. The characters have names, but not much more than that. The story line is too easily and loosely developed. Besides it being unlikely, everyone seems to get away with everything.
In the past he has been working on a mechanism to stop nuclear missiles, but the secrets and research are buried in a garden in Russia. When an attempt is made to take his life, he seeks contact with the British authorities. A team is formed to retrieve the documents. Treason, shoot-outs, gunfights and threats are all part of the story.
At the end of the book I have to say this is one of the worst books I have read in years. 5-year-olds have more imagination. This story really lacks in-depth complexity. The characters have names, but not much more than that. The story line is too easily and loosely developed. Besides it being unlikely, everyone seems to get away with everything.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 25, 2025
“To wake up and find yourself in another man’s body, with another man’s face, is to realize that identity is a luxury—and someone’s just stolen yours.”
In The Tightrope Men, Bagley plays a mind-bending game with identity, espionage, and cold war paranoia. The plot kicks off with a classic doppelgänger twist—our protagonist, Giles Denison, wakes up post-surgery to find he’s been transformed into someone else: a scientist with secrets enemies would kill for. It’s part thriller, part existential crisis, and all Bagley—tight, sharp, and cerebral.
This one felt like stepping onto a wire with no net, which is apt. Bagley’s prose never indulges—it's lean, muscular, and full of kinetic tension. Perfect for a rainy afternoon when you want your mind spun sideways.
I picked up The Tightrope Men from the same 2008 Kolkata Book Fair haul that gave me Running Blind. I remember being floored by the audacity of the premise, and quietly proud of myself for discovering a thriller that felt smarter than most. Bagley didn’t just tell stories—he dared you to keep up.
In The Tightrope Men, Bagley plays a mind-bending game with identity, espionage, and cold war paranoia. The plot kicks off with a classic doppelgänger twist—our protagonist, Giles Denison, wakes up post-surgery to find he’s been transformed into someone else: a scientist with secrets enemies would kill for. It’s part thriller, part existential crisis, and all Bagley—tight, sharp, and cerebral.
This one felt like stepping onto a wire with no net, which is apt. Bagley’s prose never indulges—it's lean, muscular, and full of kinetic tension. Perfect for a rainy afternoon when you want your mind spun sideways.
I picked up The Tightrope Men from the same 2008 Kolkata Book Fair haul that gave me Running Blind. I remember being floored by the audacity of the premise, and quietly proud of myself for discovering a thriller that felt smarter than most. Bagley didn’t just tell stories—he dared you to keep up.
January 31, 2020
One of the better ones from Desmond Bagley, set in Finland and part of Finland which is now in Russia. A gripping story from the Cold War era, with espionage and counter espionage flowing freely across the iron curtain.
Not a very deep story and also does not have too much content, of the informative kind, one sees in Bagley novels. But a refreshingly fast paced story telling and remarkable lack of boring repetitions.
It should rank among the top 3 of his novels.
Not a very deep story and also does not have too much content, of the informative kind, one sees in Bagley novels. But a refreshingly fast paced story telling and remarkable lack of boring repetitions.
It should rank among the top 3 of his novels.
May 20, 2020
Akin to ‘Running Blind’ - espionage genre with the thrilleramics held back for the big finale; in media res opening; double- and triple-crosses; MacLean-like traitor-in-the-midst shenanigans - but not quite as pacy and focussed as that novel, ‘The Tightrope Men’ is still a solid, well-crafted and imaginatively conceived piece of work.
October 13, 2020
I read this one when I was eleven. Must have found it in my father's box of books.
I just remember all of the espionage stuff being completely fresh. I had to re-read parts as I din't have the background to understand why things were happening. Interesting to look back on it. Reading a tale such as this without having seen the movie genre at all (just the bionic man etc).
I just remember all of the espionage stuff being completely fresh. I had to re-read parts as I din't have the background to understand why things were happening. Interesting to look back on it. Reading a tale such as this without having seen the movie genre at all (just the bionic man etc).
December 15, 2017
One of the better Bagley books as far as I'm concerned, with an interesting plot and plenty of tension. There were some nice little twists, and good description, though the characters remained a little stiff - probably due to the era this was written in.
September 27, 2020
Meh
And what a way to "finish" the number of books on my 2020 Reading Challenge. Naturally I will be reading still.
But really. Would have enjoyed accomplishing the goal with a book I could say I loved.
I mean, this wasn't terrible. But it's just a meh. 🤷♀️
And what a way to "finish" the number of books on my 2020 Reading Challenge. Naturally I will be reading still.
But really. Would have enjoyed accomplishing the goal with a book I could say I loved.
I mean, this wasn't terrible. But it's just a meh. 🤷♀️
February 10, 2021
Bagley does a great job with convoluted tales and this one is no exception.
Starting with a man who wakens in an unknown place and finds himself looking in the mirror at a face he does not know.
A good tale placed in an earlier time when the cold war was still in place.
Starting with a man who wakens in an unknown place and finds himself looking in the mirror at a face he does not know.
A good tale placed in an earlier time when the cold war was still in place.
February 7, 2023
Está mas o menos entretenido pero la trama no tiene mucho sentido, pasan cosas pero sin tener demasiado sentido ni parecer que avancemos. El autor podría haber escrito un libro de la longitud que desease siguiendo su técnica de añadir peripecias sin importancia para la historia.
September 7, 2017
Quite exciting. I like it when he has his artificial jowls removed.
September 22, 2017
Ihan hauska ja jännittävä toimintakirja. Tapahtumapaikkana nimen mukaisesti myös Suomi. Jotenkin on vain kiva lukea näitä Bagleyn jännäreitä, ne kun ovat niin mukavan vanhanaikaisia.
July 12, 2020
Proper old fashioned spy thriller, not quite le carre but still a good story. It does feel nearly fifty years old!
March 2, 2021
A slight break in reading and I lost interest. Sad, after such an excellent start.
April 3, 2021
The story begins with the protagonist finding he has turned into someone else - but then boils down to a regular map-chasing international game.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 63 reviews