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The Blood of Others
Dieppe, August 1942. A catastrophe no headline dared admit.
Plans are underway for the boldest raid yet on Nazi-occupied France. Over six thousand men will storm ashore to take the port of Dieppe. Lives will change in an instant – both on the beaches and in distant capitals.
Annie Wrenne, working at Lord Mountbatten's cloak-and-dagger Combined Operations headquarters, is privy to the top secret plans for the daring cross-Channel raid.
Young Canadian journalist George Hogan, protege of influential Lord Beaverbrook, faces a crucial assignment that will test him to breaking point.
And Abwehr intelligence officer Wilhelm Schultz is baiting a trap to lure thousands of Allied troops to their deaths…
Three lives linked by Operation the Dieppe Raid, 19 August 1942. Over six thousand men will storm the heavily defended French beaches.
Less than half of them will make it back alive.
The new blockbuster thriller from Graham Hurley, The Blood of Others is part of the SPOILS OF WAR, a non-chronological collection featuring compelling recurring characters whose fragmented lives mirror the war that shattered the globe, a thrilling, beguiling blend of fact and fiction born of some of the most tragic, suspenseful, and action-packed events of World War II. For fans of Philip Kerr and Robert Harris.
Plans are underway for the boldest raid yet on Nazi-occupied France. Over six thousand men will storm ashore to take the port of Dieppe. Lives will change in an instant – both on the beaches and in distant capitals.
Annie Wrenne, working at Lord Mountbatten's cloak-and-dagger Combined Operations headquarters, is privy to the top secret plans for the daring cross-Channel raid.
Young Canadian journalist George Hogan, protege of influential Lord Beaverbrook, faces a crucial assignment that will test him to breaking point.
And Abwehr intelligence officer Wilhelm Schultz is baiting a trap to lure thousands of Allied troops to their deaths…
Three lives linked by Operation the Dieppe Raid, 19 August 1942. Over six thousand men will storm the heavily defended French beaches.
Less than half of them will make it back alive.
The new blockbuster thriller from Graham Hurley, The Blood of Others is part of the SPOILS OF WAR, a non-chronological collection featuring compelling recurring characters whose fragmented lives mirror the war that shattered the globe, a thrilling, beguiling blend of fact and fiction born of some of the most tragic, suspenseful, and action-packed events of World War II. For fans of Philip Kerr and Robert Harris.
- GenresHistorical Fiction
385 pages, Kindle Edition
Published July 6, 2023
About the author
Graham Hurley
77 books154 followersGraham Hurley was born November, 1946 in Clacton-on-Sea, Essex. His seaside childhood was punctuated by football, swimming, afternoons on the dodgems, run-ins with the police, multiple raids on the local library - plus near-total immersion in English post-war movies.
Directed and produced documentaries for ITV through two decades, winning a number of national and international awards. Launched a writing career on the back of a six-part drama commission for ITV: "Rules of Engagement". Left TV and became full time writer in 1991.
Authored nine stand-alone thrillers plus "Airshow", a fly-on-the-wall novel-length piece of reportage, before accepting Orion invitation to become a crime writer. Drew gleefully on home-town Portsmouth (“Pompey”) as the basis for an on-going series featuring D/I Joe Faraday and D/C Paul Winter.
Contributed five years of personal columns to the Portsmouth News, penned a number of plays and dramatic monologues for local production (including the city’s millenium celebration, "Willoughby and Son"), then decamped to Devon for a more considered take on Pompey low-life.
The Faraday series came to an end after 12 books. Healthy sales at home and abroad, plus mega-successful French TV adaptations, tempted Orion to commission a spin-off series, set in the West Country, featuring D/S Jimmy Suttle.
Launch title - "Western Approaches" - published 2012. "Touching Distance" to hit the bookstores next month (21st November).
Has recently self-published a number of titles on Kindle including "Strictly No Flowers" (a dark take on crime fiction), "Estuary" (a deeply personal memoir) and "Backstory" (how and why he came to write the Faraday series).
Married to the delectable Lin. Three grown-up sons (Tom, Jack and Woody). Plus corking grandson Dylan.
You're very welcome to contact Graham through his website: www.grahamhurley.co.uk
Or direct on seasidepictures@btinternet.com.
Series:
* D.I. Joe Faraday
Directed and produced documentaries for ITV through two decades, winning a number of national and international awards. Launched a writing career on the back of a six-part drama commission for ITV: "Rules of Engagement". Left TV and became full time writer in 1991.
Authored nine stand-alone thrillers plus "Airshow", a fly-on-the-wall novel-length piece of reportage, before accepting Orion invitation to become a crime writer. Drew gleefully on home-town Portsmouth (“Pompey”) as the basis for an on-going series featuring D/I Joe Faraday and D/C Paul Winter.
Contributed five years of personal columns to the Portsmouth News, penned a number of plays and dramatic monologues for local production (including the city’s millenium celebration, "Willoughby and Son"), then decamped to Devon for a more considered take on Pompey low-life.
The Faraday series came to an end after 12 books. Healthy sales at home and abroad, plus mega-successful French TV adaptations, tempted Orion to commission a spin-off series, set in the West Country, featuring D/S Jimmy Suttle.
Launch title - "Western Approaches" - published 2012. "Touching Distance" to hit the bookstores next month (21st November).
Has recently self-published a number of titles on Kindle including "Strictly No Flowers" (a dark take on crime fiction), "Estuary" (a deeply personal memoir) and "Backstory" (how and why he came to write the Faraday series).
Married to the delectable Lin. Three grown-up sons (Tom, Jack and Woody). Plus corking grandson Dylan.
You're very welcome to contact Graham through his website: www.grahamhurley.co.uk
Or direct on seasidepictures@btinternet.com.
Series:
* D.I. Joe Faraday
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Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews
August 16, 2023
It's been a long time since I've read anything like this and when browsing Netgalley I encountered this book. The cover looked good and so did the information on the back cover. The was published on the 6th of July.
We follow three people during the Second World War. We follow the Abwehr intelligence officer William Schultz, the Canadian journalist George Hogan and Jackie Wrenne who works for Lord Mountbatten. And it is all connected with one date during the Second World War which is the 19th of August 1942. The place that matches this date is Dieppe. That's the place where over 6,000 men stormed French beaches and less than half made it out alive.
On Netgalley you get, once downloaded, 54 days to finish reading a book. And to be honest it almost took me 54 days to finish this book. I just couldn't get into this book whatsoever. I did not like the storyline, how it was written, the changes between chapters and characters. It was sometimes more descriptive language than really telling a narrative. I didn't like the characters as well. Not likeable whatsoever and also just plain annoying. Even if you're into books about World War 2, I will not recommend this one because of the poor writing and execution of it.
1,5/5⭐
We follow three people during the Second World War. We follow the Abwehr intelligence officer William Schultz, the Canadian journalist George Hogan and Jackie Wrenne who works for Lord Mountbatten. And it is all connected with one date during the Second World War which is the 19th of August 1942. The place that matches this date is Dieppe. That's the place where over 6,000 men stormed French beaches and less than half made it out alive.
On Netgalley you get, once downloaded, 54 days to finish reading a book. And to be honest it almost took me 54 days to finish this book. I just couldn't get into this book whatsoever. I did not like the storyline, how it was written, the changes between chapters and characters. It was sometimes more descriptive language than really telling a narrative. I didn't like the characters as well. Not likeable whatsoever and also just plain annoying. Even if you're into books about World War 2, I will not recommend this one because of the poor writing and execution of it.
1,5/5⭐
April 2, 2023
I am a big fan of Graham Hurley and have read most of his books. The initial format is interesting and is comprised of separate story lines of two young men (Canadian and German) as they move through World War II. Unfortunately, I did not find either story line to be compelling........let alone interesting. I believe Mr. Hurley's intent was to contrast common illusions about the heroics of war with its grim realities. I had to force myself to finish this book and was disappointed with the time spent doing so.
July 4, 2023
The Blood of Others is the latest book in the author’s ‘Spoils of War’ series. It’s a non-chronological series, meaning books can be read in any order or as standalones, although some characters appear in more than one book. I’ve read quite a few of the books in the series – Finisterre, Last Flight to Stalingrad, Kyiv and Katastrophe – and they all involve a skilfully-crafted blend of fact and fiction, focussing on key events during World War 2. Like previous books in the series, events unfold from the point of view of two main characters.
Wilhelm Schultz, an officer in the Abwehr, the German military intelligence service, is a man you don’t want to cross. He has been, and still is, prone to acts of violence, although it has gained him some deadly enemies, allowing the author to incorporate a thriller element into the story and some dramatic scenes. Schultz is ruthless in his determination to ensure a Nazi victory and to make sure that any raid across the Channel by the Allies will end in failure. So whispers of a raid on what he knows to be the well-fortified port of Dieppe is a gift. And such is the desire of some, like Lord Mountbatten, to strike a target in occupied France that they don’t even need Schultz’s misinformation campaign that Dieppe is poorly defended to spur them on. (By the way, If you’ve read Katastrophe, you’ll know how Schultz’s fortunes change towards the end of the war. Divine justice, you might say.)
Much my favourite character was George Hogan. We follow his career from aspiring young journalist to protegé of Lord Beaverbrook. Beaverbrook, publisher of the influential Daily Express newspaper, friend of Winston Churchill and Lord Mountbatten, was a mover and shaker behind the ‘Second Front Now’ campaign, aimed at drawing German resources away from the Eastern Front. George marvels at the presentation of military setbacks as successes in order to maintain (or should that be to manipulate?) public morale. He reflects that, ‘Two years back, the Germans had chased most of the British Army out of northern France, but by some strange magic the evacuation that followed had become a kind of victory’ yet the newspaper headlines were ‘Miracle at Dunkirk‘ or ‘We Live To Fight Another Day‘. The more George learns about plans for the raid from experienced soldiers and from witnessing the build-up for himself, the more his sense of foreboding increases, and ours with it. For him it’s especially poignant because the troops that will be involved are largely fellow Canadians.
I would have liked more of a role for the female characters other than providing male characters with sexual gratification. In particular, I would have welcomed more from Annie’s point of view given her part in the story.
The book includes some neat walk-on parts by real-life figures, such as Noel Coward whom George meets as Coward’s in the midst of filming – and directing – one of my favourite WW2 films, albeit a film which was so obviously intended to be a wartime morale booster. [Other examples are Went the Day Well? (1942) and Henry V (1944).]
As is only too clear from the blurb, Operation Jubilee was a disaster, and was always going to be. The author concentrates on the how and the why for much of the book, leaving the description of the actual raid to the final chapters. The latter makes for tough reading given the loss of life and the manner in which men died. To put it bluntly, it was a bloodbath.
The Blood of Others is a thrilling read. It’s also an unflinching picture of the chaos, confusion and horror of war, as well as the clearest possible evidence that Operation Jubilee was an act of supreme hubris for which others paid the price.
Wilhelm Schultz, an officer in the Abwehr, the German military intelligence service, is a man you don’t want to cross. He has been, and still is, prone to acts of violence, although it has gained him some deadly enemies, allowing the author to incorporate a thriller element into the story and some dramatic scenes. Schultz is ruthless in his determination to ensure a Nazi victory and to make sure that any raid across the Channel by the Allies will end in failure. So whispers of a raid on what he knows to be the well-fortified port of Dieppe is a gift. And such is the desire of some, like Lord Mountbatten, to strike a target in occupied France that they don’t even need Schultz’s misinformation campaign that Dieppe is poorly defended to spur them on. (By the way, If you’ve read Katastrophe, you’ll know how Schultz’s fortunes change towards the end of the war. Divine justice, you might say.)
Much my favourite character was George Hogan. We follow his career from aspiring young journalist to protegé of Lord Beaverbrook. Beaverbrook, publisher of the influential Daily Express newspaper, friend of Winston Churchill and Lord Mountbatten, was a mover and shaker behind the ‘Second Front Now’ campaign, aimed at drawing German resources away from the Eastern Front. George marvels at the presentation of military setbacks as successes in order to maintain (or should that be to manipulate?) public morale. He reflects that, ‘Two years back, the Germans had chased most of the British Army out of northern France, but by some strange magic the evacuation that followed had become a kind of victory’ yet the newspaper headlines were ‘Miracle at Dunkirk‘ or ‘We Live To Fight Another Day‘. The more George learns about plans for the raid from experienced soldiers and from witnessing the build-up for himself, the more his sense of foreboding increases, and ours with it. For him it’s especially poignant because the troops that will be involved are largely fellow Canadians.
I would have liked more of a role for the female characters other than providing male characters with sexual gratification. In particular, I would have welcomed more from Annie’s point of view given her part in the story.
The book includes some neat walk-on parts by real-life figures, such as Noel Coward whom George meets as Coward’s in the midst of filming – and directing – one of my favourite WW2 films, albeit a film which was so obviously intended to be a wartime morale booster. [Other examples are Went the Day Well? (1942) and Henry V (1944).]
As is only too clear from the blurb, Operation Jubilee was a disaster, and was always going to be. The author concentrates on the how and the why for much of the book, leaving the description of the actual raid to the final chapters. The latter makes for tough reading given the loss of life and the manner in which men died. To put it bluntly, it was a bloodbath.
The Blood of Others is a thrilling read. It’s also an unflinching picture of the chaos, confusion and horror of war, as well as the clearest possible evidence that Operation Jubilee was an act of supreme hubris for which others paid the price.
July 6, 2023
A superbly written fictional account of two men and their lives leading up to the attack on Dieppe. Based on the actual events of the August 1942 attack, where the British Combined Operations, led by Lord Mountbatten, organised Operation Jubilee and sent hundreds of men into a bloodbath.
George Hogan is living in his home country of Canada, and working at a small newspaper. Hogan is given an assignment to write a piece about first hand experience of a front line soldier. His excellent work in this assignment start him on a path which leads to promotion and to Annie Wrenne. Annie works at the HQ of Lord Mountbatten’s Combined Operations.
Wilhelm Schulz, an officer of the Abwehr German Military Intelligence. A proper tough guy who revels in fighting and killing. He is laying plans to prevent the Allied invaders entering Dieppe.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading each story, as these men are polar opposites. One story set in Germany and the plans to thwart the invasion of Dieppe. The other set in England where the powers that be think they have everything covered and Operation Jubilee will be a complete success.
There is no actual front line war action written into the story until the end, when the invasion is underway, and the descriptions are hard hitting but necessary to describe the horrors the British and Canadian soldiers faced.
This is the first book I have read by Graham as it’s not my usual genre but I enjoyed it so much he is on my list to read more.
George Hogan is living in his home country of Canada, and working at a small newspaper. Hogan is given an assignment to write a piece about first hand experience of a front line soldier. His excellent work in this assignment start him on a path which leads to promotion and to Annie Wrenne. Annie works at the HQ of Lord Mountbatten’s Combined Operations.
Wilhelm Schulz, an officer of the Abwehr German Military Intelligence. A proper tough guy who revels in fighting and killing. He is laying plans to prevent the Allied invaders entering Dieppe.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading each story, as these men are polar opposites. One story set in Germany and the plans to thwart the invasion of Dieppe. The other set in England where the powers that be think they have everything covered and Operation Jubilee will be a complete success.
There is no actual front line war action written into the story until the end, when the invasion is underway, and the descriptions are hard hitting but necessary to describe the horrors the British and Canadian soldiers faced.
This is the first book I have read by Graham as it’s not my usual genre but I enjoyed it so much he is on my list to read more.
July 7, 2023
Young Canadian journalist, George Hogan finds himself on shaky ground when he becomes involved with Annie Wrenne, an intriguing older woman working closely with Lord Mountbatten on secretive Combined Operations aimed at provoking German operations in occupied France.
Through Annie's often cryptic hints, Hogan discovers that Mountbatten plans an ambitious mission using Canadian forces to attack Dieppe. It is a plan fraught with risk, and Hogan is conflicted about how much he should write in his articles, especially when he has become close to some of the men who will be tied up in the operation.
Meanwhile, on the other side of the English Channel, Abwehr officer Wilhelm Schultz is playing the long game, enticing the Allies into believing that Dieppe is a weak spot in the German defences - a trap that Mountbatten falls for in spectacular style, leadng more than half of his 6000 men to their doom.
The Blood of Others is the eighth spectacular instalment in the Spoils of War series. This time Graham Hurley turns his attention to a tragic episode in the history of World War II, Operation Jubilee, which saw a foolhardy attack on Dieppe in 1942 come to a disastrous end that scarred military relations between Britain and Canada.
This book has a different feel to the other Spoils of War novels I have read, and it has an intense slow-burn atmosphere that makes its direction mysterious for a good portion of the story. Told through the eyes of new character to the series, Canadian journalist George Hogan, and a very familiar face to fans of the books, German intelligence operative Wilhelm Schultz, at first it is difficult to see quite how the threads of their individual stories will come together... but have no fear, Hurley knows what he is about. As the twists and turns of Hogan and Schultz's plotlines play out, Hurley allows a picture to develop of exactly how the circumstances came together on the Allied side to give Mountbatten such freedom to allow Operation Jubilee to happen, and he brilliantly speculates about the way in which German intelligence kept the real situation in Dieppe not only secret, but managed to create a honey trap into which Mountbatten would fall.
As in all of Hurley's books, he shines a light on episodes in World War II that might be unfamiliar to his readers, particularly those which with hindsight are very different to the way in which they were portrayed the time. He is skilled at delving into the nitty gritty to help you understand the chain of events that helped them come about, blending fact and fiction together to create a compelling story that keeps you glued to the page.
The non-chronological nature of this series is fascinating, as each book takes you into an era of World War II that shows a different side of his recurring characters. Here you get to see another facet of the complexities that make up Wilhelm Schultz, adding a new piece to the puzzle of the man whose future you have already glimpsed in the other books, which I thoroughly enjoyed. There is a pleasing appearance of another person who will be familiar to fans of this series in this book too, with a clever double twist, but I will leave you to discover who that is for yourselves.
Hurley brings in many of the themes he explores throughout the series around power, deception, the secretive world of the intelligence services, and the effectiveness of propaganda, and he has some really interesting things to say about changing views on Soviet Russia and the motivation of the Allies to undertake a Second Front in Western Europe. I found the recurring references to the Spanish Civil War and its legacy really insightful too. Lots of rabbit holes to go down!
This is a powerful book, and I have found myself pondering many aspects of the story since I finished it, as I have with all of Hurley's books. The Spoils of War is one of my favourite wartime series and as ever, this one will make you think about exactly what 'spoils' means in the context of war.
Through Annie's often cryptic hints, Hogan discovers that Mountbatten plans an ambitious mission using Canadian forces to attack Dieppe. It is a plan fraught with risk, and Hogan is conflicted about how much he should write in his articles, especially when he has become close to some of the men who will be tied up in the operation.
Meanwhile, on the other side of the English Channel, Abwehr officer Wilhelm Schultz is playing the long game, enticing the Allies into believing that Dieppe is a weak spot in the German defences - a trap that Mountbatten falls for in spectacular style, leadng more than half of his 6000 men to their doom.
The Blood of Others is the eighth spectacular instalment in the Spoils of War series. This time Graham Hurley turns his attention to a tragic episode in the history of World War II, Operation Jubilee, which saw a foolhardy attack on Dieppe in 1942 come to a disastrous end that scarred military relations between Britain and Canada.
This book has a different feel to the other Spoils of War novels I have read, and it has an intense slow-burn atmosphere that makes its direction mysterious for a good portion of the story. Told through the eyes of new character to the series, Canadian journalist George Hogan, and a very familiar face to fans of the books, German intelligence operative Wilhelm Schultz, at first it is difficult to see quite how the threads of their individual stories will come together... but have no fear, Hurley knows what he is about. As the twists and turns of Hogan and Schultz's plotlines play out, Hurley allows a picture to develop of exactly how the circumstances came together on the Allied side to give Mountbatten such freedom to allow Operation Jubilee to happen, and he brilliantly speculates about the way in which German intelligence kept the real situation in Dieppe not only secret, but managed to create a honey trap into which Mountbatten would fall.
As in all of Hurley's books, he shines a light on episodes in World War II that might be unfamiliar to his readers, particularly those which with hindsight are very different to the way in which they were portrayed the time. He is skilled at delving into the nitty gritty to help you understand the chain of events that helped them come about, blending fact and fiction together to create a compelling story that keeps you glued to the page.
The non-chronological nature of this series is fascinating, as each book takes you into an era of World War II that shows a different side of his recurring characters. Here you get to see another facet of the complexities that make up Wilhelm Schultz, adding a new piece to the puzzle of the man whose future you have already glimpsed in the other books, which I thoroughly enjoyed. There is a pleasing appearance of another person who will be familiar to fans of this series in this book too, with a clever double twist, but I will leave you to discover who that is for yourselves.
Hurley brings in many of the themes he explores throughout the series around power, deception, the secretive world of the intelligence services, and the effectiveness of propaganda, and he has some really interesting things to say about changing views on Soviet Russia and the motivation of the Allies to undertake a Second Front in Western Europe. I found the recurring references to the Spanish Civil War and its legacy really insightful too. Lots of rabbit holes to go down!
This is a powerful book, and I have found myself pondering many aspects of the story since I finished it, as I have with all of Hurley's books. The Spoils of War is one of my favourite wartime series and as ever, this one will make you think about exactly what 'spoils' means in the context of war.
July 11, 2023
The Blood of Others is the eighth book in Graham Hurley's loose, non-chronological Spoils of War series and having only read Last Flight to Stalingrad before this, served to remind me that as somebody who loves impeccably researched, gripping historical fiction, particularly of this period, I really should do myself a long overdue favour and read the previous books in the series too. Unusually for a series, each book is very definitely a stand-alone, with recurring characters only making occasional reappearances, so it's perfectly acceptable to start here and then read the others novels in any order.
Although The Darkest Hour is used to refer to an earlier period of World War II, it could be argued that much of 1942 could just as accurately be described as the darkest days. Defeats in North Africa, the fall of Singapore and the U-boat blockade in the Atlantic mean that despite the early success of the Battle of Britain and the subsequent re-defining of the mass evacuation at Dunkirk as a "triumph plucked from disaster", Churchill is under pressure. Rallies for the Second Front Now campaign to thin out the German divisions pummelling Russia are attracting large numbers, supported by Lord Beaverbrook, owner of the Daily Express and it's his talented young protégé who becomes the empathetic, increasingly haunted protagonist of the story. At the start of the book, George Hogan is an ambitious rookie journalist in Canada whose ambitious 'taste' for a story soon propels him to follow his fellow Canuck to London and the Daily Express.
Meanwhile, Wilhelm Schultz is a former Brownshirt turned Abwehr intelligence officer, stationed in Paris on the eve of war. He is conducting a passionate affair with wealthy socialite Odile and clearly enjoying the best the City of Light has to offer. A shocking scene at a party reveals the largely hidden brutal side to his character but despite his obvious intelligence and the complex schemes he puts into action for his country, his later evident enjoyment of the slaughter he witnesses – and is partially responsible for – starkly reflects the dehumanising consequences of war.
The slow-burning plot switches between Hogan and Schultz, with the former becoming more entangled in plans and conspiracies beyond anything he could have expected. George is a staunch Baptist who doesn't drink or smoke but as he falls in love with the confident, mysterious Annie, his life changes irrevocably. Our sympathies naturally lie with George throughout but the chapters following Schultz are compelling too; this glimpse into the cold-hearted cunning of the military intelligence service is all the more interesting knowing the pressures they face since Himmler's SS have become the favoured Intelligence Service.
Their two storylines are gradually drawn together, eventually resulting in Operation Jubilee (the Dieppe Raid) on 19th August 1942. History already tells us that it was a catastrophe for the Allied forces, especially the Canadian troops but still the descriptions which lay bare the bloody slaughter are sobering to read. The effect the unmitigated fiasco has on George is portrayed without great drama which is actually more moving and a poignant reminder of the quiet suffering and subsequent guilt of so many people who became pawns in the machinations of their governments and military leaders.
The role of propaganda is explored throughout The Blood of Others with Graham Hurley recognising both the importance of home front morale and the sickening spinning of the terrible loss of scores of lives into a "reconnaissance in force." The overwhelming impression of this aptly titled novel, however, is how ambition and power on both sides led to the spilling of so much blood. A fascinating, compulsive read and one I highly recommend.
Although The Darkest Hour is used to refer to an earlier period of World War II, it could be argued that much of 1942 could just as accurately be described as the darkest days. Defeats in North Africa, the fall of Singapore and the U-boat blockade in the Atlantic mean that despite the early success of the Battle of Britain and the subsequent re-defining of the mass evacuation at Dunkirk as a "triumph plucked from disaster", Churchill is under pressure. Rallies for the Second Front Now campaign to thin out the German divisions pummelling Russia are attracting large numbers, supported by Lord Beaverbrook, owner of the Daily Express and it's his talented young protégé who becomes the empathetic, increasingly haunted protagonist of the story. At the start of the book, George Hogan is an ambitious rookie journalist in Canada whose ambitious 'taste' for a story soon propels him to follow his fellow Canuck to London and the Daily Express.
Meanwhile, Wilhelm Schultz is a former Brownshirt turned Abwehr intelligence officer, stationed in Paris on the eve of war. He is conducting a passionate affair with wealthy socialite Odile and clearly enjoying the best the City of Light has to offer. A shocking scene at a party reveals the largely hidden brutal side to his character but despite his obvious intelligence and the complex schemes he puts into action for his country, his later evident enjoyment of the slaughter he witnesses – and is partially responsible for – starkly reflects the dehumanising consequences of war.
The slow-burning plot switches between Hogan and Schultz, with the former becoming more entangled in plans and conspiracies beyond anything he could have expected. George is a staunch Baptist who doesn't drink or smoke but as he falls in love with the confident, mysterious Annie, his life changes irrevocably. Our sympathies naturally lie with George throughout but the chapters following Schultz are compelling too; this glimpse into the cold-hearted cunning of the military intelligence service is all the more interesting knowing the pressures they face since Himmler's SS have become the favoured Intelligence Service.
Their two storylines are gradually drawn together, eventually resulting in Operation Jubilee (the Dieppe Raid) on 19th August 1942. History already tells us that it was a catastrophe for the Allied forces, especially the Canadian troops but still the descriptions which lay bare the bloody slaughter are sobering to read. The effect the unmitigated fiasco has on George is portrayed without great drama which is actually more moving and a poignant reminder of the quiet suffering and subsequent guilt of so many people who became pawns in the machinations of their governments and military leaders.
The role of propaganda is explored throughout The Blood of Others with Graham Hurley recognising both the importance of home front morale and the sickening spinning of the terrible loss of scores of lives into a "reconnaissance in force." The overwhelming impression of this aptly titled novel, however, is how ambition and power on both sides led to the spilling of so much blood. A fascinating, compulsive read and one I highly recommend.
June 28, 2023
I have not read any books by Graham Hurley before but with the setting in a period of history I have often been fascinated about I was intrigued by its premise and decided that this was an author I may get to enjoy.
The book is told through two perspectives on two different sides of the war culminating in the events in Dieppe in August 1942. On the Allies side we learn about events through the eyes of Canadian newspaper reporter George Hogan working in London. In Germany we see things through Abwehr intelligence officer Wilhelm Schultz. This approach is quite different from what I have read in the past where all the action is told from one perspective only. At the start I did find this a little confusing but as I got into the flow of the story I found that it was interesting to see the different sides and perspectives of the mission with both sides determined to ensure that they did not fail.
George Hogan certainly manages to be at the right place at the right time in his quest for a story and has contacts that bring him to the attention of MI5 and not necessarily in a good way. His relationship with Annie Wrenne who works at Lord Mountbatten's Combined Operations headquarters has them a little twitchy and at times you can see why as although he is not the spy the believe he might be, he is definitely working their relationship to his advantage in the quest for a story.
Wilhelm Schultz is definitely not a character you can find any good qualities too as he seems to go from one plot to another to ensure that his missions are a success and at times you can see that he does not care who is caught up as collateral damage. That being said he did seem to have some sort of moral compass when he saw someone being attacked, resorting to a violence that put him in the cross-hairs of others.
This is a slow burn book but given the subject even when it is a fictional account of things in the run up to a real event I am not sure that I would want the pacing to be any faster. The reader is given time to digest the reasoning and things that happened prior to the assault on Dieppe where so many lost their lives. The final chapters highlight the horrors of the mission and the realization that despite all the planning the Germans had the upper hand.
The book is told through two perspectives on two different sides of the war culminating in the events in Dieppe in August 1942. On the Allies side we learn about events through the eyes of Canadian newspaper reporter George Hogan working in London. In Germany we see things through Abwehr intelligence officer Wilhelm Schultz. This approach is quite different from what I have read in the past where all the action is told from one perspective only. At the start I did find this a little confusing but as I got into the flow of the story I found that it was interesting to see the different sides and perspectives of the mission with both sides determined to ensure that they did not fail.
George Hogan certainly manages to be at the right place at the right time in his quest for a story and has contacts that bring him to the attention of MI5 and not necessarily in a good way. His relationship with Annie Wrenne who works at Lord Mountbatten's Combined Operations headquarters has them a little twitchy and at times you can see why as although he is not the spy the believe he might be, he is definitely working their relationship to his advantage in the quest for a story.
Wilhelm Schultz is definitely not a character you can find any good qualities too as he seems to go from one plot to another to ensure that his missions are a success and at times you can see that he does not care who is caught up as collateral damage. That being said he did seem to have some sort of moral compass when he saw someone being attacked, resorting to a violence that put him in the cross-hairs of others.
This is a slow burn book but given the subject even when it is a fictional account of things in the run up to a real event I am not sure that I would want the pacing to be any faster. The reader is given time to digest the reasoning and things that happened prior to the assault on Dieppe where so many lost their lives. The final chapters highlight the horrors of the mission and the realization that despite all the planning the Germans had the upper hand.
May 25, 2023
Graham Hurley has given us another very fine World War II novel, this time about the ill-fated Allied invasion at Dieppe, France in August 1942.
The novel features two main characters. The first, George Hogan, is a young Canadian journalist whose talents so impress publisher (and Churchill confidante) Lord Beaverbrook that he brings George to London to report on the war. There, he meets and falls in love with Annie Wrenne, who works for Lord Louis Mountbatten, close to the Royal Family and head of ultra-secret Combined Operations, responsible for planning and carrying out the attack on Dieppe.
The second is Wilhelm Schultz, a former member of the “Brown Shirts” and current intelligence officer with Germany’s Abwehr. Assigned to Paris, he carries on a steamy affair with Odile, a queen of Parisian high society, while at the same time plotting to trick the Allies into invading at Dieppe, seemingly ill-defended by the Germans, but actually almost impregnable.
Through their eyes, we see both the English and German preparations for the Dieppe operation. We’re given a good understanding as to why the English decided to invade and especially the egos and politics behind the decision. We’re taken into the battle itself, are given glimpses of its bloody futility, and learn both the reasons and who was responsible for the mission's failure. It’s a part of the war I knew little about and I came away from the novel believing that I’d learned a good amount. I'd recommend "The Blood of Others" to anyone interested in London, Paris, and/or battles in Europe during WWII.
My thanks to NetGalley, author Graham Hurley, and publisher Head of Zeus for providing me with an electronic ARC. The foregoing is my honest, independent opinion.
The novel features two main characters. The first, George Hogan, is a young Canadian journalist whose talents so impress publisher (and Churchill confidante) Lord Beaverbrook that he brings George to London to report on the war. There, he meets and falls in love with Annie Wrenne, who works for Lord Louis Mountbatten, close to the Royal Family and head of ultra-secret Combined Operations, responsible for planning and carrying out the attack on Dieppe.
The second is Wilhelm Schultz, a former member of the “Brown Shirts” and current intelligence officer with Germany’s Abwehr. Assigned to Paris, he carries on a steamy affair with Odile, a queen of Parisian high society, while at the same time plotting to trick the Allies into invading at Dieppe, seemingly ill-defended by the Germans, but actually almost impregnable.
Through their eyes, we see both the English and German preparations for the Dieppe operation. We’re given a good understanding as to why the English decided to invade and especially the egos and politics behind the decision. We’re taken into the battle itself, are given glimpses of its bloody futility, and learn both the reasons and who was responsible for the mission's failure. It’s a part of the war I knew little about and I came away from the novel believing that I’d learned a good amount. I'd recommend "The Blood of Others" to anyone interested in London, Paris, and/or battles in Europe during WWII.
My thanks to NetGalley, author Graham Hurley, and publisher Head of Zeus for providing me with an electronic ARC. The foregoing is my honest, independent opinion.
September 12, 2023
This late entry into the Spoils of War sequence came as a bit of a surprise to me. I had thought the series complete with Katastrophe, the last novel. If anything, I thought perhaps Willi Schultz' postwar career as a spy might be explored. But here we have 'The blood of others'.
The title says it all: the narrative focuses on the background, preparations and events of the British military disaster which was the raid of Dieppe in August 1942. The central characters include Schultz, the Abwehr officer, who cannot initially believe that the British plan to raid Dieppe, but then makes plans accordingly, planting the seed in British intelligence that the port is almost completely undefended. On the allied side, the Canadian journalist, George Hogan, is to report on the raid and so accompanies the invasion force. Surviving the ultimate massacre, he finds he cannot report or publish the truth of what actually happened.
The tale is a testament to futility and arrogant pride. The blame is laid fairly at the feet of Earl Louis Mountbatten whose brainchild the raid was. The title is blissfully accurate. So often in war blood is lightly spent, through the arrogant foolishness of others.
The title says it all: the narrative focuses on the background, preparations and events of the British military disaster which was the raid of Dieppe in August 1942. The central characters include Schultz, the Abwehr officer, who cannot initially believe that the British plan to raid Dieppe, but then makes plans accordingly, planting the seed in British intelligence that the port is almost completely undefended. On the allied side, the Canadian journalist, George Hogan, is to report on the raid and so accompanies the invasion force. Surviving the ultimate massacre, he finds he cannot report or publish the truth of what actually happened.
The tale is a testament to futility and arrogant pride. The blame is laid fairly at the feet of Earl Louis Mountbatten whose brainchild the raid was. The title is blissfully accurate. So often in war blood is lightly spent, through the arrogant foolishness of others.
July 2, 2023
Summer 1942. Abwehr intelligence officer Wilhelm Schultz is baiting a trap to lure thousands of Allied troops to their deaths.
George Hogan is a devout young Canadian journalist who has caught the eye of press baron Lord Beaverbrook. Now he faces an assignment that will test both himself and his faith to breaking point.
Jackie Wrenne, meanwhile, is working in Lord Louis Mountbatten's cloak-and-dagger Combined Operations headquarters and is privy to the boldest cross-Channel raid yet conceived.
Three lives interlinked by a name and a date that no Canadian will ever forget: **Dieppe, 19 August 1942**. At dawn, over six thousand men storm ashore on heavily defended French beaches. Barely hours later, less than half will make it back alive...
Another great story from Graham Hurley who seems to have the knack of mixing fiction with fact in such a clever way. This is two stories which come together in an exciting climax but not as you would expect. Very well written and paced masterfully.
George Hogan is a devout young Canadian journalist who has caught the eye of press baron Lord Beaverbrook. Now he faces an assignment that will test both himself and his faith to breaking point.
Jackie Wrenne, meanwhile, is working in Lord Louis Mountbatten's cloak-and-dagger Combined Operations headquarters and is privy to the boldest cross-Channel raid yet conceived.
Three lives interlinked by a name and a date that no Canadian will ever forget: **Dieppe, 19 August 1942**. At dawn, over six thousand men storm ashore on heavily defended French beaches. Barely hours later, less than half will make it back alive...
Another great story from Graham Hurley who seems to have the knack of mixing fiction with fact in such a clever way. This is two stories which come together in an exciting climax but not as you would expect. Very well written and paced masterfully.
July 30, 2023
The Blood of Others is the latest in the ‘Spoils of War Series’, (it easily reads as a standalone) for me this is the best yet and that is saying something as the others are all standout reads, Graham Hurley really captures the essence of the period and then crafts a compelling thriller around it. There is just something about this book though, the build up, story and character development that gives it the edge.
A wonderfully constructed story, told from three main character view points, Canadian journalist George Hogan, Abwehr officer Wilhelm Schultz and for me the most interesting of the three Annie Wrenne who works at Lord Mountbattens operations headquarters, I say the most interesting as your’e never quite sure as to who she really is, she carries an air of mystery and intrigue throughout the book. One thing you can say about each character the author shows the type of people they are, as the war moves on you see them develop and flesh out.
With this book and the others in the series what do get is a meticulous blend of fact and fiction, written on the page in such a way which kept me gripped and engaged throughout, I wasn’t overly familiar about the raid on Dieppe and one thing worth mentioning you are not treated to a history text book, however, you are treated to a superbly developed plot line which mainly features the events leading up to the build up, though the chapters concerning the raid paint a dark and harrowing sequence of events, not told though in a gratuitous way, it has a poignant feel to it seen through both side eyes
The book in part follows George Hogan from a fledgling journalist in Canada to a top reporter for the Daily Express, in deed the book covers a wide timescale in terms of the War, I liked the way the chapters were interspersed between Hogan and Schultz so that you are seeing things build up from both perspectives
I found it to be a wonderfully evactive story, where the characters brought things to life, it is a read which captures and portrays a moment in history, for me this was an absorbing read, as are the others in the series. Graham Hurley is an author that really puts the story and characters at the heart of everything and draws the reader in, with deftly written passages
Even though history tells us the outcome of the raid, the book still builds in intensity, indeed it is not without some subtle twists and reveals
For me equally important when reading a book based on historical facts is that the authour treats those facts with respect, you can see that Graham Hurley has clearly researched the subject matter and brings all that to bear on the page, giving the reader the security and knowledge that they are reading fact based fiction. The book is written in a way that gives a sense and feeling that places you there at the heart of the action soaking in the sights, sounds and smells, it is an intoxicating blend.
Overall this is a highly exhilertaing and absorbing thriller , one which held me transfixed until the very end, it leaves you wanting more, a thriller of the highest order, combined with a masterful understanding in how to tell a story
5* highly recommended
A wonderfully constructed story, told from three main character view points, Canadian journalist George Hogan, Abwehr officer Wilhelm Schultz and for me the most interesting of the three Annie Wrenne who works at Lord Mountbattens operations headquarters, I say the most interesting as your’e never quite sure as to who she really is, she carries an air of mystery and intrigue throughout the book. One thing you can say about each character the author shows the type of people they are, as the war moves on you see them develop and flesh out.
With this book and the others in the series what do get is a meticulous blend of fact and fiction, written on the page in such a way which kept me gripped and engaged throughout, I wasn’t overly familiar about the raid on Dieppe and one thing worth mentioning you are not treated to a history text book, however, you are treated to a superbly developed plot line which mainly features the events leading up to the build up, though the chapters concerning the raid paint a dark and harrowing sequence of events, not told though in a gratuitous way, it has a poignant feel to it seen through both side eyes
The book in part follows George Hogan from a fledgling journalist in Canada to a top reporter for the Daily Express, in deed the book covers a wide timescale in terms of the War, I liked the way the chapters were interspersed between Hogan and Schultz so that you are seeing things build up from both perspectives
I found it to be a wonderfully evactive story, where the characters brought things to life, it is a read which captures and portrays a moment in history, for me this was an absorbing read, as are the others in the series. Graham Hurley is an author that really puts the story and characters at the heart of everything and draws the reader in, with deftly written passages
Even though history tells us the outcome of the raid, the book still builds in intensity, indeed it is not without some subtle twists and reveals
For me equally important when reading a book based on historical facts is that the authour treats those facts with respect, you can see that Graham Hurley has clearly researched the subject matter and brings all that to bear on the page, giving the reader the security and knowledge that they are reading fact based fiction. The book is written in a way that gives a sense and feeling that places you there at the heart of the action soaking in the sights, sounds and smells, it is an intoxicating blend.
Overall this is a highly exhilertaing and absorbing thriller , one which held me transfixed until the very end, it leaves you wanting more, a thriller of the highest order, combined with a masterful understanding in how to tell a story
5* highly recommended
July 18, 2023
Hurley is an excellent writer and in this the latest in the Spoils of War series. This focuses on the rather chaotic and disastrous Dieppe raid that cost the Canadians more than 3000 casualties either dead or wounded and seriously blotted the copy book of Louis Mountbatten as head of combined operations. The story is told through the experience of a young Canadian reporter employed on Lord Beaverbrooks Express newspaper. There are lots of Canadian connections built into the series of events that lead the young reporter Joe Hogan to his place on the terrifying and scandalously organised expedition to Dieppe. Was it a clever piece of Abwher counter intelligence or terrible planning? The cast of characters and subplots bring in characters we have met in other books in the series but this book works well as a standalone piece of WW2 historical fiction an excellent read.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 21, 2023
George Hogan is a Canadian journalist working in World War Two London where he falls in love with Annie Wrenne, who works at Lord Mountbatten's secret Combined Operations HQ.
There are widespread calls for an attack on Europe to ease pressure on the Russians fighting the Nazis in the east.
In France, German intelligence officer Willie Schultz plans a trap. It lures 6,000 troops, mainly Canadians, to attack the port of Dieppe. They're massacred.
Based on real events, this is rich in detail about the scheming, stupidity and stubbornness as well as historic detail and characters, from Mountbatten to Noel Coward.
There are widespread calls for an attack on Europe to ease pressure on the Russians fighting the Nazis in the east.
In France, German intelligence officer Willie Schultz plans a trap. It lures 6,000 troops, mainly Canadians, to attack the port of Dieppe. They're massacred.
Based on real events, this is rich in detail about the scheming, stupidity and stubbornness as well as historic detail and characters, from Mountbatten to Noel Coward.
January 1, 2025
Another strong entry in Hurley's WW2 historical novel series featuring his ever-expanding repertory cast. I suspect we may see more of George Hogan in future books.
Hurley uses most of the book to build the background from both British / Canadian and German / French perspectives, skilfully blending history and fiction in the process. Only in the last part does he draw us into the maelstrom of the Dieppe operation itself, focussing on one beach.
Personally I would have appreciated an author's note as used by some historical fiction authors to fill in a bit more background and draw the lines between imagination and research.
Hurley uses most of the book to build the background from both British / Canadian and German / French perspectives, skilfully blending history and fiction in the process. Only in the last part does he draw us into the maelstrom of the Dieppe operation itself, focussing on one beach.
Personally I would have appreciated an author's note as used by some historical fiction authors to fill in a bit more background and draw the lines between imagination and research.
May 4, 2023
A fictionalized account of the raid of Dieppe by Allied forces (mainly Canadian) in 1942 and its horrific outcome. Written from the viewpoint of two very different men, Schultz, a canny Abwehr officer and George Hogan, an idealistic Canadian reporter working for the Daily Express. The slow build-up to the raid did not prepare me for the sheer horror of the tragic disaster. Graham Hurley has written a competent war time thriller. Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for the arc.
August 5, 2023
The Dieppe raid in 1942 was one of a number of catastrophes that occurred in WW2, particularly for the Canadian troops who died in very large numbers.
This fantastic historical fiction follows the events leading up to it through the eyes of two people, Hogan a Canadian reporter and Willy Schulz an Abwehr officer.
It’s a stunning story that highlights how the British military made do many mistakes.
This fantastic historical fiction follows the events leading up to it through the eyes of two people, Hogan a Canadian reporter and Willy Schulz an Abwehr officer.
It’s a stunning story that highlights how the British military made do many mistakes.
November 6, 2023
Another excellent book from Graham Hurley set in WWII it is based round a failed attack on Dieppe by Canadian Forces but planned by British Combined Ops.And excellent plot is written around two main characters one a German Abwher officer and the other a young Canadian reporter withe The Daily Express. The background of life in wartime Britain is cleverly evoked as is that of Paris. This is a story of love of war and of futility. All In All an Excellent read.
April 12, 2023
Another in the Spoils of War series, Graham Hurley has written a well informed and detailed fictional account of the ill fated and disastrous allied mission to Dieppe seen through the eyes of protagonists from both sides of the war.
Exciting and full of excellently depicted characters this is a well crafted story that engrosses and entertains.
Exciting and full of excellently depicted characters this is a well crafted story that engrosses and entertains.
May 30, 2023
Even if it's a fictional account it doesn't sugarcoat what was a massacre and how it failed to reach the goals.
This novel is gripping and show the senseless violence of the was. Told via fictional characters on both side it's gripping and tense.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this arc, all opinions are mine
This novel is gripping and show the senseless violence of the was. Told via fictional characters on both side it's gripping and tense.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this arc, all opinions are mine
June 12, 2023
Many thanks to NetGalley, the author Graham Hurley, and the publisher, Head of Zeus, for granting me wan electronic ARC in return for my honest opinions.
The book was gripping, full of the horrors of the war and left me pondering what could have been done different. Such a horrible war with so many senseless deaths. Let's pray nothing as grim as this will ever happen again.
Recommend.
The book was gripping, full of the horrors of the war and left me pondering what could have been done different. Such a horrible war with so many senseless deaths. Let's pray nothing as grim as this will ever happen again.
Recommend.
December 10, 2023
Whilst I had enjoyed other books by Graham Hurley, I found this one self-indulgent, dreary and pointless and I stopped reading it after about 30% of the book.
The story seemed aimless, and I could not envision where the story might lead.
The story seemed aimless, and I could not envision where the story might lead.
July 9, 2024
Brilliant description of the Dieppe raid that went so horribly wrong. The story previously keeps one living through the war and the build up to the raid. Well written with plenty of description which makes the people and places come alive.
August 10, 2023
A terrific standalone novel.
August 13, 2023
An absolutely gripping read. Would definitely recommend this book!
December 4, 2023
This novel is set during World War Two, primarily across France, with parts in England, Germany and Canada. It focuses on a small number of characters, a Canadian journalist working for Lord Beaverbrook, two Canadian soldiers, a German Abwehr officer and his lover.
Lord Mountbatten is a catalyst to the story and does not fair well, portrayed as a somewhat callous man, seeking glory with little care for the wellbeing or lives of his troops. I don’t know if that is historically accurate but its portrayal felt authentic.
The characters were developed well and as the story unfolds from their various viewpoints, you understand their motivations. These range from the manipulative and limelight seeking Mountbatten, to Canadian soldiers with a genuine desire to avoid needless loss of life, and Germans awaiting the opportunity to slaughter their enemy.
The narrative moves at an enjoyable pace, and whilst the story is neither overly complicated nor challenging, I found it enjoyable, with locations and emotions that felt genuine and realistic.
Sadly, I found the ending somewhat abrupt and disappointing, as though the author ran out of steam.
Lord Mountbatten is a catalyst to the story and does not fair well, portrayed as a somewhat callous man, seeking glory with little care for the wellbeing or lives of his troops. I don’t know if that is historically accurate but its portrayal felt authentic.
The characters were developed well and as the story unfolds from their various viewpoints, you understand their motivations. These range from the manipulative and limelight seeking Mountbatten, to Canadian soldiers with a genuine desire to avoid needless loss of life, and Germans awaiting the opportunity to slaughter their enemy.
The narrative moves at an enjoyable pace, and whilst the story is neither overly complicated nor challenging, I found it enjoyable, with locations and emotions that felt genuine and realistic.
Sadly, I found the ending somewhat abrupt and disappointing, as though the author ran out of steam.
December 5, 2023
This novel is set during World War Two, primarily across France, with parts in England, Germany and Canada. It focuses on a small number of characters, a Canadian journalist working for Lord Beaverbrook, two Canadian soldiers, a German Abwehr officer and his lover.
Lord Mountbatten is a catalyst to the story and does not fair well, portrayed as a somewhat callous man, seeking glory with little care for the wellbeing or lives of his troops. I don’t know if that is historically accurate but its portrayal felt authentic.
The characters were developed well and as the story unfolds from their various viewpoints, you understand their motivations. These range from the manipulative and limelight seeking Mountbatten, to Canadian soldiers with a genuine desire to avoid needless loss of life, and Germans awaiting the opportunity to slaughter their enemy.
The narrative moves at an enjoyable pace, and whilst the story is neither overly complicated nor challenging, I found it enjoyable, with locations and emotions that felt genuine and realistic.
Sadly, I found the ending somewhat abrupt and disappointing, as though the author ran out of steam.
Lord Mountbatten is a catalyst to the story and does not fair well, portrayed as a somewhat callous man, seeking glory with little care for the wellbeing or lives of his troops. I don’t know if that is historically accurate but its portrayal felt authentic.
The characters were developed well and as the story unfolds from their various viewpoints, you understand their motivations. These range from the manipulative and limelight seeking Mountbatten, to Canadian soldiers with a genuine desire to avoid needless loss of life, and Germans awaiting the opportunity to slaughter their enemy.
The narrative moves at an enjoyable pace, and whilst the story is neither overly complicated nor challenging, I found it enjoyable, with locations and emotions that felt genuine and realistic.
Sadly, I found the ending somewhat abrupt and disappointing, as though the author ran out of steam.
December 10, 2023
Whilst I had enjoyed other books by Graham Hurley, I found this one self-indulgent, dreary and pointless and I stopped reading it after about 30% of the book.
The story seemed aimless, and I could not envision where the story might lead.
The story seemed aimless, and I could not envision where the story might lead.
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