October Men

Dr David Audley & Colonel Jack Butler #4

by Anthony Price

Dr David Audley is in Rome without authorization and alarm bells start to ring in British Intelligence. The head of Italian security is also interested in his arrival, particularly as it has flushed from cover a rogue communist. The author won the CWA's Gold Dagger Award for "Other Paths to Glory".

Genres: Fiction, Espionage, Mystery, Horror Thriller

255 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1973

About the author

Born in Hertfordshire in 1928, Price was educated at King's School, Canterbury, and Oxford. His long career in journalism culminated in the Editorship of the Oxford Times. His literary thrillers earned comparisons to the best of Graham Greene, Ernest Hemingway, and Robert Goddard.

Reviews

[Andy · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's easy to understand why there is no 007-type movie franchise based on the Audley British spy novels. They're very hard to describe in a one-line pitch. It's like the author cut up the newspaper, the encyclopedia, and novels from several genres and pasted it all together, but it works.

In this case, the geopolitical lesson is about Communism in Italy, refugees from behind the Iron Curtain, and North Sea oil exploration. Why not?! There are also ancient ruins. And a criss-crossing frightfully clever sort of a thriller plot too. Not to mention a romance. Etc.

[Nigel Pinkus · Rating 2 out of 5]

This reader thought it was an old, out-dated Cold War story that was too predictable. Anthony Price had some really books, but this was not one of them. Try, "Other paths of Glory" for his best work or any of these:
John Le Carre," Agent Running in the Field", "Absolute Friends" and "A Spy Who Came in... the Cold".
Ted Allbeury, "Lonely Margins" and "The Line Crosser".
Graham Greene, "The Quiet American".
Gerald Seymour, "Harry's Game" and "Home Run".
Manda Scott, "A Legacy of Spies".
Dov Alfon, "A Long Night in Paris".
Len Deighton, the Bernard Sampson series. All ten of them.
Mick Herron's, the Slough House series.

[Beth Friedman · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a fascinating example of what might be called negative space: It's Audley's story, but seen through the eyes of several people who aren't Audley. I do wonder about the poor shmuck who was a fine deskbound analyst but got thrust into the field. Especially since -- shades of Sheckley's Game of X -- he got tagged as being a crack shot when it was the other guy (who died) who actually made that shot.

[Jeff Lewis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not the best of Anthony Price's David Audley books but still an entertaining read. Predicted perfectly how successive British governments, in 1970s and 1980s, completely made a mess of North Sea by preferring short term profit over public funding.

[David Evans · Rating 3 out of 5]

Solid, well written thriller in which Captain Richardson is recalled from rooting out the IRA in Dublin and set to work following David Audley to Italy where the great man of espionage dirty dealing has ostensibly gone on holiday with his wife but observed to be far too pleased with himself for it to be a mere vacation. Meanwhile, Audley’s home is burgled and an intruder shot dead - the police are asked not to investigate so that the powers that be can try to find out just what Audley is up to.
An Italian oilman has switched the focus of his investments to the North Sea where a bonanza is tentatively forecast but has he had inside information from the Russians?
There is much enjoyment to be had from the discomfiture of an Italian beaurocrat, Boselli, who is forced to work with a younger, attractive and more gifted colleague in following and protecting Audley who seems to be blundering into danger. Boselli’s ego receives an unmerited boost when he is credited with uncanny marksmanship but the respect he gains enhances his chances of being killed later on - a fear that is almost as great to him as not getting the value of his ruined suit back on expenses.

[Jorn Barger · Rating 1 out of 5]

Quintessential AP. Lots of confusing new characters. Audley contrived to look omniscient and brilliantly manipulative. A story that's opaque until the very end. But readable, in its way.

[Mieczyslaw Kasprzyk · Rating 4 out of 5]

Once again, Anthony Price thrills us with his brand of "espionage". This story is a little more "action-packed" than previous ones (it starts with a break-in and sudden death and ends just as spectacularly) but still manages to have that cool intelligence that permeates Price. I'm totally baffled why he's out of print.

[Edwin David · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very good!

[Ronald · Rating 2 out of 5]

A little too complicated. Not one of the better ones.