The Red Fox

by Anthony Hyde

In his widely acclaimed, intelligently written first novel, Anthony Hyde gives us the thrilling story of a search -- from Canada to Georgetown to Paris to Leningrad, and finally to an isolated Russian village -- for a missing man, a missing fortune, and the key to a tantalizing mystery half a century old. This book sets the standard for Cold War suspense novels.
"High entertainment of the first order."
THE BOSTON GLOBE

Genres: Fiction, Thriller, Mystery, Espionage, Canada, Spy Thriller, Adventure

405 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published January 1, 1985

Reviews

[Jonathan · Rating 5 out of 5]

My favorite spy novel of all time. Turns the genre upside down and sideways. Can't believe they never made a movie out of this one.

[Έρση Λάβαρη · Rating 5 out of 5]

Συνοπτικά: τούτο εδώ είναι ένα πολύ καλό βιβλίο. Ο ορισμός, κατά την γνώμη μου, του αμερικανικού νουάρ, με τον δημοσιογράφο, κτυπημένο από την ζωή, που παλεύει να ξεδιαλύνει το μυστήριο κόντρα στον χρόνο και στον ανταγωνιστή, που βρίσκεται μονίμως στο κατόπι του επιδιώκοντας για άλλους λόγους την λύση του αινίγματος, με τις απανωτές εξελίξεις και τις μελετημένες ανατροπές, την γρήγορη αλλά ωραία και δυναμική, ανεπιτήδευτη γραφή, τους γκρίζους χαρακτήρες και τα απαραίτητα πιστολίδια του.

Λεπτομερέστερα (επειδή αντιλήφθηκα πως η Κόκκινη Αλεπού δεν είναι γνωστή στο ελληνικό κοινό, παρότι θα το δικαιούταν): ο Ρόμπερτ Θορν, σαραντάρης δημοσιογράφος με ιδιαίτερο ενδιαφέρον στην ιστορία και την κοινωνικοπολιτική κατάσταση της σοβιετικής Ρωσίας, στοιχειωμένος ακόμη από την προ εικοσιπενταετίας αυτοκτονία του πατέρα του, αποφασίζει να βοηθήσει την Μέι Μπράιτμαν, με την οποία ήταν κάποτε αρραβωνιασμένος, στην άτυπη έρευνα για την εύρεση του δικού της πατέρα, που έχει εξαφανιστεί. Η Μέι είναι πεπεισμένη πως η εξαφάνιση του Χάρι Μπράιτμαν συνδέεται με την υιοθεσία της, παρόλο που η ανάληψη της κηδεμονίας της εκ μέρους του συνέβη βάσει όλων των νόμιμων διαδικασιών. Ο Ρόμπερτ, έτσι, ξεκινάει να σκαλίζει την επαγγελματική και προσωπική ζωή του Χάρι Μπράιτμαν, εμπόρου γουναρικών με πολύ επικερδείς εξαγωγές στην Σοβιετική Ένωση, επιχειρώντας να ανακαλύψει ποια είναι στην πραγματικότητα η Μέι, ποιοι είναι οι βιολογικοί της γονείς και ποια η πραγματική καταγωγή της, αλλά και πώς οι ρίζες της θα μπορούσαν να συνδέονται με την εξαφάνιση του θετού της πατέρα. Σύντομα ανακαλύπτει πως η ιστορία της είναι καλά συγκεκαλυμμένη από απάτες και ψέματα που τον οδηγούν από την Ουάσινγκτον στο Τορόντο, από το Χάλιφαξ στο Ντιτρόιτ, από το Παρίσι στο Λένινγκραντ κι από το Ποβονέτς στην Πενσυλβάνια, στο μέρος που αυτοκτόνησε ο πατέρας του, κατατρεγμένο από τον Αλεξάντερ Σουμπότιν, πρώην πράκτορα της στρατιωτικής αντικατασκοπίας της ΕΣΣΔ, που είναι αποφασισμένος να φτάσει πρώτος στα μυστικά του Χάρι Μπράιτμαν και να τα εξαφανίσει.

Τόσο η γραφή (στιβαρή, συνοχική και δυναμική), όσο η αφήγηση (σε πρώτο πρόσωπο, αρκετά ενδοσκοπική και σε βάθος πολύ, πολύ συναισθηματική) και η πλοκή (με τις αλλεπάλληλες εξελίξεις, τις καλά ζυγιασμένες ανατροπές και τον γήινο ρεαλισμό αμφότερων, που με εξέπληξε πολύ ευχάριστα), σε κρατάνε με ευκολία από την πρώτη μέχρι την τελευταία σελίδα. Η οδύσσεια του Ρόμπερτ Θορν δεν χάνει το ενδιαφέρον της, δεν κάνει κοιλιά, κι ούτε υπερβάλλει ενοχλητικά (ίσως επειδή διαδραματίζεται στην Αμερική του 1980, που μού είναι εν γένει terra incognita). Ο ίδιος ο Ρόμπερτ, από την άλλη, μου ήταν εξαιρετικά συμπαθής. Συναισθάνθηκα την θλίψη του για τον πατέρα του, την αίσθηση της ανεπάρκειας που του άφησε η αυτοκτονία του (εκείνος, το παιδί του, δεν ήταν αρκετός για να τον αποτρέψει, να του δώσει κάτι για να θέλει να συνεχίσει να ζει), τον τρόμο του για όλα όσα του συνέβαιναν όσο προσπαθούσε να ανακαλύψει την αλήθεια για τον Χάρι Μπράιτμαν και την υιοθεσία της Μέι, και την εντελώς αυθόρμητη λύπη και την απέχθεια και την ενοχή που ένιωθε όταν ερχόταν αντιμέτωπος με τον θάνατο. Η ψυχογράφησή του ήταν, νομίζω, το ατού του βιβλίου, και πραγματικά με εντυπωσίασε.

Νομίζω, πάντως, πως ό,τι κι αν γράψω για την Κόκκινη Αλεπού δεν θα μπορέσω να τονίσω πόσο καλό βιβλίο είναι και πόσο πολύ μου άρεσε. Εξαιρετικός ο Anthony Hyde.

[Robert Bidinotto · Rating 5 out of 5]

Way back in September 1985, when I was reviewing books for "The Boston Herald," I read "THE RED FOX," a spy thriller by Anthony Hyde. It blew me away -- especially because it was a debut novel. Three decades later, this suspense masterpiece is available as a Kindle ebook for just 99 cents -- for one day only! From my review:

"...Canadian author Anthony Hyde has crafted a suspense masterpiece with his very first novel. 'The Red Fox' is a richly evocative, stunningly plotted tale of international mystery and intrigue....

"The novel opens with the tantalizing lines: 'I was to learn that all the real secrets are buried and that only ghosts speak the truth. So it was fitting: even for me, all this began in a graveyard, among mysteries, memories, and lies.'

"The scene is a rain-shrouded cemetery hidden in the hills of central Pennsylvania. Robert Thorne, a journalist and specialist in Russian history, stands in an autumn drizzle, staring down at the grave marker of his father, a former State Department diplomat. And Thorne wonders for the thousandth time why his father committed suicide in 1956.

"No sooner is Thorne back in his Virginia house when he finds that his mail has been stacked on his coffee table. Moments later, Western Union calls with an urgent telegram from May Brightman, his ex-lover.

"When Thorne flies to Toronto to meet her, May begs him to help her find her father, Harry Brightman, who has unexpectedly vanished. The mystery of Harry Brightman is reminiscent of the mystery of Harry Lime in Graham Greene's unforgettable 'The Third Man.' What begins as a favor to an old girlfriend suddenly drags Thorne down a tangled trail of deceit, double-dealing and death.

"It's a trail of secret adoptions and phony identities that leads back in time to the terrors of Lenin and the bloody purges of Stalin. It's a trail blocked by ruthless men pursuing a missing fortune, desperate men hiding shameful secrets, cunning men who pull the strings. It's a trail that leads Thorne ultimately to the frozen wastes of the Soviet Union, to a shocking confrontation with his own past -- and full circuit, back to the lonely hills of central Pennsylvania, to a deadly fox-and-hound chase.

"Hyde's first-person narrative style is simply mesmerizing; his plot structure, a brilliant feat of the imagination. The mysteries are layered like the skin of an onion, each chapter ending with a shock or revelation that draws the reader inexorably on. The pace never flags and the surprises never stop....

"More than a suspense thriller, 'The Red Fox' is a history lesson, a psychological odyssey, a morality play and a model of literary craftsmanship."

I'm delighted that thirty years after its first publication, this great story is once again available. If you like spy intrigue, do yourself a big favor and grab it.

[Cold War Conversations Podcast · Rating 2 out of 5]

1980s thriller that doesn’t quite do it for me.

An ex-girlfriend calls for help and curiosity leads the main protagonist on what felt like a lengthy investigation in Canada, France and the Soviet Union.

It’s not a bad thriller, but I wouldn’t call it a page turner. Written in the 1980’ it’s very much of its time period, reads well and has atmosphere. However, it did seem to flag particularly in the last third.

[Keith Weaver · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the kind of first novel that can drop any other writer into a deep despair. It is well written, and has many literary flashes. It packs a huge amount of history, particularly Russian and Soviet history contemporary to its publication date, but also those aspects of western history linked to the late Cold War. The plot is complex and credible, and the plotting is tight, judiciously measured, meaning that the pace never flags, and the story evolves in a way that is neither frustrating – because too few details are given – nor aggravating – because so much information is presented that the reader has no work to do. The Red Fox is a book that can cause one to read into the small hours, and to hell with being a basket case at the breakfast table.

As suits a book of this sort, it is set on a world stage, and moves from the US, to Canada, to Russia, to Western Europe, and in each location the detail given reflects an intimate local knowledge. Of interest to me was the way the text took advantage of and expressed very well the increasing disenchantment over time with Soviet communism, and the complex and sometimes lethal intermixing of power structures, commercial and financial realities, politics, ideologies, personal fortunes, individual tragedies, and the naked and vicious greed to which totalitarian systems seem particularly prone.

There was nothing that I didn’t enjoy about this book, and reading it again now after a hiatus of more than thirty years, it is just as good, even if the passage of time has now left the basic story elements somewhat stranded. But the book is well enough set out that it can still be read as a credible plot playing out in a now bygone historical context.

As always for me, it is the history set into the story that is THE big lure. There are numerous plot surprises, including the big one near the end. Then, just when you think you are well into the denouement, on the last page there is a final and delicious historical sting in the tail.

For people who like thrillers, history, and intelligent story-telling, it doesn’t get much better than The Red Fox.

[Mark · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some first novels arrive from nowhere and become milestones in their genres, touchstones to understanding the world through specific stories. Anthony Hyde’s first novel, THE RED FOX (1986), is such a book.

When journalist Robert Thorne’s ex-fiancee, May Brightman, asks him to locate her missing father, Thorne is wary. Years ago, May broke their engagement and cut Thorne adrift. Since then, he’s moved on. Despite himself, reluctantly, he agrees to search for Harry. Soon, he discovers that Harry wasn’t your ordinary fiance’s father. His background is as dark, conflicted and dangerous as any in contemporary fiction. Others are after Harry, too. Thorne is savvy. He knows that he is in over his head, and yet he follows the trail of clues anyway.

Evocative of time, place, character and motivation, THE RED FOX provides a strong sense of presence in a world dominated by Cold War espionage. Hyde’s deft literary hand displays the discipline and attitude of the journalist. His voice is often energetic, sometimes self-deprecating, always erudite. A remarkable achievement for a first novel.

Another Time

Hyde published this novel just after John Le Carre’s THE LITTLE DRUMMER GIRL swept the market and advanced Le Carre’s already iconic standing as a master novelist. Robert Ludlum’s BOURNE SUPREMACY also came to bookstores that year. The average life was overshadowed by superpower tensions and yet change was in the wind. Whether for the better or the worse remained to be seen. Terror came from just two polarized political systems and their overwhelming national firepower. An entirely different world environment from the more complicated, fragmented terror we know today.

The story of THE RED FOX grows from diverse and intense emotions – anger, hurt, betrayal – and is delivered with a constancy that derives from a deeply embedded moral compass. It is visual and tactile and was a feast for readers of the late 1980’s who were navigating the changeable cultural seas between the pre- and post-Internet revolutions. Written in the pre-Internet time period, it is satisfying to re-experience the journalist’s life pre-Google and pre-smartphone, to be reminded of the discipline and skills required to ferret out disparate bits of information, connect the dots and develop understanding at a comparatively reflective pace. And yet, events move on apace and we are pulled from page to page, setting to sinister setting.

[Jan · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am sure I read this book many, many years ago, but worth the second read, as...I could not remember the ending. This book was written in 1985

A young man is contacted by his ex girlfriend, her father is missing, and she feels that only her ex boyfriend, Robert Thorne can help her. Robert was raised as a child of Foreign Service, traveled all over the world, French mother, American Father. He speaks fluent Russian, and has been a foreign correspondent, and is well versed in current Russian affairs. Robert has never understood why his father committed suicide, Robert was 15 when this happened. In the final chapters, he learns of his
parents loyalties, and to whom they were loyal.

Spy thriller, sleeper agents, double agents, trips to Russia, intrigue and mystery. The ending may have made total sense when it was written, however, now with DNA testing the reader knows, that Anastasia never did escape! Still enjoyed it though.

[megan · Rating 3 out of 5]

From the 80s, and hasn't aged well. I don't remember learning much about the military actions of the Soviet Union - info that would have likely been common knowledge to someone my age back then. I had to do a lot of Googling of names and maps, which I enjoy. But it's frustrating that I don't remember much focus on the Russian Revolution and how Communism came to be - just that it was bad and made Cuba scary.

[Marlaina McCauslin · Rating 2 out of 5]

The Red Fox by Anthony Hyde, was very dry for me. I had a difficult time getting to know the characters and often times find myself skimming over the pages without myself noticing. I did finish it however. I wouldn't read it again and is going into the pile for books to be given away.

[Mark · Rating 5 out of 5]

Some first novels arrive from nowhere and become milestones in their genres, touchstones to understanding the world through specific stories. Anthony Hyde’s first novel, THE RED FOX (1986), is such a book.

When journalist Robert Thorne’s ex-fiancee, May Brightman, asks him to locate her missing father, Thorne is wary. Years ago, May broke their engagement and cut Thorne adrift. Since then, he’s moved on. Despite himself, reluctantly, he agrees to search for Harry. Soon, he discovers that Harry wasn’t your ordinary fiance’s father. His background is as dark, conflicted and dangerous as any in contemporary fiction. Others are after Harry, too. Thorne is savvy. He knows that he is in over his head, and yet he follows the trail of clues anyway.

Evocative of time, place, character and motivation, THE RED FOX provides a strong sense of presence in a world dominated by Cold War espionage. Hyde’s deft literary hand displays the discipline and attitude of the journalist. His voice is often energetic, sometimes self-deprecating, always erudite. A remarkable achievement for a first novel.

Another Time

Hyde published this novel just after John Le Carre’s THE LITTLE DRUMMER GIRL swept the market and advanced Le Carre’s already iconic standing as a master novelist. Robert Ludlum’s BOURNE SUPREMACY also came to bookstores that year. The average life was overshadowed by superpower tensions and yet change was in the wind. Whether for the better or the worse remained to be seen. Terror came from just two polarized political systems and their overwhelming national firepower. An entirely different world environment from the more complicated, fragmented terror we know today.

The story of THE RED FOX grows from diverse and intense emotions – anger, hurt, betrayal – and is delivered with a constancy that derives from a deeply embedded moral compass. It is visual and tactile and was a feast for readers of the late 1980′s who were navigating the changeable cultural seas between the pre- and post-Internet revolutions. Written in the pre-Internet time period, it is satisfying to re-experience the journalist’s life pre-Google and pre-smartphone, to be reminded of the discipline and skills required to ferret out disparate bits of information, connect the dots and develop understanding at a comparatively reflective pace. And yet, events move on apace and we are pulled from page to page, setting to sinister setting.

[Victoria · Rating 4 out of 5]

Given to me by Aunty Sue years ago, this book had sat on my shelf in read. So this summer I packed it for France and returned it home. It was Anthony Hyde’s first book and I really enjoyed it. A great thriller and page turner. Intriguing, exciting and a likeable and credible lead. Felt a bit dated reading it in 2021 but hardly surprising as it was written in 1982. I would recommend it and also plan to read more of his books.

[BLESK · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very, very good book, I was surprised when I read that this was Mr. Hyde's debut. Written in the 1980s it does not feel dated in the least. A tightly written story that manages to capture many locations and travel, big themes and philosophies, spy intrigue and very human elements and characters. If you are a fan of Soviet and Cold War themed thrillers, you can do no better. The only slight drawback was the use of British/Canadian English (e.g. tyre for tire) which while niggling, detracted from the main character's identity as an American.

[Kraig Noble]

I recently reread this book after reading it 25 years ago. Enjoyed it as I did then. One thing that I remembered about this book is that it is written in the first person which sets it apart. The descriptions are somewhat long and of course it is somewhat dated in that it starts off with the protagonist receiving a telegram, but it retained my interest. I will be looking to get Mr. Hyde's other two books which I never read.

[Ruth · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was trying to decide if this was worth keeping in a collection so I took it home for a weekend. This Cold War suspense novel is good - written in the interior dialogue style of LeCarre and other writers of the genre and those times. This particular one was ok but not fabulous. Although Hyde probably had to answer the question of the true identity of the adopted Russian baby, the final pages weren't satisfying. Some well written scenes and a few memorable characters made it worth the read.

[Monique · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a very good first book by this author. A man is called by a former lover asking for help in finding her missing father. As the man is a Russian specialist, he starts to uncover ties to earlier times, spying, a child adopted out of Russia in 1940 and, as usual, looking for money. The story unfolds with numerous twists and turns and ends with a very intriguing possibility. Well worth the read.

[Harold Kasselman · Rating 4 out of 5]

This cold war/espionage/ and mystery tale is a throw back to the classic writing styles of espionage books of years ago. The story is quite good and there are some very surprising twists. At times, the pace dragged because there was too much description of locales(chapter 10 could have been largely eliminated) which made it difficult to remember key players and facts. But certainly worth the time.

[Robert Stermscheg · Rating 4 out of 5]

Although this came out in the mid 80s, it still is relevant today. The mysticism of the old Soviet regime and its far-reaching tentacles combine for a great thriller. The hero, Robert Thorne, portrayed as a little cynical, stands up to the rigours of the task ahead of him. I enjoyed the twists and turns and recommend this one highly.

[Elizabeth · Rating 2 out of 5]

Disappointing:
I normally enjoy a good thriller for easy entertainment when on holiday, but this was too convoluted and I didn't really believe it at all - too many coincidences. The main protagonist seemed to rush around the world at random and follow obscure leads which just happened to pan out. The ending seemed particularly contrived.

[Mark Wilson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent!

Harry Brightman is a dealer in furs, Russian furs, and somehow this simple fact leads to a thrilling and satisfying series of adventures, twists and turns, as bodies - and mysteries - pile up. Well-written, with marvelous atmosphere and depth of knowledge - highly recommended!

[John · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nice dense novel spanning the 1930s to around 1980. At times you wonder why the protagonist bothers to continue his quest, but it ends up satisfactorily, if a bit improbably. This was released in 1985, and I think that I had read it back then.

[Jeanne · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Red Fox is a thrilling, suspenseful story. I've read it several times over the past years. A cool surprise ending!

[Vince · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a charm this one was. Good mix of mystery, intrigue and twists and turns. Enough historical fiction to feed my little mind!

[Joseph Finder · Rating 5 out of 5]

For some reason, this book has been all but forgotten. But it’s excellent – spare prose, linear story line, with each revelation leading to the next, and extremely atmospheric.

[Becky Dimock · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved it - the plot, characters, and writing were fantastic. It kept me guessing but kept me interested as well. The movie was fine, but the book is so much better!

[Suren · Rating 4 out of 5]

this book marks my return to reading. it was an absolute page turner

[Zach Franz · Rating 3 out of 5]

A well-written mystery that nevertheless feels--more than some of its contemporaries--very much a product of its time. The eighties didn't just account for different plot points (in this case, Cold War espionage) but different styles of writing. It's interesting to see critics gush about The Red Fox being a "Riveting...thriller" and its "ferocious intensity." I found it more of a slow-burn mystery, with as much of a focus on personal emotion as history and politics.

It was a good book; it kept me reading, and a final, clever reveal nearly pushed the rating to a full four stars. But it was also dense and tedious, especially for a genre mystery. Instance after instance of daunting, page-length paragraphs unfold before the reader. Hyde describes his settings convincingly, but nearly drubs us to death with inconsequential details. I've never read another thriller that consistently identifies so many different trees by name. Too much time--perhaps--is also given to Robert Thorne's internal monologue. Regarding the book's central mystery, every last strand of possibility is addressed, sometimes more than once. Some may find this pleasantly thorough; for me it bordered on exhaustive, and exhausting.

Do you have a particular interest in Cold War espionage? Russian history and politics? If so, I'd recommend this book, despite its age. There is plenty of thought that went into the narrative, which I appreciate. Overall, it's a good book--much more honed and crafted than the average thriller. But I can't help thinking many readers will lose patience and drop it after fifty pages.

[Eli Neuman · Rating 5 out of 5]

warning: spoiler! a question for those who read the book

this is not really a review but an attempt to understand one single and central matter/issue in this absolutely superb book.
I have read the "red fox" and found it to be a unique, excellently conceived and written book. yet there is one central question, essential to the plot, that I wonder about. I hope to be enlightened.

so here it is: Anastasia and her daughter are the very nub of the gist of the book. the daughter is presented as a potential valuable "asset" of the soviet personality behind her rescue.

but how come a tsarist family survivor can help a communist? it is the other way around !

do I miss something?

[David Linzee · Rating 3 out of 5]

A period piece, one of the last Cold War thrillers. It comes from a time when the Soviet Union loomed large in American life as a deadly threat, and its bloody history was a matter of compulsive interest. Strongest feature is setting and atmosphere. Harrisburg, PA, Halifax, Detroit--not typical spy thriller locales, and the author makes the most of them. Scenes of menace are worked out to be believable. The hero is an ex-reporter and Russia expert, and the author refrains from implausibly making him into a martial arts expert or crack shot. The heart of the book, though, is a series of Q&As about Soviet history, and is of less compelling interest today than in the 80s.

[Jaime Sauret · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of those books that will never gets old.

I read it the first time around 20 years ago, I was 21, and it left a mark as a book lover that I was looking for this book for all those years… until my wife found it and gave it to me as Christmas gift!

This is one of the most exciting stories I’ve ever read. Beautifully written, keep you guessing and wanting to know more… on of those books you just can’t put down. And with an ending that it’s not only unexpected but so well hidden that you get mad that you finish the book.

If you are looking for a different mystery story that will keep your eyes glued to the book and hands busy turning pages, this is the one!

[William · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting read but inconsistent. Seemed to jump around a lot with a plot and characters somewhat hard to follow. I liked the Russian connections and found the little section taking place in Russia itself intriguing. The author knew the place and conditions well. The book seemed to have more filler that I like. It could have been much shorter than the 405 pages. I found myself skipping whole paragraphs to try to get back on story.