What do you think?
Rate this book
Jimmy Nessheim #3
The Accidental Agent
The spellbinding conclusion to the Jimmy Nessheim trilogy, by the author of Fear Itself.It’s autumn 1942 and Special Agent James Nessheim has left the FBI. Now in Chicago, he is attending Law School at the University of Chicago.
Under the direction of the famed scientist Enrico Fermi, an experimental programme is underway at the university that could lead to the early winning of the war, but the project has been infiltrated by a Nazi agent. Perfectly placed to assist, Nessheim is persuaded by the FBI to help track him down.
Nessheim soon finds himself immersed in the efforts of Fermi and his team to create the first controlled nuclear reaction. Almost simultaneously, an old flame of Nessheim’s, a left-wing heiress named Stacey Madison, re-enters his life, and Nessheim finds himself falling hopelessly head-over-heels in love. But is Madison’s arrival – just as Nessheim reassumes his old identity as a Special Agent – pure coincidence? And why is she so secretive about her recent past?
Nessheim’s personal and professional life grow dangerously intertwined as he struggles to find the spy and keep the War’s most important secret – the development of the Atom Bomb – from America’s enemies.
355 pages, Hardcover
First published February 16, 2016
8 people are currently reading
38 people want to read
About the author
Andrew Rosenheim
20 books8 followersAndrew Rosenheim was born in Chicago and came to England as a Rhodes Scholar in 1977. He has lived near Oxford ever since.
He worked in electronic publishing and artificial intelligence for over fifteen years, and ran Amazon UK's Kindle Singles. He has also written for the TLS, The Spectator, The Times, The Guardian, The Independent, The Daily Telegraph, The Tablet, The New York Times Book Review, among other publications.
Rosenheim is the author of nine novels, including Hands On (1993), a satirical novel featuring a precursor to ChatGPT, the trilogy Nessheim's War (The Accidental Agent; The Informant; Fear Itself), Without Prejudice, Holly Lester, and a memoir, The Secrets of Carriage H.
He worked in electronic publishing and artificial intelligence for over fifteen years, and ran Amazon UK's Kindle Singles. He has also written for the TLS, The Spectator, The Times, The Guardian, The Independent, The Daily Telegraph, The Tablet, The New York Times Book Review, among other publications.
Rosenheim is the author of nine novels, including Hands On (1993), a satirical novel featuring a precursor to ChatGPT, the trilogy Nessheim's War (The Accidental Agent; The Informant; Fear Itself), Without Prejudice, Holly Lester, and a memoir, The Secrets of Carriage H.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
May 13, 2023
The Accidental Agent is an excellent thriller that falls between the crime and espionage genres. Set in 1942 it concerns James Nessheim, a former FBI agent who has enrolled in law school at the University of Chicago. He is approached by his former boss, Harry Guttman, who wants him to do a job for him: seek out a German spy who is suspected of having infiltrated a research team at the university that is working on an early project related to the Manhatten Project, which was the development of the atomic bomb, of course.
The story rolls along at a good pace; it flows quite quickly and smoothly but is not rushed. The two main characters are fleshed out well, making the reader invested in their welfare and wanting them to succeed. The story also feels plausible and realistic, which is great – I don't like it so much when authors use artistic licence to throw in ridiculous situations that wouldn't happen. The routes Nessheim walks/drives in Chicago are minutely described so he clearly knows the city well and has put all that in to please his fellow Chicagoans. I don't mind that; on this occasion I couldn't be bothered to look up the streets on Google Maps but I do sometimes do that. It is not a short book at 388 pages but I read it in just a few days because I didn't want to put it down.
This is the first of Andrew Rosenheim's books that I have read but it won't be the last – recommended.
The story rolls along at a good pace; it flows quite quickly and smoothly but is not rushed. The two main characters are fleshed out well, making the reader invested in their welfare and wanting them to succeed. The story also feels plausible and realistic, which is great – I don't like it so much when authors use artistic licence to throw in ridiculous situations that wouldn't happen. The routes Nessheim walks/drives in Chicago are minutely described so he clearly knows the city well and has put all that in to please his fellow Chicagoans. I don't mind that; on this occasion I couldn't be bothered to look up the streets on Google Maps but I do sometimes do that. It is not a short book at 388 pages but I read it in just a few days because I didn't want to put it down.
This is the first of Andrew Rosenheim's books that I have read but it won't be the last – recommended.
March 16, 2017
This book was a nice read. It maybe didn't keep me on the edge of my seat all the time but it did keep my interest
December 2, 2018
I still read this to the end, but it somehow managed to combine a fairly spread out timeline with a frustratingly slow pace. Obviously it was a spy novel and not action, but I don't think that cuts it.
Until I had got about 70 pages in I was also unaware that this was the third in the series, the title and complete lack of reference to a series throwing me, which made the frequent callbacks a bit annoying and definitely lessened the idea that this could be a standalone book - the story worked, but it was a bit like being interrupted by product placements in a film, and for the benefit of repeat customers, not the novel itself. As for the story, the tension was good and it wasn't obvious who was the enemy and who was just suspicious, but there was a sense that the secret itself was a bit underwhelming.
I think that may just be the author's presentation though, as the two main characters Nessheim and Guttman told us they were in love without ever managing to show it emotionally. And perhaps the big project was the same, important because we were told it was, as the story moved quickly and I rarely felt present at the scene. Apart from tailing or trying to lose a tail, it was rare that events were described in much detail, and I felt quite detached from the story and the characters.
There were enough relationships to sustain my interest and it had its merits, but it lacked the emotion or touch of humour to really engage me so I might try Rosenheim's other novels at some point, but I won't be rushing to do so.
Until I had got about 70 pages in I was also unaware that this was the third in the series, the title and complete lack of reference to a series throwing me, which made the frequent callbacks a bit annoying and definitely lessened the idea that this could be a standalone book - the story worked, but it was a bit like being interrupted by product placements in a film, and for the benefit of repeat customers, not the novel itself. As for the story, the tension was good and it wasn't obvious who was the enemy and who was just suspicious, but there was a sense that the secret itself was a bit underwhelming.
I think that may just be the author's presentation though, as the two main characters Nessheim and Guttman told us they were in love without ever managing to show it emotionally. And perhaps the big project was the same, important because we were told it was, as the story moved quickly and I rarely felt present at the scene. Apart from tailing or trying to lose a tail, it was rare that events were described in much detail, and I felt quite detached from the story and the characters.
There were enough relationships to sustain my interest and it had its merits, but it lacked the emotion or touch of humour to really engage me so I might try Rosenheim's other novels at some point, but I won't be rushing to do so.
January 26, 2023
He’s a talented writer, no doubt about it.
My problem was the pacing. There were long—several pages worth—of drawn out exposition and huge walls of text that would make my eyes just glaze over.
Had to stop reading at Part 4. Skimmed to the end to figure out who the bad guys were.
The story was just … so … slow and the words—at certain parts—lulled me right off into sleep.
His descriptions and dialogue were great, however. Believable and really captured the different voices of the characters (and the time period). The descriptions of the train in the beginning were well done!
The exposition sections just killed me though. :(
My problem was the pacing. There were long—several pages worth—of drawn out exposition and huge walls of text that would make my eyes just glaze over.
Had to stop reading at Part 4. Skimmed to the end to figure out who the bad guys were.
The story was just … so … slow and the words—at certain parts—lulled me right off into sleep.
His descriptions and dialogue were great, however. Believable and really captured the different voices of the characters (and the time period). The descriptions of the train in the beginning were well done!
The exposition sections just killed me though. :(
July 16, 2021
This is a completely new author for me but I rather enjoyed the book . It felt like a 1940's film - noir movie ( which I often watch ) . Even the story was rather colourless , but not to its detriment . It's basically about a possible nazi spy infiltrating the Manhatten Project , with the hero splitting his time between law school and the FBI , while trying to uncover the real enemy . For me , the book was well paced and the main characters were convincing . I'll read another by the writer in due course .
June 13, 2019
This is a slow read - Nessheim pretty much walks around "checking" things and hanging out with his new/old girlfriend. Slightly more exciting moments occur with Guttman but even he seems a bit flat with the reader being told instead of shown. Leaves the reader hanging with what happens to some sub-characters.
A positive of the novel is that despite there being some "romantic" moments, there are no descriptive sex scenes.
A positive of the novel is that despite there being some "romantic" moments, there are no descriptive sex scenes.
August 8, 2018
I haven't read any if the others in this series but this one made it likely I will. A good story that keeps you guessing,very well written and a satisfactory ending. Great.
April 3, 2016
Dark and filmic spy thriller:
After the shock of Pearl Harbour, America has just entered the Second World War, and ex Special Agent James Nessheim, rejected by the military, has begun, somewhat reluctantly, to study Law at the University of Chicago. At the same time and place, the greatest scientific names in history are working on the ultimate weapon; and when suspicion arises that their inner core may have been infiltrated by the Nazis, Nessheim is recalled by the FBI to track down the spy.
But the Nazis are not the only ones interested in the development of an atomic bomb. America’s new allies, the Russians, are equally keen on the power to blow the world to smithereens, and as the investigation deepens, the same name appears to crop up, time and time again.
Enter Nessheim’s old flame, the stunningly beautiful femme fatale, Stacey Madison, who, by apparent coincidence, is also commencing a Law degree at the same university, and nothing is quite as it seems.
As the intrigue deepens, the trail of dead bodies begins to mount up, and both Nessheim and his recruiter, Assistant Director Harry Guttman, no longer know whom to trust. When Stacey’s past is gradually revealed, it becomes apparent that the infiltrator may be closer to home than anyone had imagined ...
This taut and fast moving spy thriller is beautifully written and filled with dark, cinematic imagery. The reader can almost see the story unfolding on the silver screen – in black and white, of course – and as the race to produce the bomb and win the war intensifies, and the grim truth is slowly revealed, the reader is drawn into a dark and almost unfathomable web of intrigue.
This is a spy thriller second to none.
John
Breakaway Reviewers received a copy of the book to review.
After the shock of Pearl Harbour, America has just entered the Second World War, and ex Special Agent James Nessheim, rejected by the military, has begun, somewhat reluctantly, to study Law at the University of Chicago. At the same time and place, the greatest scientific names in history are working on the ultimate weapon; and when suspicion arises that their inner core may have been infiltrated by the Nazis, Nessheim is recalled by the FBI to track down the spy.
But the Nazis are not the only ones interested in the development of an atomic bomb. America’s new allies, the Russians, are equally keen on the power to blow the world to smithereens, and as the investigation deepens, the same name appears to crop up, time and time again.
Enter Nessheim’s old flame, the stunningly beautiful femme fatale, Stacey Madison, who, by apparent coincidence, is also commencing a Law degree at the same university, and nothing is quite as it seems.
As the intrigue deepens, the trail of dead bodies begins to mount up, and both Nessheim and his recruiter, Assistant Director Harry Guttman, no longer know whom to trust. When Stacey’s past is gradually revealed, it becomes apparent that the infiltrator may be closer to home than anyone had imagined ...
This taut and fast moving spy thriller is beautifully written and filled with dark, cinematic imagery. The reader can almost see the story unfolding on the silver screen – in black and white, of course – and as the race to produce the bomb and win the war intensifies, and the grim truth is slowly revealed, the reader is drawn into a dark and almost unfathomable web of intrigue.
This is a spy thriller second to none.
John
Breakaway Reviewers received a copy of the book to review.
September 19, 2016
This would have been 4 stars for me except for a couple things. First, I don't read series books. The topic and setting of this one caught my attention, but it's pretty entwined with the preceding books. It was enjoyable in itself, but I always felt I wasn't "in" the full story. Second, thinking about this book, what was "accidental" about Nessheim? He is a well-prepared and armed and has caught the bad guys before. The characters and World War II details are good and I enjoyed the Chicago setting even without being familiar with the University and the Loop. It's set up for a sequel, of course, but I'm sad how some of it turned out; Jimmy will have to find a new direction in the next installment. All in all, it kept me turning the pages pretty fast.
September 27, 2016
I enjoyed this story, with characters Nessheim and his boss, Guttman. Nessheim is back in another undercover case, looking for a Nazi spy working on a team who are making the atomic bomb. Nessheim also is going to law school, where a former flame suddenly enrolls. They pick up their relationship, reluctantly on Nessheim's side, since she dumped him previously. This installment takes place in Chicago, in the winter of '42. I'm looking forward to the next one.
December 22, 2016
Hard to get into. A good spy thriller I suppose but i was expecting the historical part of the time period to come into play more, WWII and the Manhattan Project. The lack of emphasis on those things made my interest wane a bit and left me feeling cheated at the end.
Read
October 12, 2016Interesting read............... will read more from this author
November 18, 2016
not too bad
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews