Troubled Midnight

Suzie Mountford #4

by John Gardner

The year is 1943. Preparations for the greatest invasion in history, the assault on Hitler’s Fortress Europe, are underway in the United Kingdom. With fresh bloodshed on the horizon, the coming Christmas preparations seem even more poignant. But with just ten days to go the seasonal mood is shattered in the quiet market town of Wantage in Berkshire when Detective Chief Superintendent Tommy Livermore and DS Suzie Mountford, Tommy’s right-hand woman and secret lover, are called to investigate the discovery of two tortured and beaten bodies. When the bodies are identified as Lieutenant-Colonel Tim Weaving, a commanding officer stationed at a nearby airfield and Emily Bascombe, wife of the town’s hero, Tommy and Suzie are joined by Curry Shepherd, a representative of the Intelligence Services. It is possible that an enemy agent has interrogated Tim Weaving whilst he was in possession of highly confidential information. Things become urgent as Suzie finds herself seconded to War Office Intelligence Liaison and so enters the secret world … Is the enemy closer than you think? A surprising, dark and imaginative novel from one of Britain’s best thriller writers, ‘Troubled Midnight’ makes for compelling reading. A tense and tough suspense thriller from the author of several James Bond novels. Praise for John ‘GARDNER IS A MASTER STORYTELLER’ Len Deighton ‘Faultless construction and a good deal of narrative pace combine to make this a thoroughly enjoyable read’ – Books Before coming an author of fiction in the early 1960’s John Gardner was variously a stage magician, a Royal Marine officer and a journalist. In all Gardner has fifty-four novels to his credit, including Maestro, which was the New York Times book of the year. He was also invited by Ian Fleming’s literary copyright holders to write a series of continuation James Bond novels, which proved to be so successful that instead of the contracted three books he went on to publish some fourteen titles, including Licence Renewed and Icebreaker. Having lived in the Republic of Ireland, the United States and the UK, John Gardner sadly died in August of 2007 having just completed his third novel in the Moriarty trilogy, Conan Doyle’s eponymous villain of the Sherlock Holmes series.

Genres: Mystery

249 pages, Kindle Edition

First published February 1, 2005

About the author

Before coming an author of fiction in the early 1960s, John Gardner was variously a stage magician, a Royal Marine officer and a journalist. In all, Gardner has fifty-four novels to his credit, including Maestro, which was the New York Times book of the year. He was also invited by Ian Fleming’s literary copyright holders to write a series of continuation James Bond novels, which proved to be so successful that instead of the contracted three books he went on to publish some fourteen titles, including Licence Renewed and Icebreaker.

Having lived in the Republic of Ireland, the United States and the UK, John Gardner sadly died in August of 2007 having just completed his third novel in the Moriarty trilogy, Conan Doyle’s eponymous villain of the Sherlock Holmes series.

Reviews

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

December 1943 DCS Livermore and his team are sent to Wantage, Berkshire. There they investigate a double murder, that of Lt. Colonel Tim Weaving, and friend Mrs Emily Bascombe. A motive seems to be scarce.
A entertaining historical mystery

[John · Rating 2 out of 5]

Immerses you in life in England (mainly provincial & military life)during the second world war. Starts off keenly, and develops the three main characters well--they become interesting in themselves, so part of the interest of this "mystery" is the love triangle. The climax itself seemed flat and disappointing.

[Tom Anderson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Detective Suzie Mountford goes spy catching.