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Secret Families Trilogy #3
The Secret Families
John Gardner's The Secret Generations is acclaimed as one of the classic works of Cold War espionage fiction. The Secret Families is the final shattering move in the trilogy, the checkmate from a grand master of espionage. The year is 1964. The Cold War is at its height and Caspar Railton, the 'wounded lion' of the Railton clan, which for decades has dominated British Intelligence, is dead. Even worse, evidence has emerged suggesting Caspar was a traitor and suspicion surrounds not only the Railtons but also the Farthings, the American family of spymasters connected by marriage to their British counterparts. Yet Naldo refuses to accept his uncle's guilt and is determined to clear both families' names. With his cousin Arnold Farthing he embarks on a quest to uncover Caspar's past, a mission which takes both men deep into some of the most dangerous territory any agent can enter … The Secret Families completes John Gardner's The Secret Generations trilogy, which is a giant work of fiction drawn from the dramatic history of Britain’s intelligence and security services. Through the story of one family, the Railtons, whose lives become caught up in some of the greatest struggles of the twentieth century, Gardner traces the birth, the early clashes, the successes and failures of the organizations now known as M15, M16 and GCHQ. Praise for John Gardner 'A master storyteller at the height of his powers' - Len Deighton ‘The first book ever to combine a family saga with a spy story ... Keeps you turning the pages up to the last twist of treachery' - Daily Express ‘An exciting spy story’ – Yorkshire Post ‘The suspense is well-portrayed both in the accounts of World War II and in the subsequent cold-war exploits’ – Booklist John Gardner was variously a stage magician, a Royal Marine officer and a journalist before coming an author of fiction in the early 1960’s. 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.
479 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 19, 1989
49 people are currently reading
130 people want to read
About the author
John Gardner
113 books180 followersBefore 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.
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.
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
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March 20, 2022By the time you get to the end of this one you just want all the betrayal to be over with. Despite the clear rejection of both USSR and UK clandestine methods, there is little sense that a retirement to Virginia is really going to do the trick. The story moves at a fine pace. Shakespeare is still all over it, but Eliot is more the guiding spirit: it is a book full of decisions and revisions which a minute will reverse. And many people saying "That is not it at all. That is not what I meant at all." I agree with the general suggestion that espionage is pretty sordid no matter which side is doing it for whatever reason. I don't think the denouement successfully makes the break that the protagonist seems to want it to make.
June 19, 2021
I enjoyed this more than the previous two - at least up until the end. It's absurdly complicated and intricate, and suffers from the problem of so many spy stories. X is trying to convince the Other Side that he's a double agent, so he does things that make it look as though he's betraying Our Side. But then Our Side start to worry if he's really working for the Other Side now. But that's all an elaborate ruse designed to fool the Other Side into thinking that X really is working for them, so that he can identify someone on Our Side who is really working for the Other Side. But that's all an elaborate ruse, because... and so on. There's no actual spying going on. Nobody stealing actual secrets. It's just an endless pattern of shifting perceived loyalties, and trying to work out who everybody is "really" working for.
May 5, 2018
I really enjoyed the whole series. Each book although continuing the saga of the 2 families managed to make each sufficiently different that you wanted to continue the story, not because you had to find out what happened in the end but because you wanted to see how each generation although retaining the same (well, you think so at first) loyalties managed to bring something entirely different into the melting pot.
Each book is a stand alone story but reading the whole series provides such insight into the political scene on both sides of the Atlantic and across Europe.
Each book is a stand alone story but reading the whole series provides such insight into the political scene on both sides of the Atlantic and across Europe.
March 31, 2020
Wow! What a great saga.
My initial thoughts that this did not have the depth of insight into methods in espionage which I had found with Le Carre were so wrong. A true novel, with complex characters, behaving as people do in real life, many puzzles to solve, detailed scene-setting and passages of easy descriptive prose. Of course, the depth of betrayal within a family would be extremely unlikely, but the novelist must use such devices. I have rarely enjoyed a book as much. I know they were written a while ago, but they seem so true.
My initial thoughts that this did not have the depth of insight into methods in espionage which I had found with Le Carre were so wrong. A true novel, with complex characters, behaving as people do in real life, many puzzles to solve, detailed scene-setting and passages of easy descriptive prose. Of course, the depth of betrayal within a family would be extremely unlikely, but the novelist must use such devices. I have rarely enjoyed a book as much. I know they were written a while ago, but they seem so true.
May 10, 2017
😣!i have read the trilogy this was the best. Mr Gardner weaves a story
That is intricate, one needs to follow closely he leaves little cue but you don't realize until later that they were given until much later. His characterizations are good, as are the plots. I enjoy this author and will continue to read anything he writes . I highly recommend this anyone that enjoys history,intrigue, espionage, spy novels will enjoy him.
That is intricate, one needs to follow closely he leaves little cue but you don't realize until later that they were given until much later. His characterizations are good, as are the plots. I enjoy this author and will continue to read anything he writes . I highly recommend this anyone that enjoys history,intrigue, espionage, spy novels will enjoy him.
January 5, 2023
Best of the trilogy. Its very detailed and descriptive. Like the others in the trilogy it gains speed as it approaches the conclusion. I didnt see the end coming but once it had the clues were there and fairly obvious. So I guess I must have been wrapped up in the moment with the book rather than taking the overview on the journey through it. Does that make it a good book? I suppose that is down to each reader to decide.
November 2, 2021
Nonstop intrigue to the end
Like the previous books in the trilogy this one oozes intrigue ,certainly you are reluctant to put it down and the guessing goes on to the last chapter, I found it absolutely riveting and have nothing but praise for John Gardner for these outstanding 3books.
Like the previous books in the trilogy this one oozes intrigue ,certainly you are reluctant to put it down and the guessing goes on to the last chapter, I found it absolutely riveting and have nothing but praise for John Gardner for these outstanding 3books.
December 26, 2022
this completes my 2nd reading of this series
I have loved this series since I first read it, about 25 years ago. I finally understand the treason of the true traitor in the story. I was too young the first time. I don’t agree with his reasons but now I understand that it was in the nature of his character.
I have loved this series since I first read it, about 25 years ago. I finally understand the treason of the true traitor in the story. I was too young the first time. I don’t agree with his reasons but now I understand that it was in the nature of his character.
December 16, 2024
Absolute quality storytelling the final book in this excellent trilogy.
Atmospheric clever descriptive intelligent with superb characterisation throughout and, as an added bonus the Brilliant 'Herbie Kruger' star of his own series of stories by this Author plays a big part. Tense with plenty of surprises and twists along the way this is writing of the highest order, totally absorbing and believable from first to last page.
Completely and utterly recommended.
Atmospheric clever descriptive intelligent with superb characterisation throughout and, as an added bonus the Brilliant 'Herbie Kruger' star of his own series of stories by this Author plays a big part. Tense with plenty of surprises and twists along the way this is writing of the highest order, totally absorbing and believable from first to last page.
Completely and utterly recommended.
April 17, 2021
Does not skimp on the ending
On it's own, it is great. However, it ties up all the generations. Lord, do I love the character of Naldo and am sad for Arnie as I have grown to live and die with them.
On it's own, it is great. However, it ties up all the generations. Lord, do I love the character of Naldo and am sad for Arnie as I have grown to live and die with them.
June 16, 2020
Conclusion to The Secret Generation trilogy
March 7, 2021
Anyone who is a fan of John Le Carre will enjoy this trilogy
March 13, 2017
The series just got better and better.
September 29, 2016
The third and last book of the Secret Generations trilogy is, in my view, also the best; even if the 3 books are presented as stand-alone novels, which is in good part true, I believe it is undoubtedly more enjoyable to read the whole saga in order.
This is the story of two families, one British and one American, connected by various marriages, spanning from the early 1900's to the 90's; the two families, both with rather ancient roots, are deeply dedicated to the art of espionage (the tradecraft) since their very origins. The trilogy, through this family saga, tells the story of espionage from its very beginnings as much as it takes the reader through a number of fictional plots involving various members of the two families across the years - starting with WWI all the way to Cold War, passing through WWII.
The narrative style is closer to Len Deighton than to Le Carré, but that is the ballpark; the author gives a "warning" to his readers in the preface, making it clear that this would not be kind of "kiss kiss bang bang" spy stories, and this is a good warning considering the book comes from the author of several James Bond stories. You can't imaging anything more different than the two styles, and I found pretty remarkable that the same writer could flex in such a way his narrative style.
Now, coming to the specifics of this third book, the plot is riveting, the writing enjoyable, the characters very realistic and 3-D. One of the best spy stories I ever read, and I did read a few...
This is the story of two families, one British and one American, connected by various marriages, spanning from the early 1900's to the 90's; the two families, both with rather ancient roots, are deeply dedicated to the art of espionage (the tradecraft) since their very origins. The trilogy, through this family saga, tells the story of espionage from its very beginnings as much as it takes the reader through a number of fictional plots involving various members of the two families across the years - starting with WWI all the way to Cold War, passing through WWII.
The narrative style is closer to Len Deighton than to Le Carré, but that is the ballpark; the author gives a "warning" to his readers in the preface, making it clear that this would not be kind of "kiss kiss bang bang" spy stories, and this is a good warning considering the book comes from the author of several James Bond stories. You can't imaging anything more different than the two styles, and I found pretty remarkable that the same writer could flex in such a way his narrative style.
Now, coming to the specifics of this third book, the plot is riveting, the writing enjoyable, the characters very realistic and 3-D. One of the best spy stories I ever read, and I did read a few...
May 16, 2015
The astounding conclusion to the late John Gardner's Generations trilogy (as I think of it), set largely in the cold war world of the 1960s. These books are part history lesson, part epic thriller, and one hundred percent enjoyable.
April 28, 2014
Didn't like this one quite as much as the others. Seemed muddled and a bit boring. As a conclusion to the series this was lacking a bit.
December 15, 2023
Really good read got the first book free enjoyed it so much that I purchased the other two to complete the trilogy
May 10, 2008
An exciting book about an English family involved in espionage.
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews