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Jack McColl #4
The Dark Clouds Shining
In the fourth and final installment of David Downing's World War I spy series, Jack McColl is sent to Soviet Russia to thwart an assassination—an espionage assignment that might as well be a suicide mission, and which will pit him against his own lost love.London, 1921: Ex-Secret Service spy Jack McColl is in prison serving a trumped-up sentence. McColl has been embittered by the Great War; he feels betrayed by the country that had sent so many young men to die needlessly. He can’t stomach spying for the British Empire anymore. He’s also heartbroken: the love of his life, radical journalist Caitlin Hanley, parted ways with him three years earlier so she could devote her life to the Communist revolution in Moscow.
Then his former Secret Service boss offers McColl the chance to escape his jail sentence—if he takes a dangerous and unofficial assignment in Russia, where McColl is already a wanted man. He would be spying on other spies, sniffing out the truth about MI5 meddling in a high-profile assassination plot. The target is someone McColl cares about and respects—and the MI5 agent involved is someone he loathes.
With the knowledge that he is probably walking into a death trap, McColl sets out for Moscow, the scene of his last heartbreak. Little does he know that his mission will throw him back into Caitlin Hanley's life—or that her husband will be one of the men he is trying to hunt down.
384 pages, Hardcover
First published April 10, 2018
109 people are currently reading
240 people want to read
About the author
David Downing
123 books495 followersDavid Downing is the author of a political thriller, two alternative histories and a number of books on military and political history and other subjects as diverse as Neil Young and Russian Football.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 46 reviews
September 7, 2021
With this book I've now read ALL of David Downing's novels except the third in the McColl series of which this is the fourth. While this book works as a stand-alone novel, familiarity with some of its predecessors is helpful; I should add that I didn't much like the 2 other McColl novels I read but this is, sorry to say, the worst of all of Downing's work. Obviously I am enough of a fan to have read almost all of his body of work. I don't discuss the plot; you can get that from other reviews except to say that it mostly involves one group of people pursuing a second group from Moscow all the way across central Asia, mostly Uzbekistan, into India.
David Downing is a talented espionage author but he is not a great one. I've found his books usually pretty good (altho the latest published in 2020, WEDDING STATION, merits only 3 stars.) There are reasons that this novel is, frankly, a bad book. It is grossly overwritten..it is literally twice as long as it should be. The central plot would have been okay but Downing introduces so many unnecessary sidelines, complications, distractions and on top of this, so many utterly unnecessary characters, it becomes a slog. Downing prides himself on the verisimilitude of his historical fiction, indeed writes an author's note patting himself on the back, for it. Well, verisimilitude in historical/espionage fiction is a great addition to a book...IF the author is a fine writer. The verisimilitude of Alan Furst and Philip Kerr enormously enhanced their works; the problem is Downing just isn't a writer on their level. The book's 100% excessive length is due to the author's writing on almost every page utterly unnecessary verbiage to show you how much research he's done. And more than that, instead of looking at what he's written and asking himself the VITAL question: does what I've written advance the plot and help the reader, he just sticks stuff in of no value whatever. The Uzbekistan part reads like a travelogue...this isn't supposed to be a travelogue, it's an espionage novel!! The characterization is okay but the plot as written has the grave aforementioned deficiencies. Bottom line: at 368 pages it is a slog and I can't recommend it.
David Downing is a talented espionage author but he is not a great one. I've found his books usually pretty good (altho the latest published in 2020, WEDDING STATION, merits only 3 stars.) There are reasons that this novel is, frankly, a bad book. It is grossly overwritten..it is literally twice as long as it should be. The central plot would have been okay but Downing introduces so many unnecessary sidelines, complications, distractions and on top of this, so many utterly unnecessary characters, it becomes a slog. Downing prides himself on the verisimilitude of his historical fiction, indeed writes an author's note patting himself on the back, for it. Well, verisimilitude in historical/espionage fiction is a great addition to a book...IF the author is a fine writer. The verisimilitude of Alan Furst and Philip Kerr enormously enhanced their works; the problem is Downing just isn't a writer on their level. The book's 100% excessive length is due to the author's writing on almost every page utterly unnecessary verbiage to show you how much research he's done. And more than that, instead of looking at what he's written and asking himself the VITAL question: does what I've written advance the plot and help the reader, he just sticks stuff in of no value whatever. The Uzbekistan part reads like a travelogue...this isn't supposed to be a travelogue, it's an espionage novel!! The characterization is okay but the plot as written has the grave aforementioned deficiencies. Bottom line: at 368 pages it is a slog and I can't recommend it.
April 19, 2020
Have enjoyed all of David Downing's books in Jack McColl series.
April 25, 2018
A well written story with a great leading character in Jack McColl. The
book moves along at a good pace. I could not get into this book and only
Read half.
book moves along at a good pace. I could not get into this book and only
Read half.
April 5, 2018
In 1921, idealists who believed that, after the Russian Revolution, democracy would prevail and economic inequality would become a thing of the past, faced some unpleasant truths. Thousands of poor people, especially in rural areas, were dying of starvation. Various factions conspired against one another and members of the Cheka (Secret Police) shot their enemies without the benefit of a trial. The prospect of a peaceful and egalitarian society in Russia was turning out to be little more than a pipe dream.
"Dark Clouds Shining" is the final installment in David Downing's espionage series featuring Jack McColl, former member of the British Secret Service. After landing in trouble, our hero is let off the hook by his former boss, Mansfield Cumming, on one condition: Jack must trail a group of men who are apparently planning to commit an act of violence on foreign soil. It is Jack's mission to find out exactly what they intend to do. Among the villains in his sights is Jack's old nemesis, Aidan Brady, a psychopathic and remorseless killer. Jack will also cross paths with the woman he loved and lost, Caitlin Hanley, an ardent feminist who decided to live and work in Russia on behalf of the Communist cause.
Downing's sharply honed descriptive writing gives us an understanding and appreciation of the chaotic conditions that prevailed following Lenin's victory over his rivals. Jack is resourceful, independent, and suspicious of his superiors. He soon realizes that quite a few people want him dead. What is really going on behind the scenes, and how does Jack fit into the picture? It takes far too long to learn the answer to this question. Both Jack and the people he is pursuing embark on lengthy road trips. Using disguises, false papers, and guile, Jack travels through Russia, Tashkent, and into India, where he will presumably confront his prey. Alas, the plot is turgid and perplexing, with too many secondary characters, heavy-handed dialogue, and a histrionic climax. Although the author recreates a pivotal era in world history with an admirable degree of verisimilitude, he gets too bogged down in tedious minutiae to keep us engrossed and entertained.
"Dark Clouds Shining" is the final installment in David Downing's espionage series featuring Jack McColl, former member of the British Secret Service. After landing in trouble, our hero is let off the hook by his former boss, Mansfield Cumming, on one condition: Jack must trail a group of men who are apparently planning to commit an act of violence on foreign soil. It is Jack's mission to find out exactly what they intend to do. Among the villains in his sights is Jack's old nemesis, Aidan Brady, a psychopathic and remorseless killer. Jack will also cross paths with the woman he loved and lost, Caitlin Hanley, an ardent feminist who decided to live and work in Russia on behalf of the Communist cause.
Downing's sharply honed descriptive writing gives us an understanding and appreciation of the chaotic conditions that prevailed following Lenin's victory over his rivals. Jack is resourceful, independent, and suspicious of his superiors. He soon realizes that quite a few people want him dead. What is really going on behind the scenes, and how does Jack fit into the picture? It takes far too long to learn the answer to this question. Both Jack and the people he is pursuing embark on lengthy road trips. Using disguises, false papers, and guile, Jack travels through Russia, Tashkent, and into India, where he will presumably confront his prey. Alas, the plot is turgid and perplexing, with too many secondary characters, heavy-handed dialogue, and a histrionic climax. Although the author recreates a pivotal era in world history with an admirable degree of verisimilitude, he gets too bogged down in tedious minutiae to keep us engrossed and entertained.
May 18, 2018
The final installment of that madcap couple Jack Mc Coll and Caitlin Hanley (Comrade Piatakova now...she's married)
When last we them Caitlin had stayed in Russia and Jack returned to the UK broken hearted, but you can't keep a great couple like them down, even though it's been three years (1921). 'C' saves Jack from the hangman's noose in order to send Jack on a secret mission only the two of them know about. MI6 and MI5 are at crossed swords over the Russian intentions in India-see the Great Game wasn't just a 19th century problem. MI-6 doesn't want MI-5 to kill Gandhi.
Enter into this Caitlin's husband Sergei and Jack old enemy Alain Brady (from the first three books.) In order to pay for their trip to India Alain and Sergei are involved in a robbery right out of the Old West but most of their gang is shot up. Well the M- Cheka doesn't take kindly to that Agent Komarov is sent to capture Brady and Sergei who have run off to India, MI-5's plan. Of course he drags along Caitlin and a man named Davydov to translate Indian not knowing he is really Jack. When he does find out he doesn't know what to do since Jack and he are on the same side.Caitlin and Jack hook up again and their love affair begins anew. Sergei is meanwhile off on a killing spree with Alain, as they continue their mission.
This is a wonderful series equal to the John Russell Series-called the Station series-Jack, Caitlin, Komarov are terrific characters as well as the rest of the characters in this book. Pity they only have five stars for this book.
Highly recommended but read the first three books first. They set up this entire book.
When last we them Caitlin had stayed in Russia and Jack returned to the UK broken hearted, but you can't keep a great couple like them down, even though it's been three years (1921). 'C' saves Jack from the hangman's noose in order to send Jack on a secret mission only the two of them know about. MI6 and MI5 are at crossed swords over the Russian intentions in India-see the Great Game wasn't just a 19th century problem. MI-6 doesn't want MI-5 to kill Gandhi.
Enter into this Caitlin's husband Sergei and Jack old enemy Alain Brady (from the first three books.) In order to pay for their trip to India Alain and Sergei are involved in a robbery right out of the Old West but most of their gang is shot up. Well the M- Cheka doesn't take kindly to that Agent Komarov is sent to capture Brady and Sergei who have run off to India, MI-5's plan. Of course he drags along Caitlin and a man named Davydov to translate Indian not knowing he is really Jack. When he does find out he doesn't know what to do since Jack and he are on the same side.Caitlin and Jack hook up again and their love affair begins anew. Sergei is meanwhile off on a killing spree with Alain, as they continue their mission.
This is a wonderful series equal to the John Russell Series-called the Station series-Jack, Caitlin, Komarov are terrific characters as well as the rest of the characters in this book. Pity they only have five stars for this book.
Highly recommended but read the first three books first. They set up this entire book.
December 20, 2025
It is much like the other books in the series: well-researched, good details that place you in the moment. Kind of getting tired with the whole back-and-f0rth, "are we together forever or not" between McColl and Caitlin. McColl has grown ever more disenchanted with England to some degree. The book somewhat implausibly takes place with McColl going to the Soviet Union on the behalf of his old boss from MI5, though McColl is no longer a spy but in many ways he still is. The book tries to complicate the relationship of McColl to his country by showing his sympathy with Indian rebels like Gandhi and even to an extent the ambitions of the Soviet Union.
The book takes place during 1921, claiming that this is when the Soviet Union starts taking its downward turn. In some ways, this is true with the Kronstad rebellion, where Trotsky puts down anarchists who fully believed in the utopian goals of the Soviet by challenging the bureaucracy that Lenin is starting to lay in place. But what the book fails to chronicle is the revolutionary fervor that still exists at the time, often reflected in Soviet films like Sergei Eisenstein's *Strike* and *Battleship Potemkin* and even as late as Vertov's brilliant *Man with a Movie Camera*. What the book captures well is the sense of disillusionment with the Soviet experiment. What it is weaker in relaying was the hopefulness of the revolution. Women's rights. Legalized abortion. The attempts to make workers integral to the nation. The book gestures towards this but often with a foreboding sense of the end is neigh.
The politics of the book series' is interesting. It is definitely not nationalistic. It is clearly engaged with a series of rebellions throughout it like the Irish revolution, the Soviet, and others. But it can only view them through a compromised vision, which is in some ways fairly balanced. But the books fail to truly capture the revolutionary potential of these moments. Though, to give credit where it is due, McColl's movement towards greater sympathy for the revolutionaries suggests an undertow of hope that guides the series and makes them a more interesting and politically-engaged series than most. Read them if you are into spy novels with a political-bent.
The book takes place during 1921, claiming that this is when the Soviet Union starts taking its downward turn. In some ways, this is true with the Kronstad rebellion, where Trotsky puts down anarchists who fully believed in the utopian goals of the Soviet by challenging the bureaucracy that Lenin is starting to lay in place. But what the book fails to chronicle is the revolutionary fervor that still exists at the time, often reflected in Soviet films like Sergei Eisenstein's *Strike* and *Battleship Potemkin* and even as late as Vertov's brilliant *Man with a Movie Camera*. What the book captures well is the sense of disillusionment with the Soviet experiment. What it is weaker in relaying was the hopefulness of the revolution. Women's rights. Legalized abortion. The attempts to make workers integral to the nation. The book gestures towards this but often with a foreboding sense of the end is neigh.
The politics of the book series' is interesting. It is definitely not nationalistic. It is clearly engaged with a series of rebellions throughout it like the Irish revolution, the Soviet, and others. But it can only view them through a compromised vision, which is in some ways fairly balanced. But the books fail to truly capture the revolutionary potential of these moments. Though, to give credit where it is due, McColl's movement towards greater sympathy for the revolutionaries suggests an undertow of hope that guides the series and makes them a more interesting and politically-engaged series than most. Read them if you are into spy novels with a political-bent.
April 10, 2018
With this, the fourth Jack McColl spy story, David Downing concludes the series. It takes place just as the civil war in Soviet Russia is ending and developments are dire with respect to the original high hopes that accompanied the Revolution, and the nation suffers from all kinds of shortages, especially food for a starving populace. Jack is not faring any better, languishing in jail for assaulting a Bobby, when his Secret Service boss visits him and presents Jack with a way to get out if he accepts an unofficial assignment. Jack is disillusioned by the slaughter of so many in the Great War and can’t abide spying for his country any more, but accepts the assignment to get out of jail. So he goes to Russia to learn what other British spies are planning at the behest of MI5. And unknown to him, he will again meet with the love of his life, Caitlin, who is now married to one of the men involved in the MI5 scheme which Jack was sent to investigate and possibly foil.
The author’s ability to recreate the environment of the historical period, along with descriptions of the economic and political atmosphere, is outstanding, as is the recounting of the action resulting from the hunt by both Jack and the Cheka, the Russian secret service and forerunner of the GPU, for the plotters. Highly recommended.
May 8, 2018
Jack McColl finds himself in yet another difficult situation. Deep in the heart of Uzbekistan, he has been captured by the Cheka and must find a way out without endangering his lover, the Irish American Caitlin Henry who has become a women's rights activist in Moscow. The time is not the present but 1921!
I like Downing's period pieces because he throws in a lot of history. I know little of the time and places he is describing so that makes up for the somewhat far-fetched plot. McColl who seems to speak every language ever known to man and is familiar with all these far off places, is a very engaging hero. The supporting cast is equally interesting, including the villain, Aidan Brady, the Indian detective, Mirza, and the cerebral Cheka boss, Yuri Komarov. In short, read this book for the journey it takes you on and for the marvelous places, like Tashkent and Samarkand, that are described in great detail.
If you don't spend too much time thinking about the absurdity of the plot, you will enjoy this read.
I like Downing's period pieces because he throws in a lot of history. I know little of the time and places he is describing so that makes up for the somewhat far-fetched plot. McColl who seems to speak every language ever known to man and is familiar with all these far off places, is a very engaging hero. The supporting cast is equally interesting, including the villain, Aidan Brady, the Indian detective, Mirza, and the cerebral Cheka boss, Yuri Komarov. In short, read this book for the journey it takes you on and for the marvelous places, like Tashkent and Samarkand, that are described in great detail.
If you don't spend too much time thinking about the absurdity of the plot, you will enjoy this read.
April 4, 2018
I didn't really like it. I liked the start of the book but I didn't like the alternating point of views. I invested in the McColl POV and then found out that I had to invest in the Russian POV as well. I found the Russian POV vastly less interesting and with a lot more characters which were flat. In fact, alternating POV's is a pet peeve of mine. You get into an interesting plot line then suddenly you have to read something else. In this case, because I didn't like the other POV it was torture to have to slog through something I didn't want to read and when I got back into the McColl POV, I started not to like it as well. After a while I found myself having to forcing myself to read though it instead of wanting to read it. The writing didn't draw me along and I kept having to re-read parts to make sense. I just didn't click with the book and didn't care about the characters.
I got this book as a free ARC.
I got this book as a free ARC.
November 16, 2018
++++Downing has an uncanny knack of fitting a totally fictitious story into the framework of factual history without leaving a ripple and then explains which parts are fiction and which are documented. Jack McColl who has spied for the British Secret Service in the great war has just been sentenced to a term in prison for manslaughter and is pardoned providing he will do just one thing. That is go to Russia without portfolio and find out what MI5 is planning outside their jurisdiction. Everything goes awry, but Jack renews his acquaintance with Caitlin Hanley, now married and a VIP in the women's revolution inside Russia. They are asked (ordered) to accompany a deputy director of the Cheka in pursuit of a group of dissidents that have robbed a tram station and murdered several individuals. The pursuit is slow, difficult, arduous using many different and uncomfortable forms of transport and technically ends near the Afghan border. J & C however continue the chase into India where the politics and emotions are again totally screwed up.++++
May 20, 2018
The fourth and final volume of the Jack McColl series. This one is set in the early days of the USSR when many believers in the revolution are beginning to realize that the experiment is failing. In this one McColl starts off in a British prison, goes to Moscow on assignment, travels through Central Asia and Afghanistan before concluding in New Delhi India.
I thoroughly enjoyed this series set during World War I--although perhaps not as much as the ones set in Germany during WWII. However, I thought this volume got off to a slow start and really picked up only in the last start. IMO this was the weakest volume in the series.
I thoroughly enjoyed this series set during World War I--although perhaps not as much as the ones set in Germany during WWII. However, I thought this volume got off to a slow start and really picked up only in the last start. IMO this was the weakest volume in the series.
October 12, 2024
It has been a while since I've read a spy thriller. This title by Downing makes me remember why I often enjoy them. While I'd not read any previous books in the series, Jack McColl's background comes out naturally as the action progresses. I didn't feel lost by the background, although sometimes in the present, with changing viewpoints and multiple characters across both the Soviet Union and India, I found myself a bit lost. Very suspenseful but not too intense; I was fascinated to catch a glimpse of the Soviet Union in 1921, as the initial revolutionary Marxist fervor is beginning to lose its shine.
April 23, 2018
Another terrific historical spy thriller from David Downing. Set in Russia a few years after the October revolution it follows Jack McColl, working loosely for the British Secret Service and Caitlin Hanley, an American expat who has been working in Moscow for Lenin's bureaucracy on women's rights issues since the revolution. McColl is sent to Moscow again by the secret service and an unique odyssey commences from Moscow to Tashkent any yet further south. This novel has a great many wonderful characters set in unusual historical venues. I'm sorry to see this series end.
August 6, 2018
Luckily this series doesn't necessarily need to be read in order, as I started with the fourth book instead of the first. I did get a little confused occasionally, but I couldn't decide if it was because I was missing some of the backstory which I would have gotten from the first three books, or if I just don't have enough knowledge about Russia in the 1920s (which is definitely the case anyway).
I will have to read the first in the series to see if I continue to like it, as spy novels are not usually my jam. But this one was pretty good.
I will have to read the first in the series to see if I continue to like it, as spy novels are not usually my jam. But this one was pretty good.
January 19, 2022
Since I gave the previous book in this series 4 stars, I have to give this one 5. It continues the description of the failing Russian revolution and the loss of faith of the "true revolutionaries". However in this novel Downing provides us with a well constructed thriller including a slow pursuit over a little known area of the world and a climax in one of the most complex cities of the world. I enjoyed following the pursuit across Russia and central Asia via online maps and Wikipedia articles on places and rivers. All in all, a very worthwhile read and a fitting finale to the series.
May 14, 2019
This is my favorite book in the series. Jack is always on a journey, traveling by train, boat, donkey cart or by foot. Here, he is on a long train journey which is a high stakes chess game. Who knows Jack’s real identity? The actors build more tension than in other books in the series, although the final outcome is never in doubt. A good read.
November 19, 2024
ack McColl #4. Takes place in 1921 (shortly after the Russian Revolution). Very well done spy adventure with Jack and Caitlin in Russia and surrounding countries. This is the last in the series -- you need to pay attention (Russian names!) but I really liked this very exciting and enjoyable wrap-up to the series. 4 stars.
May 4, 2018
Jack McColl is back in action. Sent to prison in England for an angry but justified act on his part, he is later released if he would take on a mission in Russia. Well written historical fiction from start to finish. Great read!
July 6, 2018
This is a very well-written yarn set in 1921 Russia (and India, right at the end); spies Bolsheviks who turn on the revolution that they see as failed. Two great characters who have featured in other David Downing books. As usual, this one was very well done.
August 5, 2018
Downing writes the best historical fiction. His plots comprise maybe 1/3 of a novel and 2/3 history. Keep an atlas and an encyclopedia nearby when reading one of his thrillers; you’re going to need them.
September 2, 2018
I probably didn't think about it before but I appreciate the way Downing explores the interior of his characters, especially in this work, their struggles with love, honor, commitment, and change. This was a really good read.
December 2, 2018
Really enjoyed all the other Jack McColl books... just couldn’t quite say the same about this one. A slow starter, definitely picked up from half way through but the climax was very short and very predictable kind of not worth the effort. Overall was okay, just not as good as the earlier ones.
March 20, 2019
Exciting historical spy fiction by David Downing and The Dark Clouds Shining is the last of this series and he saved the best for last. The epth of the characters, the history - even the scenery is perfect.
October 26, 2024
This is the fourth and last in the Jack McCool series. What a great ride it was. I think this last one was the best. Hard to say as they were all good. But this not only had an amazing plot but also cinematic scenery of the mind.
April 5, 2025
Excellent capstone to the Jack McColl series. Loved the slow-motion chase from Moscow to Delhi. That it took months gave the author a chance to describe the appalling poverty and violence that accompanied the Russian Civil War. Downing is a consistently good read.
April 20, 2018
A satisfying ending to a decent series, humanizing an interesting chapter in world history.
April 29, 2018
okay. cardboard characters and plot not too enthralling - parts were pleasant reads, parts were boring
May 14, 2018
Last in a really great series.
June 1, 2018
Oops, read the last of the series first. Satisfying story of intrigue with sympathetic characters in revolutionary transition outside any comfort zone. Worth the effort of careful reading.
June 24, 2018
A very nice spy novel that deals with the aftermath of a revolution.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 46 reviews