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Hellyer's Trip
A series that provokes both laughter and reflection. The author knows and conveys his chosen period and place well, aided by a central character who displays exactly the right balance between naivety and foxiness.MORNING STAR
Nick Hellyer is an accidental spy. Expelled in disgrace from Cambridge, he is hurled into the contradictory and vibrant city of Alexandria as Egypt heads towards the 1967 Arab-Israeli War.His double life as a secret agent mirrors the duplicities of his relationships with contacts and lovers.But when he stumbles on a war-changing secret, who can he trust not to betray or abandon him?
'Lying for your country, Hellyer. Not as a diplomat - that takes years to perfect - but as someone undercover, someone who's not as they seem.''You don't work for us and never have. This is what we would put out if you were rumbled. A rogue, a loose cannon.'
Readers of Charles Cumming, Mick Herron, Ben Macintyre, Len Deighton, John Le Carre, Frederick Forsyth and Philip Kerr will be gripped by this espionage novel.PrologueAlexandria, Egypt, 5 June 1967At midnight on the first day of the Six Day War, Lieutenant Commander Abraham Dror eases the Israeli submarine Tanin through the defences of Alexandria’s Western Harbour and brings it to rest on the seabed. Six frogmen from the elite Shayetet 13 unit swim out of the torpedo tubes and head for their two Egyptian Z-class destroyers, moored at buoys opposite the breakwater. The divers locate the vessels, attach limpet mines to the hulls and return to the underwater rendezvous point.But the Tanin has slipped out to sea.Oxygen cylinders running low, the frogmen head for shore. As they climb on to the jumble of rocks by Fort Quait Bey they hear the deep rumble of explosions from the mined vessels. The Israelis celebrate, unaware that the Egyptian Navy now rotates berths after dusk. Their achievement has been to sabotage a dredger and a supply barge.Four are caught cowering in rock crevices at dawn and later the other two, walking jauntily along the Corniche in rumpled T-shirts and shorts, are spotted by an alert fifteen-year-old. All are incarcerated in Ras-El-Tin naval prison. The thunder of boots and clang of cell doors heralding their arrival and drags Nick Hellyer back into painful consciousness.Chapter 1London, 10 December 1966, 3 a.m. ‘My, that was a soft landing.’ She climbed off.Slim figure hidden in an embroidered magenta fringed kaftan and tie-dyed jeans, eyes dark with mascara and mischief.‘Couple of tabs?’‘Why?’‘Say sorry I crashed on you.’Multi-coloured worms on the great white drop sheet hanging from the hall balcony throbbed to the threatening organ-led rhythms of The Crazy World of Arthur Brown.Until that coming-together, Nick had lain at peace with himself, cruciform, staring up at the mirror ball with its fractured images of people variously dancing, leaping and prancing, getting off on erotic movies, debating macrobiotics in cross-legged circles, snipping the clothes off a willing teenage girl under the instruction of a black-clad performance artist, smoking banana skins in the forlorn hope of a high, or dope with a more certain chance of success.Peaceful, less from being stoned and more from not being there – Cambridge, that claustrophobic Fenland university populated by public-school boys, sailing on, blissfully unaware of the impending wave of change that would engulf it.Here, he could rely on unexpected eventualities.
Nick Hellyer is an accidental spy. Expelled in disgrace from Cambridge, he is hurled into the contradictory and vibrant city of Alexandria as Egypt heads towards the 1967 Arab-Israeli War.His double life as a secret agent mirrors the duplicities of his relationships with contacts and lovers.But when he stumbles on a war-changing secret, who can he trust not to betray or abandon him?
'Lying for your country, Hellyer. Not as a diplomat - that takes years to perfect - but as someone undercover, someone who's not as they seem.''You don't work for us and never have. This is what we would put out if you were rumbled. A rogue, a loose cannon.'
Readers of Charles Cumming, Mick Herron, Ben Macintyre, Len Deighton, John Le Carre, Frederick Forsyth and Philip Kerr will be gripped by this espionage novel.PrologueAlexandria, Egypt, 5 June 1967At midnight on the first day of the Six Day War, Lieutenant Commander Abraham Dror eases the Israeli submarine Tanin through the defences of Alexandria’s Western Harbour and brings it to rest on the seabed. Six frogmen from the elite Shayetet 13 unit swim out of the torpedo tubes and head for their two Egyptian Z-class destroyers, moored at buoys opposite the breakwater. The divers locate the vessels, attach limpet mines to the hulls and return to the underwater rendezvous point.But the Tanin has slipped out to sea.Oxygen cylinders running low, the frogmen head for shore. As they climb on to the jumble of rocks by Fort Quait Bey they hear the deep rumble of explosions from the mined vessels. The Israelis celebrate, unaware that the Egyptian Navy now rotates berths after dusk. Their achievement has been to sabotage a dredger and a supply barge.Four are caught cowering in rock crevices at dawn and later the other two, walking jauntily along the Corniche in rumpled T-shirts and shorts, are spotted by an alert fifteen-year-old. All are incarcerated in Ras-El-Tin naval prison. The thunder of boots and clang of cell doors heralding their arrival and drags Nick Hellyer back into painful consciousness.Chapter 1London, 10 December 1966, 3 a.m. ‘My, that was a soft landing.’ She climbed off.Slim figure hidden in an embroidered magenta fringed kaftan and tie-dyed jeans, eyes dark with mascara and mischief.‘Couple of tabs?’‘Why?’‘Say sorry I crashed on you.’Multi-coloured worms on the great white drop sheet hanging from the hall balcony throbbed to the threatening organ-led rhythms of The Crazy World of Arthur Brown.Until that coming-together, Nick had lain at peace with himself, cruciform, staring up at the mirror ball with its fractured images of people variously dancing, leaping and prancing, getting off on erotic movies, debating macrobiotics in cross-legged circles, snipping the clothes off a willing teenage girl under the instruction of a black-clad performance artist, smoking banana skins in the forlorn hope of a high, or dope with a more certain chance of success.Peaceful, less from being stoned and more from not being there – Cambridge, that claustrophobic Fenland university populated by public-school boys, sailing on, blissfully unaware of the impending wave of change that would engulf it.Here, he could rely on unexpected eventualities.
224 pages, Kindle Edition
Published January 29, 2018
37 people are currently reading
42 people want to read
About the author
Philip Prowse
203 books41 followersPhilip Prowse, author of the Nick Hellyer espionage series, lived and worked overseas for over a decade including periods in Egypt where Hellyer’s Trip takes place against the background of the 1967 Six Day War, Portugal whose 1974 Carnation Revolution and guerrilla war in Mozambique feature in Hellyer’s Coup, and Greece where the fall of the military junta and the 1974 invasion of Cyprus provide the setting for Hellyer’s Line.
Moving into an unknown country with an alien language and culture, ways of thinking and perspectives on life parallels that of the secret agent’s struggle to swim unobserved in perilous waters. Through the series we follow Nick Hellyer’s development from reluctant accidental academic spy to trained hardened professional. But his depth of experience has been gained at the cost of traumatic incidents which have increased his vulnerability and undermined his self-confidence.
We experience events from Nick’s point of view, knowing and seeing only what he does as he hurtles towards his destiny. We are privy to his thoughts and self-doubt, exhilaration and despair, delirium and delight. We interpret this evidence in our own way and reach our own conclusions because like him we want to know how it will all end.
Reading a fast-moving Hellyer novel will immerse you in a story where accurate historical fact and plausible fiction meld, where with Nick as guide you may uncover fresh truths about the world and even yourself.
Listening to the masterly narration on the top quality audiobooks will bring the characters and action to vivid life.
Moving into an unknown country with an alien language and culture, ways of thinking and perspectives on life parallels that of the secret agent’s struggle to swim unobserved in perilous waters. Through the series we follow Nick Hellyer’s development from reluctant accidental academic spy to trained hardened professional. But his depth of experience has been gained at the cost of traumatic incidents which have increased his vulnerability and undermined his self-confidence.
We experience events from Nick’s point of view, knowing and seeing only what he does as he hurtles towards his destiny. We are privy to his thoughts and self-doubt, exhilaration and despair, delirium and delight. We interpret this evidence in our own way and reach our own conclusions because like him we want to know how it will all end.
Reading a fast-moving Hellyer novel will immerse you in a story where accurate historical fact and plausible fiction meld, where with Nick as guide you may uncover fresh truths about the world and even yourself.
Listening to the masterly narration on the top quality audiobooks will bring the characters and action to vivid life.
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
July 18, 2019
I really had a hard time finding anything to like about this book. To me, it lacked substance and any kind of a good story. There was nothing that pulled me in and made me want to find out more. I only finished, because I hate leaving books half read. I got really tired of the gay scenes too. I just didn't think they added to the story. I'm still not sure what the point of the book was. I'm sure there are those who liked it, but it is not one I can recommend.
July 11, 2019
Hellyer's Trip is a fun little espionage novel. I enjoyed the vivid detail and all of the historical information and the way the author ties it all together.
The audio quality was good and the narrator does a good job presenting the story.
I received this audiobook from the narrator/author/publisher in exchange for an honest review via Audiobook Boom.
The audio quality was good and the narrator does a good job presenting the story.
I received this audiobook from the narrator/author/publisher in exchange for an honest review via Audiobook Boom.
January 26, 2020
Abrupt finish
Good book but all of a sudden finished abruptly. Could have been better if the story continued on as the story was just getting interesting in his current assignment. Looking forward to the next book.
Good book but all of a sudden finished abruptly. Could have been better if the story continued on as the story was just getting interesting in his current assignment. Looking forward to the next book.
February 21, 2023
good writing but the story fades at the end
I quite enjoyed the first half of the book although the story slowed down at times but the second half was more of a slog and the end came quite abruptly.
I quite enjoyed the first half of the book although the story slowed down at times but the second half was more of a slog and the end came quite abruptly.
August 28, 2022
I enjoyed this one! I found Hellyer a fun spy.Matthew Garrill was a fine narrator.I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews