Nemesis

Tom Wilde #3

by Rory Clements

A race against time to unmask a Nazi spy.

In a great English house, a young woman offers herself to one of the most powerful and influential figures in the land - but this is no ordinary seduction. She plans to ensure his death . . .

On holiday in France, Professor Tom Wilde discovers his brilliant student Julian Marfield, who disappeared two years earlier to join the International Brigades in Spain, in the Le Vernet concentration camp in the foothills of the Pyrenees. Wilde secures his release just as German tanks roll into Poland.

Meanwhile, a U-boat sinks the liner Athenia in the Atlantic with many casualties, including Americans, onboard. Goebbels claims Churchill put a bomb in the ship to blame Germany and to lure America into the war.

As the various strands of an international conspiracy begin to unwind, Tom Wilde will find himself in great personal danger. For just who is Julian Marfield? And where does his loyalty lie?

For readers of Robert Harris, C J Sansom and William Boyd, this is a thriller that will keep you on the edge of your seat - by Sunday Times bestseller and author of Corpus and Nucleus , Rory Clements.

Praise for CORPUS

'Dramatic . . . pacy and assured' Daily Mail

'Political polarisation, mistrust and simmering violence ' The Times

'A standout historical novel and spy thriller' Daily Express

Praise for RORY CLEMENTS

' Enjoyable, bloody and brutish ' Guardian

'Sends a shiver down your spine ' Daily Mail

'A colourful history lesson . . . exciting narrative twists ' Sunday Telegraph

Genres: Historical Fiction, Fiction, Thriller, Espionage, Historical, War, Audiobook

352 pages, Hardcover

First published January 24, 2019

About the author

Rory Clements has had a long and successful newspaper career, including being features editor and associate editor of Today, editor of the Daily Mail's Good Health Pages, and editor of the health section at the Evening Standard. He now writes full-time in an idyllic corner of Norfolk, England.

Reviews

[Paromjit · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the 3rd in the wonderful American History Professor Tom Wilde series by Rory Clements and it is a real humdinger set around the beginning of WW2 as Britain declares war on Hitler's Germany. It is a time of tremendous turbulence and as they say the first casualty of war is the truth as a propaganda war takes off. The US has chosen to remain neutral despite Roosevelt not liking the Germans, the American public are hostile to the war and the Germans wish to keep it that way. However, Britain with Churchill and France are doing all they can to secure American support, particularly supplies, and are convinced it is vital that the USA enters the conflict to secure victory. It is 1939, Tom and Lydia's wedding is aborted, she just cannot bring herself to buy into the concept of marriage, but the pair have gone ahead with their honeymoon in France.

Tom is approached by a man calling himself Honore, informing him that a charming Cambridge student of his, Marcus Marfield, who had left university to fight for the Republican International Brigade in Spain is being held in a French concentration camp, Le Vernet. Marcus is a handsome man, endowed with the most beautifully angelic of voices as a chorister. Tom goes on to secure Marcus's release, he is suffering PTSD and has been shot. They return to Britain on the day war is declared, going back to Cambridge. Marcus's behaviour and actions make Tom feel uneasy, Marcus's parents and brother have disowned him and on their arrival back to Cambridge, the father commits suicide. This is soon followed by another unexpected apparent suicide that makes little sense and arouses suspicions. The Intelligence Services are stretched thin, but MI5 and old friend, Philip Eaden, show interest in Marcus and want Tom Wilde to look into him and keep a close eye on him. The British liner, The Athenia, with many Americans aboard, is torpedoed by the Germans. This is a story of thrilling derring do, desperate dangers, spies, double agents, betrayal, treason and espionage, all aimed at swaying the US.

Rory Clements writes a thrilling account of the beginning of WW2, the essential need to win the bitterly fought propaganda war, as important if not more so, than planning for the actual war at home and in Europe. The Germans endeavour to pass off the sinking of The Athenia as perpetrated by the British to manoevre the Americans into siding with the Allies by blaming the Germans. The author focuses on this importance of the US with the multiple threads in the narrative to show just how far the Germans, and those who support Nazism in other countries will go to ensure the US remains out of the war. This is a well plotted story of our hero, Tom, going over and above in his efforts to support the British war effort, putting himself on the line with deadly killers on the loose that threaten those close to him and threaten to damage British and US relations irrevocably. This is a brilliantly entertaining novel in what is a stellar historical series. I look forward to reading the next in this series with great anticipation. Many thanks to Bonnier Zaffre for an ARC.

[Ivana - Diary of Difference · Rating 5 out of 5]

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The Tom Wilde Series
#1 Corpus - Not Read Yet
#2 Nucleus - Not Read Yet
#3 Nemesis - ★★★★★



Nemesis is the third book from the Tom Wilde series by Rory Clements. I haven't read the previous two books, and I also haven't read any books from Rory Clements before. I received this book through ReadersFirst, and I will be honest, I was quite reluctant to read it. You already know my opinion on reading sequels before reading the previous books - but I went in blind in this book.

The blue cover is simply gorgeous and I knew it was a thriller and a mystery, so I decided this was enough to get me going. If this book review ever captures your attention, I advise you to also go in blind. I think going blind made me enjoy this book even more.The fact that this is a third book in a series doesn't mean anything. The only similarity with the other books is the main character. Almost the same basis as Dan Brown's series and his professor Robert Langdon. The books are entirely standalones.

It is very hard to reveal what the plot is about without spoiling the fun. Tom Wilde is a university professor and one of his very talented students, Marcus, has left to join the International Brigades in Spain. Now, two years after, he is in trouble, and Tom helps him come home.

Meanwhile, numerous things happen, involving World War 2 Politics and propaganda, and in these times, no one knows who to trust. And when Tom Wilde finds himself in great danger, who will help him? And who does he needs to be afraid from? Has maybe helping Marcus been his greatest mistake?

Nemesis is full of suspense from the very first chapter, and the thing I loved the most about it was that the chapters are quite short, and always leave you hanging, hungry to find out more. Every word that Rory Clements types had a meaning and a purpose in this book, and that was the bit I admired the most.

The time setting revolves around the Second World War - a subject I don't often read about. I can't judge about the historical fiction element. However I do know that while I am a person that doesn't enjoy war books, this one struck me in a nice way. The war setting was very well written, and you could even feel the atmosphere around it. The ending was pleasantly surprising and it involved a mystery I could simply not resist.

I will definitely read more books by Rory Clements, as I really enjoy the writing. If you enjoy thrillers and if you are a fan of Dan Brown, you will probably enjoy Nemesis a lot!

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[Adrienne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Historical Fiction at it's finest. Set at the beginning of WW11. Professor Tom Wilde, while on honeymoon in France, rescues his brilliant student Marcus Marfield. Returning him to England.
But Tom Wilde is then in great danger. And who is Marcus Whitfield. Definitely not the student Wilde knew.
Great story telling, intricate plotting of MI5, MI6, English and American politics. With the German propaganda machine spouting their views.
Wonderful story and illustrating the then historical events brilliantly.
Unputdownable

[Cathy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really don’t know how Rory Clements keeps turning out books that are more brilliantly enjoyable than the last.  I was already a fan of the author’s books from his ‘John Shakespeare’ series set in Elizabethan England.  I greatly enjoyed Corpus, the first in his ‘Tom Wilde’ series set in the run-up to World War 2, and loved the second book, Nucleus. However, to my mind, Nemesis is the best yet.  I can’t even begin to bring myself to think about the possibility this might be the last in the series...

The opening chapters of the book introduce a number of different characters and plot strands, including some real-life public figures.  Those familiar with previous books won’t be surprised to know that the various strands are skilfully woven together with one or two surprises delivered among the way, all building to a breathless climax and some memorable closing scenes.

The book takes the reader on a journey from the aftermath of the Spanish Civil War, to France, the west coast of Ireland, the streets and colleges of Cambridge and its surrounding countryside.  Mistaken identity, bluff and double bluff, high speed chases, sticky situations and a character who is the embodiment of pure evil – the story has it all.  And, of course, it wouldn’t be a Rory Clements book without someone completely off your radar turning out to be not quite who you thought they were.   As one character remarks to Tom Wilde, ‘You’ve studied Walsingham.  When someone goes undercover, they must adopt a convincing persona.’

Behind the micro detail of the plot is the macro of the wider political situation as factions manoeuvre behind the scenes to try to influence their countries’ response to Germany’s aggression.   As a friend reminds Tom, ‘This is a propaganda war.’  There are tender moments as well.  I don’t suppose I’ll be the only reader hoping that the prayers of one character are answered: ‘Dear God, he thought, bring this woman through, and I’ll never doubt you again’.     

I was so glad to see Tom and Lydia maintaining their formidable partnership.  OK, so I have a bit of a crush on Tom.  Perhaps it’s that combination of a historian’s analytical brain and the well-honed boxer’s body trained to react quickly that does it.  But I also absolutely love the character of Lydia: intelligent, brave, resourceful and independent-minded.  In Nemesis, change is on the horizon for both of them.  How will they respond given events of the past?

Never one to waste a good line, I’ll steal from own review of Nucleus and say that when it comes to historical thrillers Nemesis has ‘more thrills than a 100mph burn-up on Tom Wilde’s trusty Rudge Special’.  You’ve worked out I loved it, right? 

I received a review copy courtesy of publishers, Bonnier Zaffre, and NetGalley.

[Richard · Rating 3 out of 5]

6.5/10

Based in Cambridge at the dawn of WW2, this was an entertaining enough thriller without ever really drawing me in for more. It’s the second novel I’ve read by this author in this setting and he’s consistent in what’s on offer.

The mystery is interesting enough early on and I wasn’t entirely sure what was going to happen and where things were going. But, as with the other novel I read, the main draw for me is the place and setting. I could happily read just about the dawn of the war and how it effected the lives of people and this is the standout aspect of this novel for me.

Things descend into the usual twisty tale and people aren’t what they seem and soon it walks the fine line of implausibility without fully crossing it. It was enjoyable enough without being memorable. As with the last book I read in this series, I’d be happy to continue reading more without jumping at the chance.

I received a copy from NetGalley for review and this was it

[Clemens Schoonderwoert · Rating 5 out of 5]

This suspenseful thriller is the 3rd part of the fascinating "Tom Wilde" series from the author Rory Clements.
It's for certain another spellbound spy thriller that will keep you entertained from start to finish.
At the end of the book you'll find a well documented Afterword by the author, and it's there where the historical details concerning this story are wonderfully explained.
Story-telling is absolutely of a top-notch quality by the author, all the characters, whether real great historical or wonderful fictional, come splendidly to life within this spy thriller, and the dark and bleak atmosphere of pre-war 1930s life in Cambridge, England or France and elsewhere in Europe come superbly off the pages.
This book sets off in the year 1939, after a short but intriguing prologue which is set in June 1931, in the month of August until November, with Europe on the brink of WWII, and the destruction, horror and the inevitable deaths that war will certainly bring.
Our main characters are, American Professor Thomas Wilde of Cambridge University and his living partner Lydia Morris, and they unknowingly will get embroiled into another desperate and dangerous mission, when they manage the release of a certain Marcus Marfield from a internment (concentration)-camp in the Pyrenees in the South of France, while at first thinking they've done some good, this action will eventually backfire against them.
What will follow is a very intriguing and deadly spy thriller, where Tom Wilde and Lydia Morris will encounter many life threatening moments, and after quite a few twists and turns the story will finally reveal a gripping plot, and one where Marcus Marfield after shaking off his mask of self-pity and hurt, will turn into a mysterious violent person who will show to everyone what he really is and what he's truly about.
Very much recommended, for this is another gripping episode in the Tom Wilde series, and what this book is concerned I like to call it: "A Very Exciting Conspiring Thriller"!

[Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the third in the Professor Tom Wilde series, following, “Corpus, “ and “Nucleus,” both of which I enjoyed. We begin with a flashback to 1931, where we are briefly introduced to a talented thirteen year old chorister, Marcus Marfield, singing a solo at Kings College Chapel, Cambridge.

Fast forward to 1939 and Wilde, and his partner, Lydia, are travelling in France. War is days away and their holiday is winding down, when Wilde has a strange visitor. He informs him that a young English man, previously fighting in the Spanish Civil War, is in an internment camp and needs his help. Wilde was the supervisor of Marcus Marfield at Cambridge and immediately does all he can to obtain his release and return him to England.

Back in Cambridge, it soon appears that things are more complicated than they first appeared. There are odd deaths, strange reactions to the reappearance of Marcus and Tom spots a woman who he believes has followed them back to Cambridge. This whole novel is wrapped around the opening weeks of the war and of America’s role in the forthcoming conflict. This includes, as do other books in the series, cameos of real life characters – including Joe Kennedy, who famously was against American involvement in WWII, including providing military and economic aid to England, and Winston Churchill.

One thread of the plot reminded me of, “Rendezvouz at the Russian Tea Rooms,” by Paul Willetts, and those real-life events were obviously an inspiration. If you enjoyed this novel, you might want to give some of the real life history of the time a look, and will probably enjoy Willetts book. However, that is not to say that this novel is not something entirely fictional, and very different. Author Rory Clements combines history with characters that we have come to care for, as well as introducing new ones. This is a fast moving and great addition to the series. I hope there will be more in the series. I received a copy of this book from the publisher, via NetGalley, for review.

[8stitches 9lives · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nemesis is the third novel in the Professor Tim Wilde series, and it's the best yet! Although the plot is self-contained it's advisable to have read the previous two to get a feel of the recurring or continuing characters. What I love about these books, in particular, is that the plot is intense, action-packed and full of suspense, intrigue and deception, but these are never focused on to the detriment of the historical fact; you can tell Clements has undertaken a lot of research of the time period, and this comes across as wonderfully authentic. The high-octane thrills of the first two books pick up even more steam in Nemesis with a plethora of twists, turns, misdirection and red herrings which blindside you catching you off guard. There's no doubt in my mind that Clements is a master of the spy thriller.

Set at the beginning of World War II, the story is precipitated by multiple murders committed in Cambridge, UK. It's fast pace and immersive writing makes this superb espionage fiction. Tom, our main protagonist, is a real hero and most likeable, as is his love interest Lydia. They work together as a successful amateur investigative team and are tenacious and intelligent in their thinking. The series of complex yarns are woven together seamlessly and challenges the reader to stay on their toes, which all leads to a satisfying climax and end to a truly gripping and exciting trilogy. I eagerly anticipate whatever Mr Clements does next; if it's as nail-bitingly tense as these three novels were then we're in for a treat. Highly recommended.

Many thanks to Zaffre for an ARC.

[Kate · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am in awe of Rory Clements. It doesn't matter which period of history he turns to, he nails it. Nemesis completes the Tom Wilde trilogy which covers the years and (in this book) days leading up to beginning the Second World War. It's a masterpiece of spies, intrigue, horror and political shenanigans, encompassing a range of characters, each with their own ordeal to face or secrets to keep. In this uncertain world so little can be trusted. Outstanding storytelling and plotting. While each novel can be read and enjoyed alone, as a trilogy its reward is staggering. Do not miss it! Review to follow shortly on For Winter Nights.

[Daniel Myatt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another fast paced thriller that has Tom Wilde finding you can't trust anyone.

Set in the early days of WW2 when suspicion was the norm, we're taken on a rip roaring spy / traitor hunt through Cambridge as it prepares for war.

Great pace, characters and plot as always.

[Stephen · Rating 3 out of 5]

plot based in the early stages of WW2 and intelligence service around Cambridge , enjoyed the book but felt however it couldn't of been slightly shorter though as thought it lost its way for awhile but an interesting part in this series.

[Adam Lofthouse · Rating 4 out of 5]

Continuing my recent found taste of thrillers set around WWII, I grabbed myself a copy of Nemesis, by Rory Clements.
I didn’t realise this was the third book in a series, and this is the first book I have read by the author. I can say from the off that you don’t need to have read books one and two to enjoy this, it reads very well as a standalone. Tom Wilde is an interesting protagonist, a seemingly ordinary man who manages to get caught up in extraordinary events.
The thrust of the story revolves around a young man named Marcus Marfield, and his relationship with Tom. We first hear of Marcus when a man turns up at a villa in France and asks for Tom to go to a prison camp in France and rescue Marcus, who is being held there after participating in the war in Spain. Marcus is a singer, with an angelic voice, well thought of back at the university in Cambridge, a boy with a bright future.
But as the story unravels Marcus’ true personality comes to the fore, his fascist beliefs, his enjoyment for killing.
Keep turning the pages and we learn Marcus is a full-blown Nazi, in league with a MI6 officer, their mission to keep America out of the coming war, leave Europe isolated. Marcus Marfield is an incredible creation, at times truly horrifying, there was one scene in particular which had me grimacing, you will I’m sure, see for yourself which one.
Without giving more spoilers away I can say that the angle of this book is fascinating, concentrating in the main on the weeks before WWII broke out, and the propaganda both sides were running. Its incredible just thinking that no one then knew what horrors were to come, and how long they would have to endure them.

[Gram · Rating 4 out of 5]

Set in August and September 1939, the opening days of World War II, this story reunites us with Professor Tom Wilde and his partner Lydia Morris. They are on holiday in France after Lydia had called off their wedding at the last minute. Wilde is approached by a man called Honore who tells him that one of his former students, Marcus Marfield, is being held in a French camp for refugees from the Spanish Civil War. The latter has ended in victory for Franco and his fascist army, aided by Hitler and Mussolini who backed the military rebellion against Spain's elected government. Marfield went to Spain to fight against Franco with the International Brigade.
As Wilde and his French host arrive at the camp, they discover that Marfield has been wounded - shot in the arm by someone outside the camp fence. They are allowed to take him back to Britain where they learn that on the day they arrived Marfield's father had committed suicide. Back in Cambridge, Lydia takes Marcus to hospital to have his wounds treated and gets him to talk with a psychiatrist who hypnotises him. Shortly afterwards, the psychiatrist is found dead, seemingly another suicide.

Tom Wilde is suspicious of Marfield's strange behaviour. Marcus is a very handsome man with a beautiful singing voice, and was known as "the golden boy", but he hides a dark secret. Wilde believes he is suffering from psychological scars from his time in war torn Spain and is determined to discover what happened there.
Meanwhile, there is a parallel story about Jim Vanderberg, Wilde's friend at the American Embassy in London. Vanderberg's wife Juliet and their two young sons are on board the liner Athenia when it is torpedoed by a German U-boat. Vanderberg leaves for Glasgow to search for his wife and sons, frantic with worry that they may be among the victims of the U-boat attack. In Paris, there is a failed attempt on the life of the American ambassador while back in London, the USA's ambassador to Great Britain, Joseph Kennedy is winning no friends by saying that he thinks Germany will win the war. Winston Churchill appears in the story, telling his inner circle that victory will depend on whether the USA will enter the war.

As Germany and the Soviet Union divide up defeated Poland and the British and French prepare for invasion, Wilde pursues his inquiries. Soon, he is reunited with Philip Eaton, an MI6 agent who seems to know a great deal about Marcus Marfield's time in Spain, as does Eaton's colleague, Guy Rowlands.

As the body count rises, Wilde discovers a piece of film which casts new light on Marfield's time in Spain. Wilde realises he has been duped and that everything he knows about Marfield is a lie. But who can he trust? Almost everyone involved seems to have a secret agenda.

Although this is the 3rd book in the Tom Wilde series it can easily be read as a standalone since author Rory Clements often refers back to the previous history of Wilde, Lydia and other characters in the story. As usual, the author provides a wealth of detail about real events and real people in this gripping thriller. In the book's Afterword, he provides fascinating excerpts from the diaries of various famous men and women, writing about the opening weeks of World War II and their hopes and fears for the future of Europe.

[Gram · Rating 4 out of 5]

Set in August and September 1939, the opening days of World War II, this story reunites us with Professor Tom Wilde and his partner Lydia Morris. They are on holiday in France after Lydia had called off their wedding at the last minute. Wilde is approached by a man called Honore who tells him that one of his former students, Marcus Marfield, is being held in a French camp for refugees from the Spanish Civil War. The latter has ended in victory for Franco and his fascist army, aided by Hitler and Mussolini who backed the military rebellion against Spain's elected government. Marfield went to Spain to fight against Franco with the International Brigade.
As Wilde and his French host arrive at the camp, they discover that Marfield has been wounded - shot in the arm by someone outside the camp fence. They are allowed to take him back to Britain where they learn that on the day they arrived Marfield's father had committed suicide. Back in Cambridge, Lydia takes Marcus to hospital to have his wounds treated and gets him to talk with a psychiatrist who hypnotises him. Shortly afterwards, the psychiatrist is found dead, seemingly another suicide.
Tom Wilde is suspicious of Marfield's strange behaviour. Marcus is a very handsome man with a beautiful singing voice, and was known as "the golden boy", but he hides a dark secret. Wilde believes he is suffering from psychological scars from his time in war torn Spain and is determined to discover what happened there.
Meanwhile, there is a parallel story about Jim Vanderberg, Wilde's friend at the American Embassy in London. Vanderberg's wife Juliet and their two young sons are on board the liner Athenia when it is torpedoed by a German U-boat. Vanderberg leaves for Glasgow to search for his wife and sons, frantic with worry that they may be among the victims of the U-boat attack. In Paris, there is a failed attempt on the life of the American ambassador while back in London, the USA's ambassador to Great Britain, Joseph Kennedy is winning no friends by saying that he thinks Germany will win the war. Winston Churchill appears in the story, telling his inner circle that victory will depend on whether the USA will enter the war.
As Germany and the Soviet Union divide up defeated Poland and the British and French prepare for invasion, Wilde pursues his inquiries. Soon, he is reunited with Philip Eaton, an MI6 agent who seems to know a great deal about Marcus Marfield's time in Spain, as does Eaton's colleague, Guy Rowlands.
As the body count rises, Wilde discovers a piece of film which casts new light on Marfield's time in Spain. Wilde realises he has been duped and that everything he knows about Marfield is a lie. But who can he trust? Almost everyone involved seems to have a secret agenda.
Although this is the 3rd book in the Tom Wilde series it can easily be read as a standalone since author Rory Clements often refers back to the previous history of Wilde, Lydia and other characters in the story. As usual, the author provides a wealth of detail about real events and real people in this gripping thriller. In the book's Afterword, he provides fascinating excerpts from the diaries of various famous men and women, writing about the opening weeks of World War II and their hopes and fears for the future of Europe.

[Nicki · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was great to get back to this wonderful series set in 1930s Cambridge, with two of my favourite amateur detectives, Professor Tom Wilde and his girlfriend Lydia Morris.

This book opens just before the start of World War Two, whilst Tom and Lydia are on holiday in the south of France. Tom is approached by a stranger who lets him know that Marcus Marfield, one of his Cambridge students, is in a concentration camp and needs help to get back to England. Tom being a true gentleman visits the camp and brings the student back to England with Lydia. What starts off as an act of kindness, soon turns into something far more sinister than Tom and Lydia could ever imagine.

This was a super book that I read in 24 hours, with so many twists, turns and an international conspiracy, that I really didn’t know what to expect next. Even though I read this just before Christmas, I still get the shivers thinking about the villain and the things that happened. This is definitely the best in the series so far, and I can’t wait for the next book, even though I have to wait another year!

I thoroughly recommend this book and series if you enjoy historical crime fiction.

Thanks so much to NetGalley and Bonnier Zaffre for my digital copy

[Charlie Hasler · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great read, has shades of Day of The Jackal.

[Kayleigh · Rating 3 out of 5]

I thought I’d really enjoy this book but unfortunately that wasn’t the case.
I’m not saying I disliked it, it was an okay read but I’m not sure if maybe because it was the third book of a series and I didn’t realise or what but I didn’t feel any connection to any of the characters and found it a little boring until just over halfway.
Even then the excitement only lasted a short while before petering out again.

I don’t think this is a series I’ll be continuing with.

[James · Rating 3 out of 5]

With each book in the series Rory Clements gets better and better. It’s not a subtle battle between a good boxing don and a very evil Nazi. Plenty of thrills.

[Wendy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nemesis is an impressive thrill of a read with an unsettling core. The blackout curtains have been drawn, but this can provide little protection against the rapid darkness that has already crept onto our own little island.

So, this may be book three of the series yet it remains as fully-fuelled as the first to provide outrageous manoeuvres. These are not only politically damaging but a genuine threat to an entire nation’s survival. The plot seizes the decisive moments of a people steeling themselves to confront a known enemy and tackles the dreadful, unexpected consequences as a stealthier one emerges.

Once again the narration is superb and assuredly defines the circles inhabited by Tom Wilde, an American professor wrestling with the ugly, beautiful, and treacherous faces surrounding him. One thing’s for sure, this author has a gift for writing characters whose successes or failures are determined simply by how much they can trust the next person.

What I found exceptional is how seamlessly the brave operatives who covertly guard an entire country (and beyond) integrate into society, and how their decisions are not black and white, as there’s often some murkier shade bleeding around the edges, patiently waiting to seep into the cracks that are starting to form.

Sickening betrayals, conflicting truths, and formidable adversaries with highly effective tactics – Nemesis captures all of this, and more. Mightily convincing, as always.

[Neil Lacey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Has the potential to be a great story for people interested in this period of history and although ok, I struggle with a lot of characters in a short space of time and a bit of jumping round. Pleased I stuck with it and will likely read the next one in the series.

[Jen · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5⭐
A fantastic romp.

[Lucy Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

A much better third outing for Tom Wilde than Nucleus. Enjoying how pleasantly unpredictable the series is - and if the rest flow the same way, my TBR should be empty by the end of March. 🤞

[AngelaC · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really a 3 1/2 stars. An easy read and quite a page turner although, as in other Rory Clements books I've read, there are so many twists, turns and characters that the plot becomes a bit muddled at times.
I wish Rory Clements was not continually touted as the new Robert Harris. He isn't. There is much less background ad research in his books.
That said, if you want a crome novel that is quick, easy and devoid of moral debate or social issues, this one could be for you.

[Mark Harrison · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderfully paced thriller as Tom Wilde rescues an old student from detention in France and then finds himself involved with a callous killer and plots to keep America from any involvement in WW2. Horrendous baddie, sone excellent twists and surprises and a damned good read.

[Adam Carson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Set in the first days of World War 2, this is the third in the series of American Cambridge History Don, and part time amateur spy Tom Wilde.

I enjoyed the prior two books of the series, and Nemesis was no exception. It’s a fast paced spy thriller. Like the charterers, you’ll find it difficult to know who to trust, but Clements does a great job of slowly revealing people’s true nature - for good or ill.

Aside from the excellent character development, there’s a gripping central story with a number of interesting side-plots. It’s absolutely fascinating to have actual historical events at the start of World War 2, combined with fiction here, and you get the senses it very well researched.

Looking forward to the next!

[William Carter · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nicely paced

Another great Tom Wilde book, very well written plot capturing the early days of the Second World War. Very entertaining.

[Rory Andresier · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really good pacing and very gripping again from Clements. Keeps you guessing, reveals things well and such a good structure. The best of the Tom wildes I’ve read so far

[Ross Mathieson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Just finished reading Nemesis. A good story of intrigue at the start of WW2. Maybe not quite as good as Hitler's Secret.

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Can a ruthless spy ring change the course of war? In a great English house, a young woman offers herself to one of the most powerful and influential figures in the land - but this is no ordinary seduction. She plans to ensure his death . . . On holiday in France, Professor Tom Wilde discovers his brilliant student Marcus Marfield, who disappeared two years earlier to join the International Brigades in Spain, in the Le Vernet concentration camp in the foothills of the Pyrenees. Wilde secures his release just as German tanks roll into Poland. Meanwhile, a U-boat sinks the liner Athenia in the Atlantic with many casualties, including Americans, onboard. Goebbels claims Churchill put a bomb in the ship to blame Germany and to lure America into the war. As the various strands of an international conspiracy begin to unwind, Tom Wilde will find himself in great personal danger. For just who is Marcus Marfield? And where does his loyalty lie?"

This publisher’s profile sets the scene for the third book in Rory Clements’ series starring Tom Wilde, professor of history at a Cambridge college and his next-door neighbour girlfriend, Lydia Morris. In addition to including various characters from previous books, it introduces several new ones, both fictional and real-life, who are used to drive this series forward into the early weeks of the Second World War. With numerous strands, the story moves between the aftermath of the Spanish Civil War, France, Scotland, the west coast of Ireland, the fens of East Anglia and the town and colleges of Cambridge. It is a fast-moving story which includes political intrigue, mistaken identity, double-bluff after double-bluff, espionage, treachery, sabotage, high-speed car/motorbike chases and ever-present danger for the protagonists of the story –all the ingredients needed to produce a fairly high-octane thriller!
Although there were times when I found it necessary to suspend disbelief about some of the plot developments, I felt enough engagement with the characters to feel able to do so with good humoured tolerance! Tom’s forays into the dark, murky world of espionage, whilst demanding more suspension of disbelief, did allow the author to explore the labyrinthine interrelationships and rivalries between MI6, MI5, Special Branch etc. However, I was able to feel much more straightforwardly engaged with the more realistic complexities of the relationship between Tom and Lydia, and the will they/won’t they ever get married question which continues to hang over it. Each of them is likeable and convincing and at the end of the story I was left wanting to know what will happen to them as the war progresses!
The new character of Marcus Marfield is central to this story and although it’s impossible to go into detail about why without risking plot-spoilers, the contrast between a character with a “voice from heaven”, a chorister in the King’s College Chapel Choir, and someone hiding dark secrets, created much of the tension which ran throughout the novel.
As in Nucleus, the previous book I read in this series, one of the things I enjoyed most about this story was the way in which Rory Clements interwove historical events into his story-telling, adding an authenticity which drove the narrative. He captured the massive political turbulence of the time and demonstrated the power of the huge propaganda “war” which was being waged, with Britain, France desperate to secure American support, and Germany equally determined that the US should remain neutral. The Germans’ attempt to shift the blame onto the British for the torpedoing of the Athenia, was done with the purpose of encouraging the American people to maintain their neutrality. He also illustrated how the conflicting political factions which held sway in Britain, France and Spain at that time posed almost as dangerous and divisive as the threat from Germany – given what is happening with the current Brexit negotiations there were moments when all of this felt far too depressingly familiar!
It is clear that Rory Clements has researched this period well and made use of the knowledge he gained to create an evocative sense of place and convincing contemporary dialogue, something which certainly added to my enjoyment of this story. His inclusion at the end of the book of excerpts from contemporary diary entries, letters etc. provided not only fascinating and moving insights into the lives of ordinary people but reinforced just how effectively he had used his research throughout all aspects of his storytelling.
With thanks to Zaffre and Readers First for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Marjorie · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 Stars

This is the third book written by Rory Clements that centres around Tom Wilde, American Professor of History at Cambridge. It picks up where Nucleus leaves off and features some familiar characters - Philip Eaton, beaten but unbowed and the divine Lydia Morris. It also has, in common with the first two books, a propensity to wax lyrical about Tom's Rudge motorcycle and it's mighty 500cc engine.

Instead of being set just before World War II, this book sees the start of the conflict in 1939 and is a mixture of real people and events and the fictional. To be honest, it is the fictional that are the most interesting, especially the rather charismatic and enigmatic Marcus Marfield.

The settings move from pre-war France back to Cambridge and some exploration of the surrounding fens. In comparison to Nucleus it is a little bit of a damp squib, but still a pretty strong tale. The beauty of the book is not so much it's plot - which, despite the turbulent times and the heinous actions contained within it seems to meander rather than punch through - but in the characters.

Despite all their failings Tom Wilde and Philip Eaton read like real flesh and blood upon the page. Quite how a Professor of History and an MI6 Agent are wound so intrinsically is still a little bit baffling (and I've now read all 3 books in the series) but they are and it works well. Every character in the book reacts in odd ways sometimes, but completely in keeping with their character at all times. Perhaps the strongest is Lydia, undoubted bluestocking but all the better for it.

There is a lot of seemingly random connection making in the book which can be hard to swallow and some of the violence is, perhaps, of the extreme variety. I did find myself having to read some sections a couple of times to figure out what on earth was going on as the language can be obfuscatory. Well worth persevering with though and has a strange ring of truth to it (as all the best Historical Fiction should).

I RECEIVED A FREE COPY OF THIS BOOK FROM READERS FIRST IN EXCHANGE FOR AN HONEST REVIEW.