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Spy Masters #3
Vienna Spies
With the end of the Second World War in sight, the Allies begin to divide up the spoils and it proves to be a dangerous game. The British have become aware that, contrary to prior agreements, the Soviet Union is intent on controlling Austria once the war ends. Major Edgar is tasked with the job of establishing an espionage unit in Vienna to monitor the situation. He sends in two agents - Rolf Eder and Katharina Hoch - to track down Austria's most respected politician and bring him over to the British cause. But the feared Soviet spy Viktor Krasotkin is already in the war-torn city, embarking on exactly the same mission. A taut, tense masterclass in espionage fiction, perfect for fans of John le Carré, Len Deighton and Jack Higgins.
380 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2017
729 people are currently reading
428 people want to read
About the author
Alex Gerlis
37 books328 followersAlex Gerlis was born in Grimsby, Lincolnshire, in 1955. He graduated with a degree in Law and Politics from Hull University in 1977 and, after working as a political researcher and journalist, joined the BBC in 1983 as a researcher on Panorama.
Over the next twenty years he worked on a number of BBC News and Current Affairs programmes, including making documentaries for The Money Programme and election programmes with David Dimbleby and Jeremy Paxman. He has also edited Breakfast News, the One o'Clock News, the Six o'Clock News and the Weekend News for the BBC. In August 1998 he was the BBC TV News duty editor on the day of the Omagh bomb in Northern Ireland, the coverage of which later won a Royal Television Society award. In September 2001 he was one of the BBC Newsroom team covering the attack on the Twin Towers. He has also worked for the BBC throughout Europe, the United States, the Middle East and in China, and from 2005 to March 2011 was Head of Training at the BBC College of Journalism – the body in charge of the training of the corporation's 7,500 journalists.
Alex's first novel was inspired by his work covering the 50th anniversary of D-Day from Normandy. He is married with two daughters and lives in west London.
Over the next twenty years he worked on a number of BBC News and Current Affairs programmes, including making documentaries for The Money Programme and election programmes with David Dimbleby and Jeremy Paxman. He has also edited Breakfast News, the One o'Clock News, the Six o'Clock News and the Weekend News for the BBC. In August 1998 he was the BBC TV News duty editor on the day of the Omagh bomb in Northern Ireland, the coverage of which later won a Royal Television Society award. In September 2001 he was one of the BBC Newsroom team covering the attack on the Twin Towers. He has also worked for the BBC throughout Europe, the United States, the Middle East and in China, and from 2005 to March 2011 was Head of Training at the BBC College of Journalism – the body in charge of the training of the corporation's 7,500 journalists.
Alex's first novel was inspired by his work covering the 50th anniversary of D-Day from Normandy. He is married with two daughters and lives in west London.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 84 reviews
November 21, 2018
This is essentially a good thriller, with an exciting plot. A bit confusing at times though, and I was put off by the many grammatical errors in the version I read. A thorough edit would have helped!
September 17, 2017
3.5 from me for this one. This is Gerlis' third novel, set mainly in Vienna during WW2. There is an enormous cast of characters, some of whom are instantly forgettable. However, I did like the book, one of his main characters Victor is believable and the descriptions of Vienna during this period were insightful.
October 25, 2023
Another well researched World War II espionage story by Alex Gerlis. This one details a British secret service plan to rescue an Austrian politician hiding from the Nazis in Vienna as the war moves into its final months. But a top Soviet agent is also trying to find the politician to get him to aid a communist bid to control the post war government of Austria. The plot meanders in some places as the story become a bit convoluted, but Gerlis manages to capture the atmosphere of living in Nazi dominated Europe as the Red Army and its Western Allies move to divide the spoils of war. Much of the book is based on fact, but the author holds the attention with the brave actions of the fictional characters.
January 21, 2024
Gerlis has quietly (and with little fanfare, apparently) turned himself into one of the most effective spy-novelists currently active — this is the third book in his first series, and it is truly outstanding. None of the hackery one gets from Furst or even from Kerr’s first three Gunther novels (which are the only one’s I’ve read so far). Largely, I think, because he is not American and so “gets” the European mindset much more fluently. The books can be read in order or independently.
June 5, 2017
In The Secret War, his illuminating revisionist history of secret intelligence in World War II, the British journalist Max Hastings questions the value of what has come to be called “humint,” the product of spies working undercover. In Hastings’ view, spies had little effect on the outcome of the war. “Intelligence gathering is inherently wasteful,” Hastings writes. “Perhaps one-thousandth of 1 percent of material garnered from secret sources by all the belligerents in World War II contributed to changing battlefield outcomes.” Even code-breaking, including the deciphering of high-level Nazi and Japanese codes, played a relatively small role in the Allies’ victory, though one that was much greater than that of undercover operatives.
Even if Hastings doesn’t overstate his case—some argue he does—the romance of espionage has captured the public imagination. The exploits of spies have encouraged the growth of a veritable cottage industry in espionage fiction ever since the end of the Second World War. Graham Greene, John le Carré, Ian Fleming, Len Deighton, Alan Furst, Eric Ambler, and scores of others have generated thousands of stories about spies. Some, like most of Fleming’s, are fanciful and often laughable, pitting a superhero against supervillains, none of them bearing the slightest resemblance to real people. Others convey an impression of the true experience of undercover work, as many former intelligence agents have attested.
Alex Gerlis, a BBC researcher, has written three spy novels in recent years: The Best of Our Spies (2012), The Swiss Spy (2015), and Vienna Spies (2017). In his most recent book, Gerlis explores the contending forces of British intelligence, the NKVD, and the Gestapo in the closing years of World War II in Vienna.
Gerlis’ tale revolves six principal characters. Rolf Eder, who is Viennese, and Katharina Hoch, a German, are matched by British intelligence for a sensitive mission in Vienna, masquerading as a married couple. To assist them, they are to locate and meet with Sister Ursula, an Austrian nun who has been helping the British since the war started. Viktor Krasotkin, one of Moscow’s top spies, is dispatched to Vienna, in part to undermine their mission. His handler is Ilia Brodsky, a senior Soviet official who has “the ear of Stalin.” Above all, the spies from both nations must elude capture by the sadistic Kriminaldirektor Karl Strobel, the Gestapo’s top investigator of Communists and resistance fighters.
The British spies’ mission is two-fold: to find and eliminate Viktor and to rescue Austria’s most prominent anti-Nazi politician, Hubert Leitner, who has been hiding in the city for seven years. Meanwhile, Rolf has a private mission of his own: to learn the fate of the fiancee he left behind in Vienna when forced to flee to Switzerland several years earlier. And Viktor hopes to reunite with his lover, who is now married to a Nazi army officer. All these conflicting aims play out over the course of two years in Vienna, “a city that rivaled and possibly outdid Munich in its enthusiasm for the Nazis.”
Gerlis successfully captures the mood of wartime Vienna, with his detailed descriptions of life on the streets and the ever-present pall cast over the city by the Nazi occupation. On the surface, the leading characters might appear to be cartoonish. But Gerlis succeeds admirably in making them believable, with the possible exception of Karl Strobel (although other Gestapo officers appear more lifelike). In action that shifts rapidly from London to Zurich to Vienna to Moscow and back, the plot moves forward at a rapid clip. Vienna Spies is a satisfying read. My only complaint is that no one seems to have proofread the book. It’s full of missing prepositions, transposed words, and other glaringly obvious errors.
Even if Hastings doesn’t overstate his case—some argue he does—the romance of espionage has captured the public imagination. The exploits of spies have encouraged the growth of a veritable cottage industry in espionage fiction ever since the end of the Second World War. Graham Greene, John le Carré, Ian Fleming, Len Deighton, Alan Furst, Eric Ambler, and scores of others have generated thousands of stories about spies. Some, like most of Fleming’s, are fanciful and often laughable, pitting a superhero against supervillains, none of them bearing the slightest resemblance to real people. Others convey an impression of the true experience of undercover work, as many former intelligence agents have attested.
Alex Gerlis, a BBC researcher, has written three spy novels in recent years: The Best of Our Spies (2012), The Swiss Spy (2015), and Vienna Spies (2017). In his most recent book, Gerlis explores the contending forces of British intelligence, the NKVD, and the Gestapo in the closing years of World War II in Vienna.
Gerlis’ tale revolves six principal characters. Rolf Eder, who is Viennese, and Katharina Hoch, a German, are matched by British intelligence for a sensitive mission in Vienna, masquerading as a married couple. To assist them, they are to locate and meet with Sister Ursula, an Austrian nun who has been helping the British since the war started. Viktor Krasotkin, one of Moscow’s top spies, is dispatched to Vienna, in part to undermine their mission. His handler is Ilia Brodsky, a senior Soviet official who has “the ear of Stalin.” Above all, the spies from both nations must elude capture by the sadistic Kriminaldirektor Karl Strobel, the Gestapo’s top investigator of Communists and resistance fighters.
The British spies’ mission is two-fold: to find and eliminate Viktor and to rescue Austria’s most prominent anti-Nazi politician, Hubert Leitner, who has been hiding in the city for seven years. Meanwhile, Rolf has a private mission of his own: to learn the fate of the fiancee he left behind in Vienna when forced to flee to Switzerland several years earlier. And Viktor hopes to reunite with his lover, who is now married to a Nazi army officer. All these conflicting aims play out over the course of two years in Vienna, “a city that rivaled and possibly outdid Munich in its enthusiasm for the Nazis.”
Gerlis successfully captures the mood of wartime Vienna, with his detailed descriptions of life on the streets and the ever-present pall cast over the city by the Nazi occupation. On the surface, the leading characters might appear to be cartoonish. But Gerlis succeeds admirably in making them believable, with the possible exception of Karl Strobel (although other Gestapo officers appear more lifelike). In action that shifts rapidly from London to Zurich to Vienna to Moscow and back, the plot moves forward at a rapid clip. Vienna Spies is a satisfying read. My only complaint is that no one seems to have proofread the book. It’s full of missing prepositions, transposed words, and other glaringly obvious errors.
November 4, 2017
Edgar is back (I really don't like him much) in this excellent spy novel that takes place in Vienna during the forties. Not much to say in addition to my comments about the other two books in the series (only loosely can they be called a series; only in the sense some of the characters are the same.) I hope Gerlis writes more. They are quite good.
September 25, 2017
Alex Gerlis two previous novels, The Best of Our Spies and The Swiss Spy, were exceptional with superb characterisation and a gripping plot, well recounted.
This left me rather disappointed with Vienna Spies. The narrative is certainly interesting; both Allies trying to secure a political foothold in Austria before the inevitable fall of the Nazis, and the characters fascinating. Three things disappointed me: there was too much hopping to and fro between locations, much of the descriptive stuff was clichéd (just the word gestapo is enough to tell the reader what's going on) and the narrative style is both irritating and frustrating. Often the reader is told some event has occurred and then the author spends time telling us how this came about. This can work brilliantly once (see Don Siegel's superb 1964 film The Killers) but not several times with its effectiveness being dulled by repetition.
Having said that, few stories of the Second World War and its aftermath are set in Vienna (Philip Kerr's A German Requiem springs to mind) and Alex Gerlis has certainly carried out some thorough research to give the city a credible feel. Vienna Spies has much to commend it but ultimately a bit disappointing.
David Lowther. Author of The Blue Pencil,Liberating Belsen, Two Families at War and The Summer of '39, all published by Sacristy Press.
This left me rather disappointed with Vienna Spies. The narrative is certainly interesting; both Allies trying to secure a political foothold in Austria before the inevitable fall of the Nazis, and the characters fascinating. Three things disappointed me: there was too much hopping to and fro between locations, much of the descriptive stuff was clichéd (just the word gestapo is enough to tell the reader what's going on) and the narrative style is both irritating and frustrating. Often the reader is told some event has occurred and then the author spends time telling us how this came about. This can work brilliantly once (see Don Siegel's superb 1964 film The Killers) but not several times with its effectiveness being dulled by repetition.
Having said that, few stories of the Second World War and its aftermath are set in Vienna (Philip Kerr's A German Requiem springs to mind) and Alex Gerlis has certainly carried out some thorough research to give the city a credible feel. Vienna Spies has much to commend it but ultimately a bit disappointing.
David Lowther. Author of The Blue Pencil,Liberating Belsen, Two Families at War and The Summer of '39, all published by Sacristy Press.
May 2, 2022
3.5 stars
April 2, 2018
I would have given this a 5 star rating but feel it should have been shorter - partly due to more descriptions than it needed which rather interfered with the drama's pace. Nevertheless, I was hooked on the vivid story and historical information and look forward to reading more of this author's books.
April 16, 2018
A well-paced thriller about competing espionage teams in Vienna in the closing days of World War II.
June 11, 2017
Rating: story 9, writing 1. Mr. Gerlis' narrative is as gripping as any you'll find in spy fiction, but his prose is flat and journalistic, his characters are ciphers, and his dialogues is abysmal -- you can only tell the British and German characters apart because the former use 'bloody' in any other sentence. I get a bit angry when I imagine what a superior writer, say le Carre, Deighton or Greene, could have done with this narrative about British and Russian spies racing to secure an Austrian opposition leader in the waning days of World War II, but whatever, the plot is good, and that's why most people read novels.
July 29, 2021
Vienna Spies by Alex Gerlis
Vienna Spies engages readers from its very opening and continues to keep us riveted until the very end. Obviously, it is a story of espionage, intrigue, suspense, and danger. What makes it particularly compelling arises from its setting: Vienna, Austria.
As the novel progresses the ruthless, and violent repressive tactics of the Nazi forces controlling the city become clear in lurid detail. At the same time, it is clear the war has begun to wind down and the allied forces of the US, the UK, and the USSR each understand that their alliances will soon end. They understand that they will become rivals in attempting to control Austria after the war. The USSR will want to annex and subdue it; the other Allies will want it to be a free and sovereign nation.
Thus, the novel pits three enemies against one another, the Germans, the British/Americans, and the Soviets creating a tension which only heightens and becomes more intense as the novel progresses.
The writing is good, if not memorable, and the story is tightly controlled, full of detail yet not too much of it. Settings seem authentic and the characters feel life-like. The deprivation and desperation of the occupied nation and its citizens contrasts fully with their loyalty to the very nation which oppresses them, just as it actually did during the war.
A strength of the book is its list of characters found at the beginning of the book. This is a list that certainly comes in handy as readers see the behaviors and the motives of one character after another while trying to keep in mind which character fights for which of the antagonists.
The author, Alex Gerlis, presents characters in such a way as to make each individual, clearly delineated from other characters. Now and again, he does rely upon stereotypes in portraying some characters, particularly those which are British, but this small fault does not detract from the overall quality of the book.
The novels of Alan Furst also tell stories of espionage during WW II, and Gerlis’s works compare very favorably to those well-known novels by Furst. Those of us who enjoy WW II espionage stories will be very happy they encountered Gerlis and will want to read all of his books.
Vienna Spies engages readers from its very opening and continues to keep us riveted until the very end. Obviously, it is a story of espionage, intrigue, suspense, and danger. What makes it particularly compelling arises from its setting: Vienna, Austria.
As the novel progresses the ruthless, and violent repressive tactics of the Nazi forces controlling the city become clear in lurid detail. At the same time, it is clear the war has begun to wind down and the allied forces of the US, the UK, and the USSR each understand that their alliances will soon end. They understand that they will become rivals in attempting to control Austria after the war. The USSR will want to annex and subdue it; the other Allies will want it to be a free and sovereign nation.
Thus, the novel pits three enemies against one another, the Germans, the British/Americans, and the Soviets creating a tension which only heightens and becomes more intense as the novel progresses.
The writing is good, if not memorable, and the story is tightly controlled, full of detail yet not too much of it. Settings seem authentic and the characters feel life-like. The deprivation and desperation of the occupied nation and its citizens contrasts fully with their loyalty to the very nation which oppresses them, just as it actually did during the war.
A strength of the book is its list of characters found at the beginning of the book. This is a list that certainly comes in handy as readers see the behaviors and the motives of one character after another while trying to keep in mind which character fights for which of the antagonists.
The author, Alex Gerlis, presents characters in such a way as to make each individual, clearly delineated from other characters. Now and again, he does rely upon stereotypes in portraying some characters, particularly those which are British, but this small fault does not detract from the overall quality of the book.
The novels of Alan Furst also tell stories of espionage during WW II, and Gerlis’s works compare very favorably to those well-known novels by Furst. Those of us who enjoy WW II espionage stories will be very happy they encountered Gerlis and will want to read all of his books.
September 13, 2022
A tense spy novel set in Hitler's Vienna
Alex Gerlis' Vienna Spies is a welcome change from the customary setting for a spy novel. Vienna is often overlooked in WW2 literature.
Most of us are well versed in the main theatres of war, perhaps not so much in the role Austria played in Hitler's Third Reich. After reading this book you will be much better informed. One thing in particular that is revealing is the difficulties the Allied intelligence services experienced in Austria, given the overwhelming support Hitler received from his countrymen. Naturally there were some pockets of resistance, but nothing on the scale of other occupied countries.
The main thrust of the book is the attempt by British Intelligence to safely extricate an emminent anti-Nazi Austrian politician who has been in hiding in Vienna; the reasoning being that he was seen as a vital tool in post war negotiations.
A young Viennese man is recruited and trained to accompany another agent who will pose as his wife. The two of them are also charged with finding the whereabouts of a notorious Russian operative. It is a game of cat and mouse with the Russian also trying to locate the British agent and the Austrian politician.
The story is plausible enough. There is a lot of historical background and detailed description of Vienna and its surrounds. There is also the back story of the relationship between the two agents and the young man's search for his former fiancée.
The characters are stereotypes as you would expect in a spy novel, with the British perhaps looking a bit ridiculous at times. One can only assume that if they were really like this in WW2 we can be grateful for Hitler's errors, otherwise a lot of us would probably be speaking German now. The characters are not two dimensional however; there is considerable pathos and emotion. We can identify with many of them as they each struggle to survive in difficult times.
After a bit of toing and froing at the start of the novel the pace picks up considerably when the agents reach Vienna. The tone becomes very tense and you will be hard pressed to put the book down.
The ending is fairly predictable, which is probably good, as by then you'll need a circuit breaker.
Gerlis' style is very readable. The book is well researched, the dialogue very natural and it flows well.
Alex Gerlis' Vienna Spies is a welcome change from the customary setting for a spy novel. Vienna is often overlooked in WW2 literature.
Most of us are well versed in the main theatres of war, perhaps not so much in the role Austria played in Hitler's Third Reich. After reading this book you will be much better informed. One thing in particular that is revealing is the difficulties the Allied intelligence services experienced in Austria, given the overwhelming support Hitler received from his countrymen. Naturally there were some pockets of resistance, but nothing on the scale of other occupied countries.
The main thrust of the book is the attempt by British Intelligence to safely extricate an emminent anti-Nazi Austrian politician who has been in hiding in Vienna; the reasoning being that he was seen as a vital tool in post war negotiations.
A young Viennese man is recruited and trained to accompany another agent who will pose as his wife. The two of them are also charged with finding the whereabouts of a notorious Russian operative. It is a game of cat and mouse with the Russian also trying to locate the British agent and the Austrian politician.
The story is plausible enough. There is a lot of historical background and detailed description of Vienna and its surrounds. There is also the back story of the relationship between the two agents and the young man's search for his former fiancée.
The characters are stereotypes as you would expect in a spy novel, with the British perhaps looking a bit ridiculous at times. One can only assume that if they were really like this in WW2 we can be grateful for Hitler's errors, otherwise a lot of us would probably be speaking German now. The characters are not two dimensional however; there is considerable pathos and emotion. We can identify with many of them as they each struggle to survive in difficult times.
After a bit of toing and froing at the start of the novel the pace picks up considerably when the agents reach Vienna. The tone becomes very tense and you will be hard pressed to put the book down.
The ending is fairly predictable, which is probably good, as by then you'll need a circuit breaker.
Gerlis' style is very readable. The book is well researched, the dialogue very natural and it flows well.
October 8, 2024
Part of me really wanted to give this a 3 star review. I have read all of the Gerlis books except one and I would say r this is my least favourite, which is a shame, especially considering how much research and effort must have went into writing this book. The plot drags in places and doesn’t hold the same page turning thrills of most other Gerlis novels.
My main issues are that (annoyingly) once again, our male protagonist becomes a love sick child and the story of espionage becomes a rescue/damsel in distress type story. This seems to be a pattern in these ‘Spy Masters’ books. For a stronger female character and more believable relationship then I direct you to ‘The Wolf Pack’ thrillers. Another issue with this book was that our two protagonists essentially abandon one highly important aspect of their mission in Vienna and the only reasoning and rationale the reader is given is that the two main characters think it’s too dangerous. This annoyed me as it could have been so well done.
The shining light of this book is in our antihero. The Russian that we shouldn’t necessarily be rooting for. He sacrifices everything and the main spying plot really comes from him in this novel. This aspect of the story is what saves it from a 3 star read. The other shining light is Vienna and the sheer amount of research that must have went into writing this book. I see others complaining about too many street names being mentioned or parts of the city being described in pointless detail but that is the part of Alex Gerlis’s writing that I most enjoy. I wouldn’t say Vienna comes alive but I get a good sense of what’s going on and where and enjoy I the dedication Gerlis has for being historically accurate in this sense.
Overall, despite my issues, it is still a good WWII spy thriller but certainly not on a par with Gerlis’ other work. Now to move on to the last book in this series which I’m hoping will be a strong end to what is without a doubt, Gerlis’ least noteworthy works.
My main issues are that (annoyingly) once again, our male protagonist becomes a love sick child and the story of espionage becomes a rescue/damsel in distress type story. This seems to be a pattern in these ‘Spy Masters’ books. For a stronger female character and more believable relationship then I direct you to ‘The Wolf Pack’ thrillers. Another issue with this book was that our two protagonists essentially abandon one highly important aspect of their mission in Vienna and the only reasoning and rationale the reader is given is that the two main characters think it’s too dangerous. This annoyed me as it could have been so well done.
The shining light of this book is in our antihero. The Russian that we shouldn’t necessarily be rooting for. He sacrifices everything and the main spying plot really comes from him in this novel. This aspect of the story is what saves it from a 3 star read. The other shining light is Vienna and the sheer amount of research that must have went into writing this book. I see others complaining about too many street names being mentioned or parts of the city being described in pointless detail but that is the part of Alex Gerlis’s writing that I most enjoy. I wouldn’t say Vienna comes alive but I get a good sense of what’s going on and where and enjoy I the dedication Gerlis has for being historically accurate in this sense.
Overall, despite my issues, it is still a good WWII spy thriller but certainly not on a par with Gerlis’ other work. Now to move on to the last book in this series which I’m hoping will be a strong end to what is without a doubt, Gerlis’ least noteworthy works.
February 19, 2025
My review on Amazon – September 17 2017 – 5 stars
When I make the observation that VIENNA SPIES, and its two predecessors, THE BEST OF OUR SPIES and THE SWISS SPY comprise, what is for me, the very best of espionage fiction, I speak as both reader and writer. I have read over 5,000 books, many hundreds of which have been in the spy genre, and have had dozens and dozens of short stories published and broadcast. Consequently, it is inevitable that every book I read is from the perspective of both disciplines.
What do we look for in a Spy Novel? A complex plot filled with many twists and turns that are both unexpected and credible. It should be set in a locale that we feel the author knows, or on which he has done the appropriate research; it should be peopled with sympathetic and engaging characters who move the novel inexorably forward in a rising arc of tension towards an inevitable and satisfying denouement. In each of the three novels Alex has achieved this, but in addition he is clearly extraordinarily knowledgeable about the UK and Europe during the Second World War and this overlays each of the novels in a rare depiction of Time and Place. We, the readers, are with the characters as they move from England to Europe and back again, a pervasive blanket of darkness and menace being drawn over them as they struggle to achieve their goals, which are often simple survival, and which many lose along the journey.
If you regularly read Spy fiction you will not be disappointed by these additions; if you do not, this is a fine opportunity to expand your horizons and read an entry that fits the genre, but also could be considered outstanding novels that extend into the general category and are set in Europe during World War Two. Whilst some characters appear in each of the novels this is not a series, and each novel stands on its own and can be read in any order. Either way: Happy Reading.
When I make the observation that VIENNA SPIES, and its two predecessors, THE BEST OF OUR SPIES and THE SWISS SPY comprise, what is for me, the very best of espionage fiction, I speak as both reader and writer. I have read over 5,000 books, many hundreds of which have been in the spy genre, and have had dozens and dozens of short stories published and broadcast. Consequently, it is inevitable that every book I read is from the perspective of both disciplines.
What do we look for in a Spy Novel? A complex plot filled with many twists and turns that are both unexpected and credible. It should be set in a locale that we feel the author knows, or on which he has done the appropriate research; it should be peopled with sympathetic and engaging characters who move the novel inexorably forward in a rising arc of tension towards an inevitable and satisfying denouement. In each of the three novels Alex has achieved this, but in addition he is clearly extraordinarily knowledgeable about the UK and Europe during the Second World War and this overlays each of the novels in a rare depiction of Time and Place. We, the readers, are with the characters as they move from England to Europe and back again, a pervasive blanket of darkness and menace being drawn over them as they struggle to achieve their goals, which are often simple survival, and which many lose along the journey.
If you regularly read Spy fiction you will not be disappointed by these additions; if you do not, this is a fine opportunity to expand your horizons and read an entry that fits the genre, but also could be considered outstanding novels that extend into the general category and are set in Europe during World War Two. Whilst some characters appear in each of the novels this is not a series, and each novel stands on its own and can be read in any order. Either way: Happy Reading.
January 16, 2023
Spoilers ahead.
I really liked the Prince series so I decided to try the Spies series but it was bad. The first one was kind of ok. It went from Operation Fortitude to a romance and I kept wondering how long the author could keep it up as the book seemed to end about a 1/3 in but he kept it going with the romance.
I decided to try the second book but it was worse. There was no direction. The book seemed to have a single protagonist and but veered into some other POV and timeline and back and forth. I dnf'd at 33%
I decided to try the third book to see if it was better but it was worse or the same. I don't know who the protagonists are or there is one. The story seem to change from one POV to another and one timeline to another. Whose story am I supposed to be following? But I mean in his defense, this book is called Vienna Spies and not Vienna Spy. But he doesn't keep a good job of keeping the stories together, or apart. I dnf'd at 25%. I'm not going to try the 4th book. I'm going to try his Agent series instead to see if it's any better.
I really liked the Prince series so I decided to try the Spies series but it was bad. The first one was kind of ok. It went from Operation Fortitude to a romance and I kept wondering how long the author could keep it up as the book seemed to end about a 1/3 in but he kept it going with the romance.
I decided to try the second book but it was worse. There was no direction. The book seemed to have a single protagonist and but veered into some other POV and timeline and back and forth. I dnf'd at 33%
I decided to try the third book to see if it was better but it was worse or the same. I don't know who the protagonists are or there is one. The story seem to change from one POV to another and one timeline to another. Whose story am I supposed to be following? But I mean in his defense, this book is called Vienna Spies and not Vienna Spy. But he doesn't keep a good job of keeping the stories together, or apart. I dnf'd at 25%. I'm not going to try the 4th book. I'm going to try his Agent series instead to see if it's any better.
June 8, 2019
An interesting story set towards the end of the Second World War in Europe, mainly in Vienna. The British attempt to establish a network in the city to make contact with an influential opposition politician who has been in hiding for many years to prepare for the power struggle after the war is won. The Soviets attempt to do the same thing and the agents from both sides have come into contact before. It's a story of rival intelligence operations from allies who know that they will be enemies in the future against the collapsing Nazi regime in a country which wholeheartedly embraced the Third Reich.
Enjoyable, and there were points when I was anxious for some of the characters I liked, but I think I prefer the way that Luke McCallin's 'Man from Berlin' books covered this same theme. If I could give a half mark, this would be 3.5 out of 5. However, I will read his new book set in 1970s Berlin at some point to see how that goes.
Enjoyable, and there were points when I was anxious for some of the characters I liked, but I think I prefer the way that Luke McCallin's 'Man from Berlin' books covered this same theme. If I could give a half mark, this would be 3.5 out of 5. However, I will read his new book set in 1970s Berlin at some point to see how that goes.
July 4, 2017
Second espionage book I've read by Alex Gerlis. I'm a fan of the espionage genre, especially historical based espionage thrillers, and Gerlis's stories are well thought out and very realistic. Unfortunately the writing and narrative Gerlis employs is terrible and doesn't do the plot justice. Vienna Spies along with the previous Best Of Our Spies are absolutely devoid of character depth and contextual atmosphere, that they had me thinking I was reading a newspaper article rather than a novel. Additionally, I find Gerlis's style of retelling an event from each character perspective to be tiresome and unnecessary. The author undoubtedly knows WW2 history, but this writing style leaves me wanting for something more engrossing and literary.
June 19, 2020
This is a fast-paced espionage thriller set in Vienna during WW2 which gripped me from the start and one I got through really quickly. I enjoyed the story a lot although there are a lot of characters and a great amount of location detail which I found unnecessary. Every route the characters took is described meticulously, including the mention of every street and every right and left turn, bridge, etc.
I have read other books by this author and, just like those ones, this book could do with some very thorough editing. It would also be good if a fluent German speaker checked the German sentences for accuracy as well.
To sum up: great story but the number of mistakes throughout are irritating - 3.5 -4 stars rounded up nicely to 4.
I have read other books by this author and, just like those ones, this book could do with some very thorough editing. It would also be good if a fluent German speaker checked the German sentences for accuracy as well.
To sum up: great story but the number of mistakes throughout are irritating - 3.5 -4 stars rounded up nicely to 4.
October 19, 2020
Vienna Spies. Alex Gerlis
Vienna Austria is under the harsh control of the Nazi's. The Gestapo is feared by everyone. Some will take advantage of the situation and work for them. Others become snitches to gain favor. Some resist, and this story evolves around them. A young man from Vienna agrees to work for the British. As a spy in Vienna. A young German women becomes his partner. They pose as a married couple. The immensely frightening situations they encounter and their bravery is astounding. This is an extremely fast paced espionage thriller and a believable scenario. Enjoyed immensely!!!
Vienna Austria is under the harsh control of the Nazi's. The Gestapo is feared by everyone. Some will take advantage of the situation and work for them. Others become snitches to gain favor. Some resist, and this story evolves around them. A young man from Vienna agrees to work for the British. As a spy in Vienna. A young German women becomes his partner. They pose as a married couple. The immensely frightening situations they encounter and their bravery is astounding. This is an extremely fast paced espionage thriller and a believable scenario. Enjoyed immensely!!!
July 1, 2017
An interesting and fun book
I read The Swiss Spy by Alex Gerais before this book and enjoyed it a lot. This is another interesting and fun book by the same writer. Although the beginning is a bit confusing, the plot gets easier to follow if you stay with the book. The characters (some appeared in the Swiss Spy) are interesting and well developed. The plot is loosely based on real events in Austria during the Nazi era.
I read The Swiss Spy by Alex Gerais before this book and enjoyed it a lot. This is another interesting and fun book by the same writer. Although the beginning is a bit confusing, the plot gets easier to follow if you stay with the book. The characters (some appeared in the Swiss Spy) are interesting and well developed. The plot is loosely based on real events in Austria during the Nazi era.
January 30, 2018
As an espionage thriller, the characters and story were good ... even though there was some heavy duty violence (particularly towards women) ... I would still describe as gently written - there was some character development that gave clues to the humanity of the three central protagonists. As much as I liked the story, and enjoyed the characters, ultimately just found it a bit drawn out and ultimately too long.
August 19, 2022
Another excellent book in this series that are unputdownable if that’s a word. Repeating characters, a familiar flow and a great way that everything comes together at the end.
Masses of detail based on well researched fact , some harrowing but always written with sympathy for the victims and the reader.
This one jumped around a little too much and wasn’t as easy to follow at times but I loved it.
Masses of detail based on well researched fact , some harrowing but always written with sympathy for the victims and the reader.
This one jumped around a little too much and wasn’t as easy to follow at times but I loved it.
July 19, 2017
Had to force myself to finish it.
The author has a good story to tell but doesn't have the skill to tell it. He fills paragraphs with endless and irrelevant listings of street names and other minutiae that contribute nothing to the narrative. Tightened up and 100 or so pages shorter, it would be a suspenseful, exciting book.
The author has a good story to tell but doesn't have the skill to tell it. He fills paragraphs with endless and irrelevant listings of street names and other minutiae that contribute nothing to the narrative. Tightened up and 100 or so pages shorter, it would be a suspenseful, exciting book.
July 20, 2017
Good WWII spy novel
The action in this book primarily takes place in Austria toward the end of WWII, as the Soviets on the one hand, and the Americans and British on the other, are positioning themselves for postwar control of the region. The novel progressed a bit slowly for me at times (as in, where is this going?) but had a good suspenseful finish. Worth a look.
The action in this book primarily takes place in Austria toward the end of WWII, as the Soviets on the one hand, and the Americans and British on the other, are positioning themselves for postwar control of the region. The novel progressed a bit slowly for me at times (as in, where is this going?) but had a good suspenseful finish. Worth a look.
December 30, 2019
Workman like
This is the third book I have read by this author and I have generally liked his books well enough rather than love them and this is true of this book. Gerlis writes in a matter of fact way and this enables the sense of time and place to come across well. The characters are also well drawn and believable which helped me engage with them. However, the writing does not inspire, it doesn't have a level of excitement or jeopardy which makes it a bit of an also ran for this genre. Overall I enjoyed it enough but I have a feeling it won't stick long in the memory.
This is the third book I have read by this author and I have generally liked his books well enough rather than love them and this is true of this book. Gerlis writes in a matter of fact way and this enables the sense of time and place to come across well. The characters are also well drawn and believable which helped me engage with them. However, the writing does not inspire, it doesn't have a level of excitement or jeopardy which makes it a bit of an also ran for this genre. Overall I enjoyed it enough but I have a feeling it won't stick long in the memory.
November 14, 2020
This book has it all. Too much detailed violence right at the beginning. Once again the historical setting is so well observed! The conflict between allies fighting against the tyrannical Nazis is as complex as we may, or may not, believe it would be. It's probably the most painful to read of Gerlis'quartet of books.
August 20, 2021
To my mind, this book is closer to early Ludlum than Le Carre. It is still in good company but not the very best of the genre. The setting and historical authenticity are good. Narration of the audiobook was also better than average. Gerlis is now on my list of reliably entertaining authors of espionage.
September 1, 2024
For me one of the best of the series. Austria doesn't normally get a mention in Second World War fiction and is lumped together with Germany as one entity so this, for me, gave the story a lift. The Russian spy Victor, who has featured in the previous books, was also given more space to develop his character and backstory which added interest.
March 13, 2025
Awful realities of war
Gerlis makes history come alive with revelations and deceptions. Intelligence operations from several countries converge in Vienna. Loyalty and patriotism barely survive as humans face death and destruction. Tragedy impacts each character. What a complicated, sad tale.
Gerlis makes history come alive with revelations and deceptions. Intelligence operations from several countries converge in Vienna. Loyalty and patriotism barely survive as humans face death and destruction. Tragedy impacts each character. What a complicated, sad tale.
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