The Traitor

by Sydney Horler

In Paris in August 1918, Captain Alan Clinton spent the night with a young Frenchwoman and disclosed British military 17 years later his indiscretion has disastrous consequences. First published in 1936, Horler's spy novel is now part of the British Library's Classic Thrillers series.

Genres: Thriller, Classics, Fiction

279 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 1936

About the author

Born in Leytonstone, Essex, Sydney Horler was educated at Redcliffe and Colston Schools in Bristol.

His family wanted him to become a teacher and, very briefly until a fall out with his headmaster, he did fulfil their wishes. But, at age 17, he became a reporter with the Western Daily Press in Bristol, a job he retained until 1911. He left in that year to become a special writer on the staff of Edward Hulton & Co in Manchester.

He later moved to London to work for the Daily Mail and Daily Citizen and he also worked in the Propaganda Section of Air Intelligence towards the end of World War I. When the war ended he joined the editorial staff of George Newnes as a sub-editor on John o' London's weekly. He left the job in 1919. It was while at Newnes that his first novel was published by that firm, 'Standish of the Rangeland' (1916).

It was then that he decided that he would write fiction on a full-time basis, having contributed short stories for several boys' weeklies previously. His work appears in such as Chums, Boys' Pictorial, Boys' Friend Weekly and Boys' Realm. He also wrote for Hendersons, earning 10 shillings per 1000 words, writing for Penny Comic, Merry Moments and Tubby Haigs.

In the 1920s while his novel writing career was taking off he also contributed stories to the sporting libraries of the Aldine publishing Company and it seemed as though he was specialising in school-cum-sport stories.

He had a passion for football, was a keen Bristol City fan and had six books with a football theme published. But the turning point in his career came when Hodder & Stoughton published 'The Mystery of No 1' (1925), his first crime novel. It had originally appeared as a serial in the News of the World and this made him realise the potential of serial publication, something that he did for quite some time thereafter. He even wrote a book, 'Writing for Money' (1932) telling aspiring young writers what to do and what not to do.

Although he wanted to be known as a thriller writer, he also admired such as Bram Stoker, so he branched out into horror as well. He had a number of memorable characters such as Dr Paul Vivanti, his personal favourite, The Hon Timothy Overbury Standish and Nighthawk and Vivanti appeared in 'The Thriller' magazine for which he wrote 13 short stories in the 1930s.

His work was published by a variety of publishers and he wrote two books under pseudonyms, 'Romeo and Julia' as Peter Cavendish and 'The House of Wingate' as Martin Heritage. In all he wrote more than 170 novels and also had eight works of non-fiction published.

He suffered a stroke in August 1954 and died in a Bournemouth nursing home on 27 October 1954.

Gerry Wolstenholme
November 2014

Reviews

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

First published in 1936, “The Traitor” was written by Sydney Horler (1888 – 1954) who was a prolific thriller writer from the 1920’s. Although his books were labelled, “Horler for excitement!” his books went out of print after his death. Even during his lifetime, he attracted negative comments from such writers as Dorothy L. Sayers. Although his work was derided, his books were incredibly popular during his lifetime, his main character being “Tiger” Standish and his books belong to the “Snobbery with Violence” school as Alan Bennett famously termed it (Colin Watson borrowed this for his 1971 book on crime fiction). I was delighted to see that Poisoned Pen Press are re-issuing some of the British Library Crime Classics and Spy Classics from the Golden Age of crime fiction (generally the period between the wars). Although it has to be said that thrillers during that period tended to be on the ‘pulpy’ side, despite any shortcomings these are fascinating glimpses into a vanished era and demonstrate issues that were relevant at the time.

This novel begins during WWI, when Captain Alan Clinton is in Paris with some top secret dispatch papers. While there he meets an old school friend, Captain Peter Mallory, who rebukes him when he discovers that Clinton is meeting up with a woman – Mallory has recently been rejected by the woman he loves, while Clinton’s invalid wife, Cynthia, and his adopted son are back home in England. However, the woman that Clinton is meeting, the beautiful young Mademoiselle Marie Roget, turns out to really be the spy Minna Braun. Having drugged Clinton, Lieutenant von Ritter leaps out from behind a painting in Clinton’s room and copies the top secret papers, leading to the British suffering a bloodbath in which over 5,000 men are killed. There is lots of jingoistic language, from both sides, in this book, with von Ritter using terms such as, “English swine dog!” to describe Clinton. However, when Clinton is called to account, he uses Mallory as his alibi and this action has consequences for the characters once we fast forward to 1935, when we meet them again.

Horler has changed the shape of Europe somewhat, but while Kuhnreich is called the Supreme Dictator of the mighty Empire of Ronstadt; it is obviously Germany and Hitler (rumoured to be a hopeless neurotic) that is being written about. Minna Braun is about to be re-called into service by the intelligence service (the leader of which is also obviously Himmler re-cast) and, although unwilling, is trapped into working for the ‘fanatical madmen’ of Ronstadt. Among other things, the secret agents are keen to discover whether a chemist in the North of England has at last found a ray that will short circuit a magneto (whatever that means!). It is obvious that hostile aircraft were going to be the deciding factor in any new war and this research will, apparently, put out of action the engines of hostile aircraft.

Coincidentally, Alan Clinton’s adopted son, Bobby Wingate, is about to visit Paris. Clinton is now a Colonel and works for M15, while Bobby is a young army officer with money troubles. Rosemary Allister is in love with Bobby, but he claims he does not have enough money to make her an offer of marriage. However, Bobby turns out to be as misguided as his adopted father and gets himself into all sorts of trouble on the Continent. When Rosemary goes to work for Sir Brian Fordingham, Chief of a branch of the British Secret Service, she realises that Bobby’s actions are about to get him labelled as a traitor.

This novel features all kinds of chases and excitement. Bobby meets up with the beautiful Minna Braun and falls for her charms as his father did, leading to mysterious packages being delivered, arrests, blackmail and the young Bobby coming under the scrutiny of the secret service. At times I did wonder why the intelligent and resourceful young Rosemary really cared what happened to Bobby Wingate. However, she had obviously decided that this upright, rather unimaginative young man, was the one for her and so she sets out to clear his name. As a personal read, I suppose I would give this a 3.5. Many of the characters are clichéd; with all the British male characters in particular being of the upstanding and noble sort, who attempt to shield the helpless female at all times while getting themselves into all sorts of scrapes and never once feeling they are being disloyal to their own wives or girlfriends back home. Women are either good or bad and, if good, are immediately able to spot the baddie and get people of immense importance to listen to them. However, the real joy in this book lies in its historical interest. Sydney Horler may be largely forgotten now, but he was incredibly popular in his time and – if you enjoy early crime or thriller novels – it is interesting to read books from that era. As such, because it is wonderful to have such previously difficult to find books back in print, I have given this a rating of 4.0, as I think this is a good example of pulp spy novels from the era and I am glad I read it. Lastly, I received a copy of this book from the publisher, via NetGalley, for review.

[Gerry · Rating 5 out of 5]

'Horler for Excitement' was the catch-phrase that was used to market Sydney Horler's books in his heyday and it certainly applies to 'The Traitor', a period piece spy thriller that captures the tensions of the 1930s admirably. The Secret Service put out the message, 'War is coming - and that means our secret agents must get busy.' And get busy they do as Horler entwines two strands seamlessly and with great success; firstly there is Captain Alan Clinton in war-torn Paris in 1918 and secondly there is Bobby Wingate in Ronstadt, a thinly disguised Germany, 17 years later.

Clinton was on a secret service mission but unwittingly got caught in a honey trap that had disastrous consequences [I should just say that in my time in Whitehall I went on a top level security course and one of the topics was the honey trap ... it was so intense that for some time I made my way around very carefully and didn't speak to anyone!]. The only person who knew anything about it was Clinton's close friend Peter Mallory and he agreed to keep it quiet. Clinton was subsequently promoted to a top job in the War Office.

Seventeen years later his adopted son Bobby Wingate, a Lieutenant in the Army, embarked on a continental tour, ostensibly to Paris, in a spell of leave. But he decided to go onwards to Ronstadt, where he too got caught up in some similar espionage. And the lady in question was none other than the lady who compromised his step-father all those years ago.

The tension mounts and Wingate's mind was in turmoil as he tried to work out what to do for the best. The decisions he had to make to try to get out of the situation and not involve his step-father were difficult and tore him apart. When he returned to London, he was suspected of being a spy and then he was arrested as such. His ladyfriend Rosemary Allister, was the only one who believed in his innocence but the evidence against him seemed overwhelming; at his trial a guilty verdict seemed almost inevitable.

However, hard work behind the scenes and some intensive investigating proved worthwhile and, in a most surprising denouement, everything was revealed and subsequently romance blossomed!

Definitely a period piece spy thriller, before the days of Eric Ambler and Graham Greene, but none the worse for that ... it keeps moving and has the reader guessing throughout. Highly recommended.

26 April 2024
I did not realise that I had already read this book, although as I progressed through it some parts did seem familiar- but I did not bother to check so continued to the end. And I am rather glad that I did for when I look back on a five-star review, I was a little surprised.

The reason for that surprise was that while the author's trademark 'Horler for excitement' still applies, it did on this read seem at times to be rather muted as the story progressed. Whether this was due to the fact that subconsciously I realised that I had read it before or whether it was just a tad dull at that point, I can't be sure; perhaps just getting older my concentration/understanding has diminished a little I am not sure!

However, the book is in two strands, one concerning the main character's stepfather and one which takes place 18 years later with the son involved. Both, as the title suggests, involve spying and there is, perhaps surprisingly, a direct link between the two. So the story is intriguing and does keep the reader interested until the surprise denouement. On this read I would probably have gone for three stars, verging on four!

[Pia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for providing an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

The Traitor was first published in 1936, and is a perfect example of the times. It takes us from the First World War to the years before World War II, when Europe was full of rumors of war. It has spies, double spies, beautiful women and a bit of romance.

It starts with Captain Clinton, who is tricked into giving the enemy military plans that will have disastrous consequences for England during the war. Seventeen years later Bobby, his adopted son, comes very close to committing the same mistakes.

What is amazing about this book is that it is as easily read in 2015 as it surely was in 1936. Even though almost 80 years have passed since it was first published, it is as actual as any of the mystery & thriller books that we read now. It may seem a bit quaint at first, because the prose is very much in the 30's style: everybody is polite and well spoken, there's no gore, blood, sex or unnecessary descriptions. but after the first pages, I guarantee you will be hooked and won't stop until you finish the book.

[wade · Rating 4 out of 5]

The story of two men seventeen years apart who fall for the same woman who just happens to be an agent for a "German" like country known a Ronstadt. Their relationships with this woman "Marie Roget" will have negative ramifications for both of them. This book is part of the Poisoned Pen Press British Library Spy Classics and was originally published in 1936. Though somewhat dated by its structured pace, on the whole it was an enjoyable read with well developed characters and a rich setting. An espionage readers delight.

[Terry Brown · Rating 3 out of 5]

If only the prose were as good as the plot! I suffered through the cliches for some reason, but kept thinking, life is too short to spend reading bad prose. I'm interested in how spy fiction of the 1930s treats rise of Hitler and Nazis in Germany, as this one does. Another great cover from British Library thrillers.

[Lisa Hope · Rating 2 out of 5]

Achingly awful! Just how bad it is was underscored by my reading an Eric Ambler novel soon afterwards. The dialogue in The Traitor is stunningly bad. The plot, beyond unlikely. The pacing, tedious. The “bad guys,” were so cartoonish, that I could not help seeing them as Boris and Natasha, but with German accents.

[Alice · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is very dated, but I enjoyed it a great deal and learned the word 'perfervid'. I guessed who the traitor was pretty early on, largely because the introduction warned me to look out for them, so maybe save that for last.

[Inca · Rating 5 out of 5]

Written in 1936 but quite readable in 2024. It kept me interested to see how it all works out in the end. I did have the right "bad" guy early on, but that didn't make the book less enjoyable for me. I would have like to read more books by Sydney Horler but not sure any others are in print

[Leslie Coleman · Rating 1 out of 5]

I couldn’t finish this, I tried for over a year! It wasn’t my cup of tea. Difficult read.

[Jill Meyer · Rating 4 out of 5]

British author Sydney Horler was known for his "thrillers". Not "mysteries", but "thrillers". Horler wrote many of these books, published from the 1920's til his death in 1954. His work went "out of fashion", while other contemporaneous writers remained popular for decades. Poisoned Pen Press had republished some of Horler's work and I think this one, "The Traitor" is the first of the new books.

It's always fascinating to read contemporaneous writing. We, years later, may know things turned out differently than the author has written, but it's interesting to see how events were looked at at the time of writing. "The Traitor", which is set in 1935 England and "Ronstadt" (substituted by the author for Germany), with some earlier events taking place in Paris in 1918 in the last year of the Great War. I have no idea why Sydney Horler - writing in 1936 - gives Germany, Hitler, and Berlin aliases ("Ronstadt", "Kuhnreich" and "Pe") and I'd like to know more about the author and his reasons for disguising what was happening at the time. There's no explanation in the book, which is a prepublication copy, sent to me by Poisoned Pen Press, for an honest review.

The book is about a young - age 24 - soldier named Bobby Wingate. He's the adopted son of Colonel Alan Clinton, who was hoodwinked in 1918 by a German spy in Paris to give up some information about British battle plans, which resulted in a devastating loss of life in battle. For some reason, Clinton has bypassed censure in the case, but he - and a friend, Peter Mallory - have always felt disgraced by the deed. Now, in 1935, agents of "Ronstadt" think Bobby Wingate has information useful to them, while Europe prepares for war. Please remember that although war didn't actually break out til 1939, there was fear in Europe about "Ronstadt's" intentions. The story proceeds with Bobby Wingate making a non-sanctioned trip to "Pe" and getting caught up in the same spy situation his father was involved in 18 years earlier.

Bobby Wingate doesn't appear to be the smartest or most sophisticated of fellows and I've seen other versions of "Bobby Wingate" in some of the other reissued mysteries and thrillers of the time. He's brought up on charges of spying and treason and labeled a "traitor". His court-martial is the last part of the book. Sydney Horler is not a particularly good writer to me, who's reading Horler's book 75 years after initial publication., but maybe that's because the writing style has changed greatly in the past 75 years. I'm almost more interested in the "back story" of why Sydney Horler chose to disguise Germany. What was going on in the publishing industry at the time? Or was it a personal choice? Maybe Poisoned Pen Press will write more about Sydney Horler. "The Traitor" is an interesting look at the times, with some by-the-book characters.

[Elite Group · Rating 5 out of 5]

A convincing vintage thriller from 1936! When men were just as susceptible to a pretty face and nice legs as they are today.
This is one of the British Library’s Classic Thrillers, first published in 1936, which some would say was the golden age of crime writing, sitting as it did between the two World Wars. Sydney Horler was a popular writer of the period and earned the slogan ‘Horler for Excitement!’ This novel is now being re-published by Poisoned Pen Press.
The book has two threads, beginning with an indiscretion by Captain Alan Clinton during the last days of 1918; an indiscretion that unwittingly resulted in the loss of five thousand British soldiers’ lives.
Then in 1935, his adopted son, Lieutenant Robert (Bobby) Wingate of the tank corps travels on leave to Paris and on to Ronstadt to do a little amateur spying, intending to gain information on Germany’s new tank tractors. Like his father, Bobby finds himself embroiled in a trap, largely of his own making, and involving the same woman who was his father’s undoing.
To say that both young men are naïve would be an understatement; neither really questions why the agent provocateur (Marie Roget/Minna Braun) is so willing to be intimate with them, and both fall completely under her spell.
The traitor of the title is Bobby, whose every move is watched by British Intelligence and reported back to Y1, the MI5 of its day. Important military secrets have been stolen and Bobby appears to be the likely suspect.
I really enjoyed this book, the writing is of course rather dated but this did nothing to detract from what is a page turning read. The characters are well drawn and convincing with Clinton portrayed as a naïve fool, racked with guilt, whilst Bobby is a sensible and respected young officer who apparently went on leave and left his wits at home! There is a strong female lead in Bobby’s girlfriend Rosemary who never doubts him, but uncomfortably finds herself employed as an under-secretary working for the boss of Y1, and I just knew there was something fishy about Peter Mallory!
It was entirely refreshing to read something which was set in a less complicated period where communication took so much longer than today. I suspect that the plot wouldn’t work today when Bobby would have been able to google the people he came across!
I recommend this highly to anyone who is fed up with our techno age, and who wants to enjoy a good British thriller.
Pashtpaws
Breakaway Reviewers received a copy of this book to review

[Cliff · Rating 3 out of 5]

Oh dear, this is a terribly difficult book to review and to rate. I've given it 3* right in the middle, for want of anything else. The British Library have long been republishing detective stories by writers of the so called 'golden age' of detective fiction. It now appears that it is republishing thrillers written in the interwar years. This book was first published in 1936 and by golly does it show it's age. The story tells of a junior army officer, Bobby Clinton, who goes on leave to Paris and to a fictitious city, Pé. The latter is a very badly disguised Berlin under Nazi rule. There he is seduced by a femme fatale who, quite coincidentally, seduced Bobby's father at the end of World War I and stole some secret documents from him. Dad is never found out as a friend covers for him, but son is not so lucky and the last part of the book deals with a Court Martial he faces. All the males are clearly public school boys who, for example, address each other as 'Stinky' and 'Smiler'. Without a hint of parody at one part Bobby goes to a drinks party and says that most of the people were ok but a few were clearly 'outsiders' - whatever that may mean. As I said, Pé is a badly disguised Berlin rules over by a dictator, Kuhnreich, a poorly disguised Hitler. Quite why, after having named Germany as a party to WWI, the author felt the need to disguise it 17 years later. Whether it was the 'done thing' not to name potentially enemy countries or whether writers at the time were concerned lest at some time in the future Britain should be invaded and they called to account for less than flattering portraits of Hitler, I know not. There is mention in the book of a 'ray' which will cause aircraft engines to fail, of new tracks for tanks and of a shoulder mounted anti tank weapon. The first two were dreams of the author, the last clearly a bazooka. The last part of the book deals with a Court Martial where Bobby is represented not by a lawyer, but a layman on the grounds that Court Martials don't like lawyers representing accused. All I can say is that as a civilian lawyer myself, I have represented accused soldiers at CMs and, also, that Judge Advocate Generals are themselves lawyers. The book is written in a very clunky style. If it had been a modern novel, I doubt I would have got much further than the first couple of chapters but I gave the book a chance and struggled to the end. It is very much of its time and shows how things have changed in the last 80 years or so.

[Debbie · Rating 4 out of 5]

"The Traitor" is a spy thriller that was originally written in 1936. It's set in 1918 and 1935 in England, France, and "Ronstadt" (Germany). The reader knows who the bad guys are, so we watch as first the father and then the son fall prey to the schemes of the evil spies. It's like watching a train wreck or a movie where you shout, "no, don't open that door!" I personally prefer uncertainty over a feeling of doom. I would have enjoyed not knowing for sure and guessing along with Bobby about what's going on. Ah, well. It had plenty of tension.

The first parts of the story were Alan and then Bobby getting caught in the enemy's trap. The last part was a trial against Bobby, who is accused of being a traitor. Bobby's girlfriend is smart, determined, and trustworthy. I loved her. She has a piece of evidence that might prove Bobby's innocence, but first she has to figure out how to unlock its secret. Will she figure it out in time and reveal the true traitor? I found Bobby and Alan to be likable, too, so I was rooting for them. They were naive, not stupid or careless.

There was a fair amount bad language. There were no sex scenes. I'd recommend this thriller to those who enjoy a feeling of doom in their stories.

I received an ebook review copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley.

[KayKay · Rating 4 out of 5]

"The Traitor" is an amusing vintage espionage oldie!
The modern thriller usually is too tense to my liking therefore I am drawn towards the subtle ones. "The Traitor" is truly a neglected gem in the thriller category. The identity of the actual traitor was quite obvious, to me, about half way along but the pacy development held my curiosity all the way until the end.

First published in 1936, the writing, surprisingly, is quite modern without the wordy intimidation that deter readers to enjoy this vintage suspenseful read. Whether or not a page turner is a subjective opinion, but I think the story is engrossing for the most part. The plot is plain and simple enough that helps to retain my attention on working out the identity of the actual traitor.

I highly recommend "The Traitor" to fans of suspenseful war literature.

[Melissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

As I read this, it was like watching a film noir classic play out in my head. Contemporary authors never quite get the pacing or language right with this era. I wouldn't say that anything was too incredibly shocking or surprising (which seem to be more modern plot devices), but it was still a good read. At times during the trial there was a bit too much recap of events that had already been written about, but that actually made the writing feel more authentic. It reminded me of Witness for the Prosecution where the second half of the film is spent in the courtroom. It wouldn't work in a film released today, but it perfectly suits the time.

[Dawn · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 Stars
First thank you NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for allowing me a digital copy of this novel in return for my review. This spy thriller was originally written in 1936. The time setting is back during WWI up to before WWII. There's lots of spies, romance and scheming. We know who the spies/bad guys are and can see everything happening unlike some other novels when even we are in suspense forever trying to figure out who it is. That can be good and bad. I like that suspense as well. Overall, a pretty good read and I thank you again for the opportunity.

[Susan · Rating 3 out of 5]

No-one knows that during World War I, the beautiful German spy Marie Roget drugged Alan Clinton and learned Allied plans for a breakthrough. But Alan, still haunted by the debacle that followed, remembers. Now, his naïve adopted son Bobby is entangled in a web involving the same woman, now working for "Ronstadt," a central European power closely resembling Hitler's Germany. Bobby is being tried for treason. The beautiful young girl who loves him is convinced of his innocence. But can she find the evidence that will save his reputation?

[J. · Rating 5 out of 5]

War is a time when you need to know who your enemies are and who to trust. Author Sydney Horler weaves a tale of intrigue and espionage in England and Europe that begins just before the First World War. This story accurately reflects the historical period, has believable characters and intricate relationships. The surprising conclusion reveals the traitor to all. There was a tendency to overuse ellipsis and dashes throughout the book.

[Vanessa · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was really great. I guess the writing was on the wall about the Germans before WWII even happened, as this was originally published before the war. This is really well written and I am surprised that this author is no longer popular. This is a great spy novel, written before the genre really existed. I was really impressed.

[Eileen Hall · Rating 5 out of 5]

Yet another excellent book from the British Library catalogue brought to us by Poisoned Pen Press.
This is an intriguing story set in Paris during the closing of the first world war and then years later.
A tale of secrets and betrayal.
A great read!
I was given a digital copy of this novel by the publisher via Netgalley in return for an honest unbiased review.

[Pearson, · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you like historical fiction and enjoy reading about English culture, this may be a title you will enjoy. By today's " spy thriller" standards, The Traitor is somewhat light reading ,but it was all the rage in 1936 when it was released . The story gives a strong impression of what was happening in England and Europe at that time + it gives a good picture of English culture.

[Yvonne Herbert · Rating 4 out of 5]

I got this book from a book box at work and was pleasantly surprised by how good it was.
This is an old-fashioned spy thriller, which is gripping and well written. The style of writing is definitely not modern, and therefore it gets you into the WW1/WW2 storyline more. Keeps you guessing.

[Jennefer Lee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Atmospheric and of its time. Quite old-fashioned language but it was written in 1936 so......

Enjoyed the read about spies and foreign powers etc. A good rollicking tale with a happy ending!