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The Winter Agent
THE GRIPPING WWII ESPIONAGE THRILLER ABOUT SURVIVAL, TRUST AND A DEADLY BATTLE FOR THE TRUTH . . .
'Races along, with plenty of surprises' Times
February, 1944.
A bitter winter grips occupied France, where Marc Reece leads a circuit of British agents risking their lives in order to sabotage the German war effort from within.
But Reece has a second mission, secret even from his fellow agents - including Charlotte, the woman with whom he has ill-advisedly fallen in love. He must secure a document identifying a German spy at the heart of British intelligence. The fate of the Allied forces on D-Day is in his hands.
But when his circuit is ambushed - with fatal consequences - Reece realizes there may be a traitor in its ranks, putting everything they've been fighting for at risk.
Then Charlotte goes missing.
Is she in danger, or has Reece been betrayed by the only person he thought he could trust?
And with the clock ticking towards D-Day, can he find the truth before it's too late?
A gripping and atmospheric thriller inspired by true events, this is the story of a deadly game of espionage, destined to change the course of the most crucial battle in the Second World War.
'Exhaustively researched, superbly realised, The Winter Agent is a superior SOE novel. Gareth Rubin really knows his stuff and it shows on every page' Howard Linskey
'Smart, stylish, meticulously researched. Rich in loyalty and double dealing, captures perfectly the horror and heroism, delivered at a cracking pace' Sun
'Brilliant. Blends meticulously researched history with a plot of double-crossing and deception' Best
'Races along, with plenty of surprises' Times
February, 1944.
A bitter winter grips occupied France, where Marc Reece leads a circuit of British agents risking their lives in order to sabotage the German war effort from within.
But Reece has a second mission, secret even from his fellow agents - including Charlotte, the woman with whom he has ill-advisedly fallen in love. He must secure a document identifying a German spy at the heart of British intelligence. The fate of the Allied forces on D-Day is in his hands.
But when his circuit is ambushed - with fatal consequences - Reece realizes there may be a traitor in its ranks, putting everything they've been fighting for at risk.
Then Charlotte goes missing.
Is she in danger, or has Reece been betrayed by the only person he thought he could trust?
And with the clock ticking towards D-Day, can he find the truth before it's too late?
A gripping and atmospheric thriller inspired by true events, this is the story of a deadly game of espionage, destined to change the course of the most crucial battle in the Second World War.
'Exhaustively researched, superbly realised, The Winter Agent is a superior SOE novel. Gareth Rubin really knows his stuff and it shows on every page' Howard Linskey
'Smart, stylish, meticulously researched. Rich in loyalty and double dealing, captures perfectly the horror and heroism, delivered at a cracking pace' Sun
'Brilliant. Blends meticulously researched history with a plot of double-crossing and deception' Best
400 pages, Paperback
Published October 15, 2020
15 people are currently reading
208 people want to read
About the author
Gareth Rubin
14 books44 followersGareth Rubin is a British journalist and author. His journalism covers social affairs, travel, architecture, arts and health. His novel Liberation Square is a mystery thriller set in Soviet-occupied London.
In 2013 he directed a documentary, Images of Bedlam, about the connection between art and mental illness and how art can help people express that which they cannot put into words. It was filmed at the Bethlem Royal Hospital (‘Bedlam’) and interviews artists with a history of psychiatric illness.
He previously worked as an actor on stage and television.
In 2013 he directed a documentary, Images of Bedlam, about the connection between art and mental illness and how art can help people express that which they cannot put into words. It was filmed at the Bethlem Royal Hospital (‘Bedlam’) and interviews artists with a history of psychiatric illness.
He previously worked as an actor on stage and television.
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Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews
May 7, 2020
Gareth Rubin blends fact and fiction in this powerful and enthralling historical espionage thriller set in WW2 in the period just before the Allied D-day landings. Naval officer, Captain Marce Reese is a major SOE agent working on a secret mission whilst simultaneously endeavouring to thwart the Nazis in the bitter freezing winter of 1944 in Paris. He is undercover working in a tabac, meeting a local recruited agent at a bar, a local printer and photographer, Luc Carte, producing false travel permits, when the Gestapo burst in and arrest Luc. An effort to free Luc ends up with betrayal and fatal consequences, although Marc learns of a well placed Nazi agent, known as Parade, within the British intelligence services, and that Luc has hidden valuable photographs in his home in a secret place that only Charlotte, Marc's lover and fellow agent, knows about.
Marc returns injured to Paris, desperate to uncover the identity of Parade, and get his hands on the photographs. However, there is a fire at Charlotte's home and Charlotte herself has disappeared, the only feasible conclusion being that it is Charlotte who betrayed them, taken the photographs and is working for the Nazis. SS Colonel Siegfried Klausmann, working with Heinrich Himmler's SD intelligence agency, learns of Marc's existence, and determinedly hunts for him. Admiral Wilhelm Canaris is the Head of the Abwehr, the established German military intelligence service, currently being sidelined by Himmler's SD with it spectacular successes, none more so than Parade and the valuable intel he is leaking of Allied plans. Canaris is troubled about being kept out of the loop on critical decisions made, and being outside Hitler's favoured inner circle, and thinks if he can uncover Parade's identity, he can stop the ambitious Himmler and break his strong hold on Hitler.
Marc's critical role is to ensure that the Germans do not jeopardise the plans and success of the Allied D-day landings and invasion, on which winning the war depends, along with the defeat of the Germans on the Eastern Front. Rubin writes a tense war time story of those who gave up their lives to ensure an Allied victory, of betrayal, deception, and strategic machinations, and a Marc who plays a critical role in the success of the D-day landing, although perhaps not in the way he expects. This is a well written espionage thriller, compulsive and full of tension and suspense, that I thoroughly enjoyed reading. Many thanks to Penguin Michael Joseph for an ARC.
Marc returns injured to Paris, desperate to uncover the identity of Parade, and get his hands on the photographs. However, there is a fire at Charlotte's home and Charlotte herself has disappeared, the only feasible conclusion being that it is Charlotte who betrayed them, taken the photographs and is working for the Nazis. SS Colonel Siegfried Klausmann, working with Heinrich Himmler's SD intelligence agency, learns of Marc's existence, and determinedly hunts for him. Admiral Wilhelm Canaris is the Head of the Abwehr, the established German military intelligence service, currently being sidelined by Himmler's SD with it spectacular successes, none more so than Parade and the valuable intel he is leaking of Allied plans. Canaris is troubled about being kept out of the loop on critical decisions made, and being outside Hitler's favoured inner circle, and thinks if he can uncover Parade's identity, he can stop the ambitious Himmler and break his strong hold on Hitler.
Marc's critical role is to ensure that the Germans do not jeopardise the plans and success of the Allied D-day landings and invasion, on which winning the war depends, along with the defeat of the Germans on the Eastern Front. Rubin writes a tense war time story of those who gave up their lives to ensure an Allied victory, of betrayal, deception, and strategic machinations, and a Marc who plays a critical role in the success of the D-day landing, although perhaps not in the way he expects. This is a well written espionage thriller, compulsive and full of tension and suspense, that I thoroughly enjoyed reading. Many thanks to Penguin Michael Joseph for an ARC.
August 29, 2020
The Winter Agent is a tense, well researched thriller which seemed very realistic.
I’m a huge fan of books set in the second world war and I always enjoy learning something new about the era. This book was fascinating to me as it’s based on real events and characters which I hadn’t heard of before. I spent many hours happily researching more on the internet. It was especially interesting to learn some new, surprising, facts about Hitler which I wasn’t aware of before and definitely explains a few things about him!
The story unfolds at a nice pace so that everything that happens seems very realistic and is more hard hitting because of it. As you can possibly expect from a book set in this time, some of the things described are quite graphic and heart wrenching which makes the book difficult to read at times. Through them though the reader is able to properly understand what it was like living in France during the war with the constant fear and threat of horror.
Overall I thought this was a fantastic historical thriller which was full of just the right amount of tension and suspense to keep me turning the pages. It did take me a little while to get into the book as I felt the writing style was a little different but I soon got used to it.
Huge thanks to Sriya from Michael St Joseph for inviting me onto the blog tour and for my copy of this book via Netgalley
I’m a huge fan of books set in the second world war and I always enjoy learning something new about the era. This book was fascinating to me as it’s based on real events and characters which I hadn’t heard of before. I spent many hours happily researching more on the internet. It was especially interesting to learn some new, surprising, facts about Hitler which I wasn’t aware of before and definitely explains a few things about him!
The story unfolds at a nice pace so that everything that happens seems very realistic and is more hard hitting because of it. As you can possibly expect from a book set in this time, some of the things described are quite graphic and heart wrenching which makes the book difficult to read at times. Through them though the reader is able to properly understand what it was like living in France during the war with the constant fear and threat of horror.
Overall I thought this was a fantastic historical thriller which was full of just the right amount of tension and suspense to keep me turning the pages. It did take me a little while to get into the book as I felt the writing style was a little different but I soon got used to it.
Huge thanks to Sriya from Michael St Joseph for inviting me onto the blog tour and for my copy of this book via Netgalley
June 14, 2020
Really enjoyed this. Love this time period plus spy thrillers done well. And this had both. Traitors, has action, great conspiracies, and an amazing great lead character. Really worth your time if you love world war 2 and spy novels.
March 13, 2021
A gripping read, a thriller superbly evocating the tension and tragedy of the SOE and French resistance towards the end of the second world war. The plot twists and turns leaving you on edge, but at the same time you get a feeling for the characters, both the allies and the Germans - very deftly handled.
May 28, 2020
My Rating ~ 4.5*
‘Based on real events, this is the gripping story of a man operating in the darkest of circumstances – and the unimaginable sacrifices war demands of those who fight it.'
The Winter Agent by Gareth Rubin is published today, May 28th 2020, with Michael Joseph. Described as ‘a love story, a war novel, and a twisty thriller' it is a book that will both intrigue and fascinate anyone with an interest in the Second World War and the events surroundings its final days.
The Winter Agent is based on ‘a shocking historical conspiracy that reached the very top of the British establishment.' Its plot is wrapped around real-life events and real-life characters who all played significant roles during this frightening period of history, adding an extra layer of authenticity to the novel.
Marc Reece is an agent with the SOE (Special Operations Executive). This was a secret organisation established by Winston Churchill in 1940 with the purpose of carrying out espionage by assisting local resistance groups in enemy-controlled areas. Theirs was a role of reconnaissance and where possible sabotage to obstruct the forward path of the Nazi regime and all that it stood for. These agents took great risks, many never returning home but their bravery, though secretive, was an important cog in the Allies defence against the evil reign of the Axis powers. The SOE fought a secret war, a vital resource when it was most needed. They parachuted into dangerous territories connecting with local resistance, together forming, at times, formidable alliances working together to collapse the might of the Nazi machine. This machine with its warped sense of righteousness was, and still is, difficult to comprehend, their determination to form a new world, no matter the human cost.
“Warfare was a noble construct prosecuted in dirty circumstances, and it was down to the Gestapo to clean away the dregs. That was something that had to be done once in every generation, he believed. He recalled chaotic times in the previous decade : hungry dogs tearing rubbish apart, grown men and women walking in their wake in search for food. Humans no better than animals. A breakdown not just of society but of natural and racial order. That couldn’t happen again. No, it couldn’t happen. And so he and his brethren would hunt down all those who might bring it about”
The Winter Agent is Marc Reece’s story. An agent who garners great respect, Marc has his own circuit in Paris, all with the same objective in mind. But Marc has not revealed the full truth behind his current orders. The war years proved to many that trust was a very precious attribute but also one that was difficult to judge. With spies among spies, who was truly on your side at any given moment. With D-Day fast approaching Marc is instructed to gather any and all information that would assist the Allies. But following a deadly ambush, Marc and his team fear a spy in their ranks. Marc has access to the ears of Churchill, his orders are top priority but there is a leak, somebody is attempting to sabotage his circuit. Who can he trust? Who is the spy within?
It is clear that in writing this novel Gareth Rubin exhaustively researched his facts. Yes The Winter Agent is a thriller, a fantastic spy novel, but it is also an informative tale, one that will shock and disturb. I was absolutely astounded by certain facts in relation to Hitler and his addiction to opiates and more. I love when a book inspires me to search out information myself, one that inspires and encourages my own sense of wonder and The Winter Agent most definitely did this in spades. It is also, though, a book that requires a certain focus, as there are many, many characters and personalities throughout with the story jumping back and forth between them.
Paris is a wonderful supporting character with some strikingly vivid descriptions of a city under siege but also of a city that has a history like no other.
‘Montmartre….Degas, Matisse and Renoir had lived and worked here. Toulouse-Lautrec had painted the girls in the nightclubs that sprang up clinging to these steep streets and the area retained a subdued air of artistic revolution’
D-Day was a major operation requiring the highest levels of cooperation and secrecy, but also deception. In The Winter Agent, Gareth Rubin wraps Marc Reece’s story around these factual and extraordinary events gripping the attention from the opening chapters. With an incredible cast of characters, my heart was shattered, rebuilt and shattered again on the turn of a page.
Marc Reece is tough, a man ready to follow orders and to aid the war effort in any way he can but with his trust in the powers that be on shaky ground, Marc is struggling. When one of his agents, Charlotte, a woman he had formed a personal relationship with against all his better judgement, goes missing, Marc faces a dilemma. Who is Charlotte? Is she the leak in their circuit?
‘It was hard to say how much of her now was a product of the war and how much was a product of her parentage, her upbringing and all the other influences benign and malign that shape one’s character.’
Marc must dig deep into himself to withstand the onslaught that awaits him and to unearth the truth behind this dangerous mission that he has been assigned. The powerful depictions of Marc’s journey are compelling, exciting and very gripping with the pace of the narrative never dropping.
The Winter Agent is a riveting tale of espionage and of one man’s courage and determination to see good prevail over evil. It is a powerful and dramatic novel with its roots set in the factual events of the most momentous battle of the Second World War. With some profound imagery, the reader witnesses the fear, the horror and the bravery. Gareth Rubin has created a captivating piece of writing that compels and astounds, shocks and angers. An impressive piece of work!
‘The hundred thousand strong military marches along these boulevards had been the dividing line between the world of hedonistic joy and this one of deprivation. Berlin had been born, developed tumors throughout its flesh and was now dying with fluid in its lungs.’
‘Based on real events, this is the gripping story of a man operating in the darkest of circumstances – and the unimaginable sacrifices war demands of those who fight it.'
The Winter Agent by Gareth Rubin is published today, May 28th 2020, with Michael Joseph. Described as ‘a love story, a war novel, and a twisty thriller' it is a book that will both intrigue and fascinate anyone with an interest in the Second World War and the events surroundings its final days.
The Winter Agent is based on ‘a shocking historical conspiracy that reached the very top of the British establishment.' Its plot is wrapped around real-life events and real-life characters who all played significant roles during this frightening period of history, adding an extra layer of authenticity to the novel.
Marc Reece is an agent with the SOE (Special Operations Executive). This was a secret organisation established by Winston Churchill in 1940 with the purpose of carrying out espionage by assisting local resistance groups in enemy-controlled areas. Theirs was a role of reconnaissance and where possible sabotage to obstruct the forward path of the Nazi regime and all that it stood for. These agents took great risks, many never returning home but their bravery, though secretive, was an important cog in the Allies defence against the evil reign of the Axis powers. The SOE fought a secret war, a vital resource when it was most needed. They parachuted into dangerous territories connecting with local resistance, together forming, at times, formidable alliances working together to collapse the might of the Nazi machine. This machine with its warped sense of righteousness was, and still is, difficult to comprehend, their determination to form a new world, no matter the human cost.
“Warfare was a noble construct prosecuted in dirty circumstances, and it was down to the Gestapo to clean away the dregs. That was something that had to be done once in every generation, he believed. He recalled chaotic times in the previous decade : hungry dogs tearing rubbish apart, grown men and women walking in their wake in search for food. Humans no better than animals. A breakdown not just of society but of natural and racial order. That couldn’t happen again. No, it couldn’t happen. And so he and his brethren would hunt down all those who might bring it about”
The Winter Agent is Marc Reece’s story. An agent who garners great respect, Marc has his own circuit in Paris, all with the same objective in mind. But Marc has not revealed the full truth behind his current orders. The war years proved to many that trust was a very precious attribute but also one that was difficult to judge. With spies among spies, who was truly on your side at any given moment. With D-Day fast approaching Marc is instructed to gather any and all information that would assist the Allies. But following a deadly ambush, Marc and his team fear a spy in their ranks. Marc has access to the ears of Churchill, his orders are top priority but there is a leak, somebody is attempting to sabotage his circuit. Who can he trust? Who is the spy within?
It is clear that in writing this novel Gareth Rubin exhaustively researched his facts. Yes The Winter Agent is a thriller, a fantastic spy novel, but it is also an informative tale, one that will shock and disturb. I was absolutely astounded by certain facts in relation to Hitler and his addiction to opiates and more. I love when a book inspires me to search out information myself, one that inspires and encourages my own sense of wonder and The Winter Agent most definitely did this in spades. It is also, though, a book that requires a certain focus, as there are many, many characters and personalities throughout with the story jumping back and forth between them.
Paris is a wonderful supporting character with some strikingly vivid descriptions of a city under siege but also of a city that has a history like no other.
‘Montmartre….Degas, Matisse and Renoir had lived and worked here. Toulouse-Lautrec had painted the girls in the nightclubs that sprang up clinging to these steep streets and the area retained a subdued air of artistic revolution’
D-Day was a major operation requiring the highest levels of cooperation and secrecy, but also deception. In The Winter Agent, Gareth Rubin wraps Marc Reece’s story around these factual and extraordinary events gripping the attention from the opening chapters. With an incredible cast of characters, my heart was shattered, rebuilt and shattered again on the turn of a page.
Marc Reece is tough, a man ready to follow orders and to aid the war effort in any way he can but with his trust in the powers that be on shaky ground, Marc is struggling. When one of his agents, Charlotte, a woman he had formed a personal relationship with against all his better judgement, goes missing, Marc faces a dilemma. Who is Charlotte? Is she the leak in their circuit?
‘It was hard to say how much of her now was a product of the war and how much was a product of her parentage, her upbringing and all the other influences benign and malign that shape one’s character.’
Marc must dig deep into himself to withstand the onslaught that awaits him and to unearth the truth behind this dangerous mission that he has been assigned. The powerful depictions of Marc’s journey are compelling, exciting and very gripping with the pace of the narrative never dropping.
The Winter Agent is a riveting tale of espionage and of one man’s courage and determination to see good prevail over evil. It is a powerful and dramatic novel with its roots set in the factual events of the most momentous battle of the Second World War. With some profound imagery, the reader witnesses the fear, the horror and the bravery. Gareth Rubin has created a captivating piece of writing that compels and astounds, shocks and angers. An impressive piece of work!
‘The hundred thousand strong military marches along these boulevards had been the dividing line between the world of hedonistic joy and this one of deprivation. Berlin had been born, developed tumors throughout its flesh and was now dying with fluid in its lungs.’
August 29, 2021
The Winter Agent is a truly gripping spy thriller based upon real people and events.
This book delivers on every level; it’s well paced, thoroughly researched, believable, thrilling, and emotionally wrenching like only wartime events can be.
The story is based upon the Physician Circuit (British agents based in France) and Major Francis Suttill (service name Prosper) of the Special Operations Executive. In the novel Prosper is portrayed by Marc Reece who in early 1944 is busy trying to sabotage the Nazi’s stronghold over France. He is also tasked with obtaining a document which names a German double agent who is highly placed within British Intelligence.
Marc and Charlotte (Marc’s housemate and fellow officer) with whom he has fallen in love, together with the rest of their circuit plan an ambush on a prison convoy. The ambush does not go to plan, revealing that there may be a traitor in the circuit who undermines everything they’re risking their lives for. Marc now has two traitors to identify and when Charlotte disappears his suspicions fall on her. Meanwhile the clock is counting down to D-Day, meaning that Marc has a short window in which to expose the traitors and their plans which could change the course of the war.
I found the pace of the novel good, the thrilling action scenes rolled quickly whereas others had me holding my breath in fear and anticipation. The action switches between France and England and this is done with finesse. Towards the end of the novel, things became slightly unclear but this was also the case for the protagonist so there is a bit of explanation from a superior officer. This lack of clarity annoyed me at first, but the fact that agents often operated under such conditions only serves to highlight how difficult and dangerous their missions are, and how much we owe to their fortitude.
A brilliant, historically accurate and creatively reimagined WW2 thriller. Highly recommended!
This book delivers on every level; it’s well paced, thoroughly researched, believable, thrilling, and emotionally wrenching like only wartime events can be.
The story is based upon the Physician Circuit (British agents based in France) and Major Francis Suttill (service name Prosper) of the Special Operations Executive. In the novel Prosper is portrayed by Marc Reece who in early 1944 is busy trying to sabotage the Nazi’s stronghold over France. He is also tasked with obtaining a document which names a German double agent who is highly placed within British Intelligence.
Marc and Charlotte (Marc’s housemate and fellow officer) with whom he has fallen in love, together with the rest of their circuit plan an ambush on a prison convoy. The ambush does not go to plan, revealing that there may be a traitor in the circuit who undermines everything they’re risking their lives for. Marc now has two traitors to identify and when Charlotte disappears his suspicions fall on her. Meanwhile the clock is counting down to D-Day, meaning that Marc has a short window in which to expose the traitors and their plans which could change the course of the war.
I found the pace of the novel good, the thrilling action scenes rolled quickly whereas others had me holding my breath in fear and anticipation. The action switches between France and England and this is done with finesse. Towards the end of the novel, things became slightly unclear but this was also the case for the protagonist so there is a bit of explanation from a superior officer. This lack of clarity annoyed me at first, but the fact that agents often operated under such conditions only serves to highlight how difficult and dangerous their missions are, and how much we owe to their fortitude.
A brilliant, historically accurate and creatively reimagined WW2 thriller. Highly recommended!
January 18, 2021
There were plenty of spies, but the majority of them remain unknown to the public. Their contributions either small or kept from the records. All of them deserve recognition though, but only the best receive fame and stories told about them. The same goes for spy novels. There is a whole collection of mediocre ones, with predictable or unrealistic plots, but only a few that really stand out. This is one of them.
At one moment I got so absorbed in the story that, when I went out for an evening walk, I kept looking around me for suspicious figures looming in the dark. The chance of betrayal at every corner is luckily not present in my life as it is in the fictional life of protagonist Marc Reese, but his tension conveyed to me, and that is pure class from the author.
The story is inspired by true events, which makes it all the more intriguing. Especially during this Covid pandemic, where people complain about the harshness of life. I wouldn't want to trade lives with an SOE agent any day. At least we don't get tortured if we refuse to wear a face mask, for example.
Gareth Rubin's second novel is fast-paced and never bores. There's action, adventure and little chance of having to re-read sentences because of its fluidity. He is both an inspiration for beginning writers, as well as a curse, because now the bar has been raised even higher. Chapeau!
If you like this book as much as I did, then I also recommend the two following reads:
Ken Follett - Jackdaws
Daniel Silva - The Unlikely Spy
At one moment I got so absorbed in the story that, when I went out for an evening walk, I kept looking around me for suspicious figures looming in the dark. The chance of betrayal at every corner is luckily not present in my life as it is in the fictional life of protagonist Marc Reese, but his tension conveyed to me, and that is pure class from the author.
The story is inspired by true events, which makes it all the more intriguing. Especially during this Covid pandemic, where people complain about the harshness of life. I wouldn't want to trade lives with an SOE agent any day. At least we don't get tortured if we refuse to wear a face mask, for example.
Gareth Rubin's second novel is fast-paced and never bores. There's action, adventure and little chance of having to re-read sentences because of its fluidity. He is both an inspiration for beginning writers, as well as a curse, because now the bar has been raised even higher. Chapeau!
If you like this book as much as I did, then I also recommend the two following reads:
Ken Follett - Jackdaws
Daniel Silva - The Unlikely Spy
March 11, 2021
A cat and mouse game that takes place between February 8, 1944-June 6, 1944 that involves the French Resistance and the Nazi over the actual plans for D-Day. Marc Reece, code name: Maxime, with his cell attempts to free one of their members en route to a Nazi prison camp, but there's a problem, the Nazi's know about the plan. There's a traitor in the group. Main suspect is their communications person, Charlotte, who heeded by the Allieas disappeared possibly with information needed by the Allies.
The hunt is on between Reece, trying to find Charlotte, and the Nazi's looking for Reece. When Reece finds Charlotte she tries to convince Reece that basically she's a triple agent. Reece gets captured and after months spills what he knows.
The Nazi's are not just waiting around for the information from Reece, they've got their own tricks up their sleeves by having a large group of of their men dressed like American troops to sew discord in the American invasion force when they land. Not only that but they have a high ranking mole in the British high command who will give them the actually Order of Battle of the invasion.
Lots of ins and outs, betrayals, lies and all kinds twists in this story, that we already know the ending to.
Plus there may just be a sequel that follows Reece, Charlotte and the survivors of his team after D-Day.
We can only see what happens.
The hunt is on between Reece, trying to find Charlotte, and the Nazi's looking for Reece. When Reece finds Charlotte she tries to convince Reece that basically she's a triple agent. Reece gets captured and after months spills what he knows.
The Nazi's are not just waiting around for the information from Reece, they've got their own tricks up their sleeves by having a large group of of their men dressed like American troops to sew discord in the American invasion force when they land. Not only that but they have a high ranking mole in the British high command who will give them the actually Order of Battle of the invasion.
Lots of ins and outs, betrayals, lies and all kinds twists in this story, that we already know the ending to.
Plus there may just be a sequel that follows Reece, Charlotte and the survivors of his team after D-Day.
We can only see what happens.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 2, 2020
My thanks to Penguin U.K. - Michael Joseph for the invitation to read an eARC via NetGalley of ‘The Winter Agent’ by Gareth Rubin in exchange for an honest review.
February, 1944 as a bitter winter grips occupied France, Marc Reece leads a circuit of British agents risking their lives in order to sabotage the German war effort from within. Reece also has a second mission to secure a document that will identify a German spy at the heart of British intelligence. With D-Day approaching the fate of the Allied forces is in his hands. When the circuit is attacked Reece realises there may be a traitor in their ranks!
‘The Winter Agent’ was inspired by the tragic real life story of the Physician circuit that operated in Paris and Northern France until betrayed. Rubin outlines this in his closing historical notes, including recommendations of nonfiction accounts for those who might wish to learn more.
I found this a well written, engaging wartime spy thriller that provided strong characterisations and realistic action sequences. That it was inspired by real events gave it extra gravitas.
February, 1944 as a bitter winter grips occupied France, Marc Reece leads a circuit of British agents risking their lives in order to sabotage the German war effort from within. Reece also has a second mission to secure a document that will identify a German spy at the heart of British intelligence. With D-Day approaching the fate of the Allied forces is in his hands. When the circuit is attacked Reece realises there may be a traitor in their ranks!
‘The Winter Agent’ was inspired by the tragic real life story of the Physician circuit that operated in Paris and Northern France until betrayed. Rubin outlines this in his closing historical notes, including recommendations of nonfiction accounts for those who might wish to learn more.
I found this a well written, engaging wartime spy thriller that provided strong characterisations and realistic action sequences. That it was inspired by real events gave it extra gravitas.
April 14, 2020
I enjoyed Liberation Square, a futuristic dystopian thriller set in the 1950s and was looking forward to Gareth Rubin's next book - and I was not disappointed.
The Winter Agent is a wonderful tale of heroism, duplicity and double-cross mainly set in wartime occupied France. There were times when I even thought I was reading an Alan Furst novel, so accurate and acute were Rubin's descriptions of people and places in Paris on the 40s - that's how good this book is!
I will not provide any spoilers but the end of the book is shattering (in a good way) as everything comes together and the identity and secrecy of the Allied landing location at D Day is maintained - but at what cost.
Life is cheap and dangerous as the SOE and French resistance fight the Nazi invaders and in Marc Reece, who heads up a resistance cell Rubin gas crested a wonderful multifaceted character.
This is an exceptionally good book that deserves a wide audience.
The Winter Agent is a wonderful tale of heroism, duplicity and double-cross mainly set in wartime occupied France. There were times when I even thought I was reading an Alan Furst novel, so accurate and acute were Rubin's descriptions of people and places in Paris on the 40s - that's how good this book is!
I will not provide any spoilers but the end of the book is shattering (in a good way) as everything comes together and the identity and secrecy of the Allied landing location at D Day is maintained - but at what cost.
Life is cheap and dangerous as the SOE and French resistance fight the Nazi invaders and in Marc Reece, who heads up a resistance cell Rubin gas crested a wonderful multifaceted character.
This is an exceptionally good book that deserves a wide audience.
June 25, 2020
A bit of a slow burner, was this one, but I really got stuck into it over the last couple of days, as it became more of a page-turner as we got closer to the conclusion.
.
A story of war, spies and deception. Reece (or Maxime), is a British agent undercover in German occupied Paris. His circuit discovers that there is a mole at the highest level of the Secret Services, ready to tip off Berlin about plans to invade on D Day.
.
Reece is shot at, shot, tortured, back and forward to London, all to try and find the truth of the agent, and stop him before he betrays Britain.
.
What I didn’t know was that there was some element of tragic truth behind the story, detailed on the final pages. I want to go back and study history now...WW2 was always my favourite (well...except for the Tudors when I stained everything with teabags and half burned homework!)
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A story of war, spies and deception. Reece (or Maxime), is a British agent undercover in German occupied Paris. His circuit discovers that there is a mole at the highest level of the Secret Services, ready to tip off Berlin about plans to invade on D Day.
.
Reece is shot at, shot, tortured, back and forward to London, all to try and find the truth of the agent, and stop him before he betrays Britain.
.
What I didn’t know was that there was some element of tragic truth behind the story, detailed on the final pages. I want to go back and study history now...WW2 was always my favourite (well...except for the Tudors when I stained everything with teabags and half burned homework!)
February 12, 2023
Something exciting happened in every chapter. The historical notes at the end were helpful . This gives much insight into the espionage world and how people were used for the greater good as both sides saw it. The book moved quickly without useless descriptions and it seemed like every 3 pages you were thrown off the trail and couldn't wait to find out what happened in each event. Real people and situations were mixed with fiction and made this very interesting.
March 26, 2021
A tough, often unpleasant story of WW II spies and German atrocities. The book features some interesting background in the lead-up to the D-Day landings and offers descriptions of life for agents in occupied countries. Well worth the time to read.
June 20, 2021
This book is good, but also it is a story I would like to read again to actually get to grips with its underlying story. I have read many SOE stories, but this one, unlike Simon Mawer, which gripped me from the beginning, I need to put down and pick back up at a future date.
July 22, 2021
During WW II Marc Reese and his circuit of British agents try to sabotage the German war effort from within. Reese realizes there must be a traitor in his unit. This story is inspired by true events.
August 24, 2021
Rated 7/10 An interesting read and insight into the risks and lives of agents working with the French Resistance during WW2. Loosely based around fact one does wonder at the extent that agents lives were considered expendable in light of the greater good.
March 20, 2025
Picked this up from a Co-Op book share box here in Salford, I absolutely loved it from beginning to end.
Rubin brought Paris, Amiens and wartime London to life and with a historically accurate and fiction book it was a joy to read.
Rubin brought Paris, Amiens and wartime London to life and with a historically accurate and fiction book it was a joy to read.
December 24, 2020
First book I've read by this author and what a great page turner. Based partly on events this is an excellent espionage novel. Superb read.
March 9, 2021
A great story and well researched during the occupation of Paris during the war.
It is the first time I have read this author and look forward to reading more.
It is the first time I have read this author and look forward to reading more.
August 13, 2021
If you ever want to read a Second World War Spy thriller, this is the book!! Well written with so many twists and turns and eventually the biggest twist in the end! A must read
August 22, 2021
7.5. Decent fictionalisation of believed-to-be-true events.
January 23, 2022
A fascinating historical thriller.
August 9, 2021
I got The Winter Agent by Gareth Rubin, from Netgalley for a fair and honest review
In occupied Paris during the bitter winter of 1944, Marc Reese leads a group of British agents helping France get ready for the allied invasion to free western Europe from German occupation. At a time of tension who do you trust, when you may be betrayed to the Gestapo at any minute, by people who you think of as your friend.
This war time thriller which takes a story that has been told before of trying to keep the information from the Germans about the location of the D-day invasion. The novel moves from one scene to the next in a natural manor, allowing the plot twists to come in such away that they were a shock but not out of the blue.
In addition the story was full of well rounded people not only Marcus himself but Charlotte and the Gestapo officers none of whom were not 2 dimensional. Which helps in following the story that Twist and turns all the way through.
This was an enjoyable war thriller that was well written and kept me interested as a reader all the way through from beginning to the end. So if you are Interested in well written spy novels with twist and turns with plenty of jeopardy, and action, or World War II spy novels, well written, the Garth Rubin, as written the novel for you in The Winter Agent.
In occupied Paris during the bitter winter of 1944, Marc Reese leads a group of British agents helping France get ready for the allied invasion to free western Europe from German occupation. At a time of tension who do you trust, when you may be betrayed to the Gestapo at any minute, by people who you think of as your friend.
This war time thriller which takes a story that has been told before of trying to keep the information from the Germans about the location of the D-day invasion. The novel moves from one scene to the next in a natural manor, allowing the plot twists to come in such away that they were a shock but not out of the blue.
In addition the story was full of well rounded people not only Marcus himself but Charlotte and the Gestapo officers none of whom were not 2 dimensional. Which helps in following the story that Twist and turns all the way through.
This was an enjoyable war thriller that was well written and kept me interested as a reader all the way through from beginning to the end. So if you are Interested in well written spy novels with twist and turns with plenty of jeopardy, and action, or World War II spy novels, well written, the Garth Rubin, as written the novel for you in The Winter Agent.
April 23, 2022
An excellent WW2/spy novel based on actual facts.Interesting characters, lots of twists and turns, love and a major betrayal. An ending that you may have had an inkling of but not to the extent that it happened. Somehow I didn't find this book as thrilling the second time
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