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Richard Prince #3
Ring of Spies
As the war approaches its end, Prince once more has to risk everything.
Berlin, 1939: A German intelligence officer learns a top agent is quickly moving up the British Army ranks. He bides his time.
Arnhem, 1944: British paratroopers have been slaughtered in one of the bloodiest battles of the Second World War. A shell shocked officer is convinced: the Germans knew they were coming.
But who betrayed them?
Back in London, Richard Prince, detective and spy, is approached by MI5 about a counterintelligence operation. Information is leaking and British troops are dying. Prince has to stop it, and crack the suspected spy ring at all costs. But in the world of espionage nothing is as it seems...
The latest WWII espionage thriller from Alex Gerlis is perfect for readers of Robert Harris, John le Carré and Alan Furst.
Berlin, 1939: A German intelligence officer learns a top agent is quickly moving up the British Army ranks. He bides his time.
Arnhem, 1944: British paratroopers have been slaughtered in one of the bloodiest battles of the Second World War. A shell shocked officer is convinced: the Germans knew they were coming.
But who betrayed them?
Back in London, Richard Prince, detective and spy, is approached by MI5 about a counterintelligence operation. Information is leaking and British troops are dying. Prince has to stop it, and crack the suspected spy ring at all costs. But in the world of espionage nothing is as it seems...
The latest WWII espionage thriller from Alex Gerlis is perfect for readers of Robert Harris, John le Carré and Alan Furst.
312 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 15, 2020
670 people are currently reading
290 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 65 reviews
October 15, 2020
Ring of Spies is the third instalment in the Richard Prince Thrillers series, which are Second World War espionage thrillers and are noted for their detailed research and intricate plots. It is preferable although not a strict necessity to have read the preceding two books before this one as each instalment has a fairly self-contained story and new readers are provided with enough backstory on Prince to bring them up to speed. Richard Prince is back with a bang in his most dangerous mission to date. As World War II’s conclusion inches ever closer, detective and MI5 freelancer Prince is called to covertly investigate when a band of British paratroopers are ambushed in Arnhem. It's 1944, and both the Allies and the Axis Powers are trying all strategies to gain an advantages over the other. When it comes to light that a German intelligence officer had been ’installed’ as a sleeper in the British ranks years earlier, it's up to Prince to identify how many are part of the ring, identify exactly who they are and halt the leak of information. But during the fog of war, nothing is quite as it initially appears...
This is a riveting, action-packed and superbly written tale of espionage and betrayal within the British ranks and the most shocking tale so far in this spectacular fact meets fiction series. The historical detail is impeccable, the plot exciting and full of tension, and Prince is a doggedly determined investigator who is admirably dedicated to the cause. It's a quick, thrilling and highly entertaining read from start to finish with never a dull moment and some rather large shocks along the way. It is also authentic feeling and very much reflects the changing allegiances of war and those who were willing to become traitors to their country for the right price. In my opinion, this is a vastly underrated spy series, which is up there with some of the most accomplished in the genre, and is the most captivating and absorbing so far, despite them all being superb. I look forward with anticipation to what is seemingly the fourth and final instalment, End of Spies, due to be published in April 2021. Highly recommended. Many thanks to Canelo for an ARC.
This is a riveting, action-packed and superbly written tale of espionage and betrayal within the British ranks and the most shocking tale so far in this spectacular fact meets fiction series. The historical detail is impeccable, the plot exciting and full of tension, and Prince is a doggedly determined investigator who is admirably dedicated to the cause. It's a quick, thrilling and highly entertaining read from start to finish with never a dull moment and some rather large shocks along the way. It is also authentic feeling and very much reflects the changing allegiances of war and those who were willing to become traitors to their country for the right price. In my opinion, this is a vastly underrated spy series, which is up there with some of the most accomplished in the genre, and is the most captivating and absorbing so far, despite them all being superb. I look forward with anticipation to what is seemingly the fourth and final instalment, End of Spies, due to be published in April 2021. Highly recommended. Many thanks to Canelo for an ARC.
January 20, 2021
This is the 3rd in the series of thrillers with police detective turned spy Richard Prince as the main character. I enjoyed the previous books but struggled with this one. The action jumps backward and forward between 1933 and 1945 as Prince helps MI5 officers track down a spy ring which has provided top secret information to the German military.
The spy ring consists of 3 people, one of whom is a senior Army officer code-named Milton. We learn that these spies may be responsible for the disaster that befell "Operation Market Garden" - a bid by the Western Allies to shorten the war. As a result, MI5 is desperate to prevent more secrets being sent to Germany.
As with the earlier books, the author Alex Gerlis successfully mixes historical facts with fiction. A satisfying thriller but you'll need your wits about you to keep up with to-ing and fro-ing of the plot.
The spy ring consists of 3 people, one of whom is a senior Army officer code-named Milton. We learn that these spies may be responsible for the disaster that befell "Operation Market Garden" - a bid by the Western Allies to shorten the war. As a result, MI5 is desperate to prevent more secrets being sent to Germany.
As with the earlier books, the author Alex Gerlis successfully mixes historical facts with fiction. A satisfying thriller but you'll need your wits about you to keep up with to-ing and fro-ing of the plot.
October 19, 2020
Richard Prince marches on. The latest outing for Alex Gerlis' relatively new hero takes place mostly in England as the end of the war approaches although there are brief excursions to the Netherlands, Belgium and Berlin.
Ring of Spies is an exciting, expertly crafted espionage thriller. Traitors are at large in the UK and Prince is hauled in by the spooks to find them. A sub plot involving Prince's search for his Danish missing lover whom we first met in Prince of Spies is traumatic and riveting.
The author has captured wartime London superbly and populated the capital with entirely credible characters. Berlin too comes to life and Gerlis has got his Abwehr man spot on. Interestingly his portrayal of Schellenberg is rather neutral. Most authors seem to think that Schellenberg was 'good' Nazi. No such thing in my view. He was a member of the SS.
I was very pleased to note that a fourth Prince tale is in the works.
David Lowther. Author of The Blue Pencil, Liberating Belsen, Two Families at War and The Summer of '39, all published by Sacristy Press.
Ring of Spies is an exciting, expertly crafted espionage thriller. Traitors are at large in the UK and Prince is hauled in by the spooks to find them. A sub plot involving Prince's search for his Danish missing lover whom we first met in Prince of Spies is traumatic and riveting.
The author has captured wartime London superbly and populated the capital with entirely credible characters. Berlin too comes to life and Gerlis has got his Abwehr man spot on. Interestingly his portrayal of Schellenberg is rather neutral. Most authors seem to think that Schellenberg was 'good' Nazi. No such thing in my view. He was a member of the SS.
I was very pleased to note that a fourth Prince tale is in the works.
David Lowther. Author of The Blue Pencil, Liberating Belsen, Two Families at War and The Summer of '39, all published by Sacristy Press.
October 7, 2021
Another excellent WWII spy noivel from Alex Gerlis.
November 10, 2020
Richard Prince is back in this third installment of his eponymous series. While it is not necessary to have read the first two books, it certainly does help.
The book opens with an English officer describing the debacle at Arnhem (Operation Market Garden, for those into the European theater of operations during WWII). He's insistent that the Germans knew the plans for the operation.
One of the issues with series characters is giving the reader some backstory so they know enough to agree to go along on the ride the main character is about to take, but aren't overwhelmed to the point that they miss that bus. Generally, it's a good idea to drizzle in the backstory like you're making your own aioli: slowly. Doing infodumps isn't a good way to go, just as dumping all the oil in at once into your aioli isn't: in the case of the latter, it causes the mix to break, and in the case of he former, it breaks the reading experience. Unfortunately, Ring of Spies starts with a lot of infodumping. There are also numerous "As you know, Bob" moments where one character is telling another character something they already know as a way to get that information to the reader.
Once past all this, the story picks up, and we find out the Germans have placed numerous agents in England. Prince is back in Lincolnshire, having recovered his lost son (book two) and basically policing an area that has no huge issues with crime, and almost zero serious crimes. He's approached again, just as he was in the first book, to join the intelligence service to help root our the German moles.
While he resists at first, he also acknowledges that he is a bit restless, having grown accustomed to the action of being a spy, where any misstep could be the last one. He agrees, and we're off into skullduggery within England itself.
There are scenes from the German side of the war, as there have been previously in this series, and we get infodumps on this side as well, but the positioning of the agents in England, how they are insulated from one another (to make them more difficult to detect, and to make it more difficult for them to give up the entire ring), and how they communicate with the Germans was quite interesting.
The ebb and flow of the war - even though we know that in the year of book, 1944, victory in Europe is coming sooner rather than later - and the danger war brings are still very real for the participants. The book continues at a good pace through the machinations of ally and foe alike. The ending, though, feels a bit rushed, even with the buildup of action as the Allies move ever forward to victory.
Even with that, however, it's a worthy entry to the series. I didn't find it as good as the first book in the series, but I did like it more than the second. It's well worth a read for thriller fans and history buffs alike.
A solid four out of five stars.
Thanks to Canelo and NetGalley for the review copy.
The book opens with an English officer describing the debacle at Arnhem (Operation Market Garden, for those into the European theater of operations during WWII). He's insistent that the Germans knew the plans for the operation.
One of the issues with series characters is giving the reader some backstory so they know enough to agree to go along on the ride the main character is about to take, but aren't overwhelmed to the point that they miss that bus. Generally, it's a good idea to drizzle in the backstory like you're making your own aioli: slowly. Doing infodumps isn't a good way to go, just as dumping all the oil in at once into your aioli isn't: in the case of the latter, it causes the mix to break, and in the case of he former, it breaks the reading experience. Unfortunately, Ring of Spies starts with a lot of infodumping. There are also numerous "As you know, Bob" moments where one character is telling another character something they already know as a way to get that information to the reader.
Once past all this, the story picks up, and we find out the Germans have placed numerous agents in England. Prince is back in Lincolnshire, having recovered his lost son (book two) and basically policing an area that has no huge issues with crime, and almost zero serious crimes. He's approached again, just as he was in the first book, to join the intelligence service to help root our the German moles.
While he resists at first, he also acknowledges that he is a bit restless, having grown accustomed to the action of being a spy, where any misstep could be the last one. He agrees, and we're off into skullduggery within England itself.
There are scenes from the German side of the war, as there have been previously in this series, and we get infodumps on this side as well, but the positioning of the agents in England, how they are insulated from one another (to make them more difficult to detect, and to make it more difficult for them to give up the entire ring), and how they communicate with the Germans was quite interesting.
The ebb and flow of the war - even though we know that in the year of book, 1944, victory in Europe is coming sooner rather than later - and the danger war brings are still very real for the participants. The book continues at a good pace through the machinations of ally and foe alike. The ending, though, feels a bit rushed, even with the buildup of action as the Allies move ever forward to victory.
Even with that, however, it's a worthy entry to the series. I didn't find it as good as the first book in the series, but I did like it more than the second. It's well worth a read for thriller fans and history buffs alike.
A solid four out of five stars.
Thanks to Canelo and NetGalley for the review copy.
January 3, 2022
Author Alex Gerlis http://alexgerlis.com published the book Ring of Spies in 2020. He has published nine novels, with this being the third book in his Richard Prince Thrillers series.
I received an ARC of this book through https://www.netgalley.com in return for a fair and honest review. I categorize this book as ‘R’ because it contains scenes of violence and mature language. The novel has two principal characters. The first is British Detective Superintendent Richard Prince. The other is the Danish agent and his love interest, Hanne Jakobsen.
It is already the fall of 1944 and the end of the war is in sight. But the Germans have a sleeper agent that has spent years embedding himself. Now he is in a position of responsibility. Now he can feed the Nazis important information to possibly turn the tide of the war.
The Allies have suffered a series of setbacks. Among them are the failure of Operation Market Garden and the initial German success in the Battle of the Bulge. Allied Intelligence believes that a German spy is operating within Allied Intelligence. MI5 reaches out to Prince. They want him to apply his detective skills to ferret out the spy.
Jakobsen has fallen into the hands of the Germans. She is being held in a concentration camp and is trying to stay alive. Prince has been trying to find her, but Allied Intelligence has not been able to help him.
Prince follows the trail of evidence and narrows down the spy suspects. Just when MI5 is about to take action, the suspect disappears. Shortly afterward, the war ends without the traitor being apprehended. MI5 still wants the traitor. Prince must travel to Germany to discover new evidence. He hopes he will also find out what happened to Jakobsen. While the Russians were allies during the war, things have begun to change. Prince must put himself at risk by traveling into Russian-occupied Berlin.
I enjoyed the 8.5+ hours I spent reading this 376-page WWII spy thriller. I have read three of the novels written by Gerlis and have enjoyed them all (The others were Prince of Spies and Agent in Berlin). His novels remind me of those written by Helen MacInnes, Ladislas Farago, and Alistair MacLean. While this is the third book in a series, it reads well by itself. I like the cover art chosen for the novel. I rate this book as a 4.5 (rounded up to a 5) out of 5.
You can access more of my book reviews on my Blog ( https://johnpurvis.wordpress.com/blog/).
I received an ARC of this book through https://www.netgalley.com in return for a fair and honest review. I categorize this book as ‘R’ because it contains scenes of violence and mature language. The novel has two principal characters. The first is British Detective Superintendent Richard Prince. The other is the Danish agent and his love interest, Hanne Jakobsen.
It is already the fall of 1944 and the end of the war is in sight. But the Germans have a sleeper agent that has spent years embedding himself. Now he is in a position of responsibility. Now he can feed the Nazis important information to possibly turn the tide of the war.
The Allies have suffered a series of setbacks. Among them are the failure of Operation Market Garden and the initial German success in the Battle of the Bulge. Allied Intelligence believes that a German spy is operating within Allied Intelligence. MI5 reaches out to Prince. They want him to apply his detective skills to ferret out the spy.
Jakobsen has fallen into the hands of the Germans. She is being held in a concentration camp and is trying to stay alive. Prince has been trying to find her, but Allied Intelligence has not been able to help him.
Prince follows the trail of evidence and narrows down the spy suspects. Just when MI5 is about to take action, the suspect disappears. Shortly afterward, the war ends without the traitor being apprehended. MI5 still wants the traitor. Prince must travel to Germany to discover new evidence. He hopes he will also find out what happened to Jakobsen. While the Russians were allies during the war, things have begun to change. Prince must put himself at risk by traveling into Russian-occupied Berlin.
I enjoyed the 8.5+ hours I spent reading this 376-page WWII spy thriller. I have read three of the novels written by Gerlis and have enjoyed them all (The others were Prince of Spies and Agent in Berlin). His novels remind me of those written by Helen MacInnes, Ladislas Farago, and Alistair MacLean. While this is the third book in a series, it reads well by itself. I like the cover art chosen for the novel. I rate this book as a 4.5 (rounded up to a 5) out of 5.
You can access more of my book reviews on my Blog ( https://johnpurvis.wordpress.com/blog/).
October 17, 2020
I would like to thank Damppebbles, Alex Gerlis, and Canelo Digital Publishing Limited for providing me with a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
This is the third book in The Richard Prince Thriller series, an exceptionally mind-twisting Espionage-Political-Thriller, but you can read this as a standalone. Gerlis' writing here definitely reminded me of John le Carré's The Night Manager but without the annoying ill-placed flashbacks. Thankfully he included a character list - unlike le Carré - so readers don't have to try and memorize all of these characters but I had to take notes regarding each characters' role due to the overwhelming number of double-spies, which also meant I couldn't finish this in as little as three days. Most characters are trying to hide their allyship through subterfuge, so along with major historical details to remember I had to take my time finishing this, so keep that in mind if you're looking for a quick read.
Gerlis wove together an impressive list of true historical military strategy with his major fictional plot: Richard Prince's fight to take down a British spy ring. The British government is involved but they don't know for sure who the spies are so they recruit Richard to help them infiltrate them (the spies) using his wit and their resources. Every character is memorable, and I learned some new facts amongst the true parts. (did you know Britain had a real fascist party? The more you learn!) If you enjoy political thrillers that include espionage or WWII historical fiction you'll love this book!
This is the third book in The Richard Prince Thriller series, an exceptionally mind-twisting Espionage-Political-Thriller, but you can read this as a standalone. Gerlis' writing here definitely reminded me of John le Carré's The Night Manager but without the annoying ill-placed flashbacks. Thankfully he included a character list - unlike le Carré - so readers don't have to try and memorize all of these characters but I had to take notes regarding each characters' role due to the overwhelming number of double-spies, which also meant I couldn't finish this in as little as three days. Most characters are trying to hide their allyship through subterfuge, so along with major historical details to remember I had to take my time finishing this, so keep that in mind if you're looking for a quick read.
Gerlis wove together an impressive list of true historical military strategy with his major fictional plot: Richard Prince's fight to take down a British spy ring. The British government is involved but they don't know for sure who the spies are so they recruit Richard to help them infiltrate them (the spies) using his wit and their resources. Every character is memorable, and I learned some new facts amongst the true parts. (did you know Britain had a real fascist party? The more you learn!) If you enjoy political thrillers that include espionage or WWII historical fiction you'll love this book!
April 14, 2022
Again starting from right where the second book finishes we get to meet Prince, who's back being a Detective Superintendent in the police force and also back with his son. But it's made clear that he's not enjoying it, not getting the same thrill as he got from being a spy, going behind enemy lines. But this book is also quite different as in this Prince becomes a spy hunter, searching for a German spy right in England who was leaking highly classified data. He was temporarily working for the MI5 instead of the MI6. Also another thing in this book was that Prince's role was quite limited. As in he appeared in only one chapter from the beginning till chapter 11. It felt like he was not the lead character in this book but one of the many characters in this story. But that didn't end up hurting the book in anyway whatsoever, it made it even better. Again an overall brilliant spy thriller, one that I wouldn't hesitate to recommend to any lover of this genre. Onwards to book four, that last in this wonderful series. Again a big thank you to Alex Gerlis for this wonderful book. Also a big thank you to NetGalley and Canelo for giving me this book in exchange of my review.
October 4, 2020
This is Ring of Spies, the third book about Richard Prince by Alex Gerlis. I can really recommend this series but whatever you do read them in order. This is a good story that covers several parts of the world during the second world war and we get to follow a policeman who gets roped in as a spy. It is very well written and rather entertaining despite all the horrors of war. I have to thank #Canelo and #Netgalley for giving me this book and I hope there will be more adventures with Prince.
September 14, 2020
This is a great series and it was nice to have Prince on home soil for a change. He was well suited to the role of playing spy hunter and the story kept you gripped as he figured out who the traitors were. Well written as always, it does take you back to the 40s. Thanks NetGalley for the advance copy.
May 11, 2021
A disappointment after the other two in the series. It seemed poorly constructed, sometimes difficult to follow and ending very strangely
October 20, 2020
I have a little confession to make. Although I have several of Alex’s books on my ever increasing ‘to be read’ mountain, I haven’t actually read one………..until now that is. When I was invited to take part in the blog tour for ‘Ring Of Spies’, I thought that it would be the ideal opportunity to acquaint myself with Alex’s work. Having enjoyed reading ‘Ring Of Spies’ as much as I did, I am now rather annoyed at myself for leaving it this long to discover how fantastic an author he is. I absolutely loved every single second of ‘Ring Of Spies’ but more about that in a bit.
As well as being a book geek, I am also a history nerd with a particular fondness for stories set during either of the World Wars. So you can probably understand why the synopsis of ‘Ring Of Spies’ screamed ‘read me’ at me. As soon as I started to read the story, I knew that for the rest of the day I would pretty much be reading this fabulous sounding book and that I wouldn’t be moving far. I must by psychic (or psychopathic) because that is exactly what happened. I was so intrigued by the story that I couldn’t turn the pages quick enough. I had to know how the story was going to develop and pan out and how that affected the different characters. To say that I became obsessed with ‘Ring Of Spies’ is a bit of an understatement. If I wasn’t reading the book, I was thinking about the book. If I had to put the book down, even if only for a nanosecond, then I would immediately look forward to being able to pick the book up again. As a result I seemed to charge my way through the story. I became so wrapped up in the story that I lost all track of time and of how quickly I was reading the book. I soon got to the end of ‘Ring Of Spies’ and I had to say farewell to the characters.
‘Ring Of Spies’ is a blooming brilliant read, which is superbly written. Alex certainly knows how to grab your attention and then draw you into the story. Alex describes the wartime conditions and the spy world so vividly that I really did feel as though I had borrowed a time machine and I had landed back in Wartime Britain. I must say that some of the details of the ‘interrogation techniques’ did make me wince a bit. I have a far too vivid imagination for my own good sometimes. Reading ‘Ring Of Spies’ felt like being on one hell of a fast paced, scary and unpredictable rollercoaster ride with more twists and turns to the story than you would find on a ‘Snakes & Ladders’ board. For me, ‘Ring Of Spies’ really is an unputdownable pageturner of a read, that gripped me from start to finish and kept me on the edge of my seat throughout.
In short, I thoroughly enjoyed reading ‘Ring Of Spies’ and I would definitely recommend this book to other readers. I enjoyed reading it so much that as soon as I finish typing this review, I am off to buy the first two books in the series. I will certainly be reading more of Alex’s work in the future. The score on the Ginger Book Geek board is a very well deserved 5* out of 5*.
As well as being a book geek, I am also a history nerd with a particular fondness for stories set during either of the World Wars. So you can probably understand why the synopsis of ‘Ring Of Spies’ screamed ‘read me’ at me. As soon as I started to read the story, I knew that for the rest of the day I would pretty much be reading this fabulous sounding book and that I wouldn’t be moving far. I must by psychic (or psychopathic) because that is exactly what happened. I was so intrigued by the story that I couldn’t turn the pages quick enough. I had to know how the story was going to develop and pan out and how that affected the different characters. To say that I became obsessed with ‘Ring Of Spies’ is a bit of an understatement. If I wasn’t reading the book, I was thinking about the book. If I had to put the book down, even if only for a nanosecond, then I would immediately look forward to being able to pick the book up again. As a result I seemed to charge my way through the story. I became so wrapped up in the story that I lost all track of time and of how quickly I was reading the book. I soon got to the end of ‘Ring Of Spies’ and I had to say farewell to the characters.
‘Ring Of Spies’ is a blooming brilliant read, which is superbly written. Alex certainly knows how to grab your attention and then draw you into the story. Alex describes the wartime conditions and the spy world so vividly that I really did feel as though I had borrowed a time machine and I had landed back in Wartime Britain. I must say that some of the details of the ‘interrogation techniques’ did make me wince a bit. I have a far too vivid imagination for my own good sometimes. Reading ‘Ring Of Spies’ felt like being on one hell of a fast paced, scary and unpredictable rollercoaster ride with more twists and turns to the story than you would find on a ‘Snakes & Ladders’ board. For me, ‘Ring Of Spies’ really is an unputdownable pageturner of a read, that gripped me from start to finish and kept me on the edge of my seat throughout.
In short, I thoroughly enjoyed reading ‘Ring Of Spies’ and I would definitely recommend this book to other readers. I enjoyed reading it so much that as soon as I finish typing this review, I am off to buy the first two books in the series. I will certainly be reading more of Alex’s work in the future. The score on the Ginger Book Geek board is a very well deserved 5* out of 5*.
October 21, 2020
I chose to read and review a free eARC of Ring of Spies but that has in no way influenced my review.
Ring of Spies is the first book I have read by Alex Gerlis, it is the third book in the Richard Prince series and it is wonderful! Ring of Spies pulls you straight into the second half of the Second World War. The mission to take Arnhem is a difficult one for the Allies, a successful mission would likely bring forward the end of the war, but when the Allies attack the German’s defence is much stronger than expected. Had the Germans been pre-warned or was it just a coincidence?
Richard Prince is a wonderful character. He starts the book as a detective in Lincolnshire - a much more relaxed existence than his previous work as a spy behind enemy lines. When MI5 need an outsider to find the German Spy in their midst, then Prince is soon pulled back into espionage and the murky world of the different Military Intelligence Sections. I was impressed by how quickly I felt I knew the characters. Despite being the third book in the series, Ring of Spies can easily be read as a standalone.
Alex Gerlis has clearly done his research for this book. He cleverly interweaves historic facts from the war with the story to lend it a credibility and depth that made this book standout from others in the genre.
The story is told from multiple perspectives, following Richard Prince as he searches for the German agent, the German Spy “handler” in Berlin, and the unidentified agent in central London. The different perspectives provided a clear ebb and flow to the story, allowing the reader to understand the decisions made and the consequences of those decisions. The investigation isn’t an easy one and the author makes the characters work hard for clues, follow red herrings and suffer misfortune. But do they find their spy before the war ends? That would be telling 😉
Ring of Spies is a fantastic historic detective/spy thriller that will be well appreciated by many and is a must read if you have an interest in the Second World War period. Wonderful writing, excellent characters and a storyline that will pull you into the immersive world of espionage.
I chose to read and review a free eARC of Ring of Spies. The above review is my own unbiased opinion.
Ring of Spies is the first book I have read by Alex Gerlis, it is the third book in the Richard Prince series and it is wonderful! Ring of Spies pulls you straight into the second half of the Second World War. The mission to take Arnhem is a difficult one for the Allies, a successful mission would likely bring forward the end of the war, but when the Allies attack the German’s defence is much stronger than expected. Had the Germans been pre-warned or was it just a coincidence?
Richard Prince is a wonderful character. He starts the book as a detective in Lincolnshire - a much more relaxed existence than his previous work as a spy behind enemy lines. When MI5 need an outsider to find the German Spy in their midst, then Prince is soon pulled back into espionage and the murky world of the different Military Intelligence Sections. I was impressed by how quickly I felt I knew the characters. Despite being the third book in the series, Ring of Spies can easily be read as a standalone.
Alex Gerlis has clearly done his research for this book. He cleverly interweaves historic facts from the war with the story to lend it a credibility and depth that made this book standout from others in the genre.
The story is told from multiple perspectives, following Richard Prince as he searches for the German agent, the German Spy “handler” in Berlin, and the unidentified agent in central London. The different perspectives provided a clear ebb and flow to the story, allowing the reader to understand the decisions made and the consequences of those decisions. The investigation isn’t an easy one and the author makes the characters work hard for clues, follow red herrings and suffer misfortune. But do they find their spy before the war ends? That would be telling 😉
Ring of Spies is a fantastic historic detective/spy thriller that will be well appreciated by many and is a must read if you have an interest in the Second World War period. Wonderful writing, excellent characters and a storyline that will pull you into the immersive world of espionage.
I chose to read and review a free eARC of Ring of Spies. The above review is my own unbiased opinion.
October 29, 2021
The third in the Richard Prince series sees our lead working mainly in London, although there are interludes in Berlin, Ravensbrück. We start in the early 30’s, a seemingly innocuous meeting in Cambridge. Then, in 1939, a German intelligence officer inherits a sleeper agent in the British Army, and with infinite patience the Abwehr man waits.
We jump forward to 1944, and the devastation of Arnhem leads the British to fear they have a security problem. The operation was meticulously planned. The only way it could go so wrong was if the Germans knew. Richard Prince is borrowed by MI5 to investigate – following his two harrowing missions in occupied Europe he is arguably the most trusted spy in Britain. With almost nothing to go on, Prince must figure out who the spy is, with MI5 and American intelligence breathing down his neck, and some unlikely allies.
This is another excellent outing for Prince/Gerlis, and once again I think this is a better book than the second (which I liked more than the first). Although predominantly set in London, the bits in Berlin are excellent and I once again found the new characters engaging and well rounded. No cliché baddies (at least not the lead characters), and some nice little diversions. The ending is a bit open, which I have come to expect, but in this case it does not feel forced. I look forward (with a slight sense of disappointment) to the final book in the series, already safely on my Kindle.
We jump forward to 1944, and the devastation of Arnhem leads the British to fear they have a security problem. The operation was meticulously planned. The only way it could go so wrong was if the Germans knew. Richard Prince is borrowed by MI5 to investigate – following his two harrowing missions in occupied Europe he is arguably the most trusted spy in Britain. With almost nothing to go on, Prince must figure out who the spy is, with MI5 and American intelligence breathing down his neck, and some unlikely allies.
This is another excellent outing for Prince/Gerlis, and once again I think this is a better book than the second (which I liked more than the first). Although predominantly set in London, the bits in Berlin are excellent and I once again found the new characters engaging and well rounded. No cliché baddies (at least not the lead characters), and some nice little diversions. The ending is a bit open, which I have come to expect, but in this case it does not feel forced. I look forward (with a slight sense of disappointment) to the final book in the series, already safely on my Kindle.
January 11, 2023
Spoilers ahead.
This has been the most addicting series I've read for a long time. However this book has less to do with Prince than the first two books. It's basically about a spy ring of German agents in Britain who've been sending back information that led to set backs during Market Garden and the German Ardennes offensive.
For most of the book, we see the story from the POVs of the German agents. Later on as the war winds down we see the story more from Prince's POV, and we also see a few chapters from Hanne's POV.
Generally I dislike books with many different POVs but this is so well done it's fairly seamless reading from one chapter to the next. I think it's because the author keeps the writing tight, without a lot of long unnecessary writing and the action happens pretty quickly.
So basically the spies are all native British who were Fascist sympathizers and they all got recruited early on and mostly stayed dormant until they were in a position to provide information. Meanwhile, Prince is recruited to uncover their identities and then look for them.
At the end of the book the war ends and all except one of the spies is caught and I believe that's what book 4 is about. Anyway this is an engrossing WW2 spy thriller. It was fairly fast paced and almost impossible to put down for me.
This has been the most addicting series I've read for a long time. However this book has less to do with Prince than the first two books. It's basically about a spy ring of German agents in Britain who've been sending back information that led to set backs during Market Garden and the German Ardennes offensive.
For most of the book, we see the story from the POVs of the German agents. Later on as the war winds down we see the story more from Prince's POV, and we also see a few chapters from Hanne's POV.
Generally I dislike books with many different POVs but this is so well done it's fairly seamless reading from one chapter to the next. I think it's because the author keeps the writing tight, without a lot of long unnecessary writing and the action happens pretty quickly.
So basically the spies are all native British who were Fascist sympathizers and they all got recruited early on and mostly stayed dormant until they were in a position to provide information. Meanwhile, Prince is recruited to uncover their identities and then look for them.
At the end of the book the war ends and all except one of the spies is caught and I believe that's what book 4 is about. Anyway this is an engrossing WW2 spy thriller. It was fairly fast paced and almost impossible to put down for me.
October 17, 2020
Ring of Spies. Alex Gerlis
Richard Prince, a police detective in civilian life , now M15 covert intelligence, also a spy who has worked in Germany, Norway during the beginning and the height of the German conquests for dominance during WWII. He's skills as a detective are of immense importance in his attempt to survive in many harrowing situations. The Germans have sent numerous spies to Britain to obtain information. Most are immediately captured but a few have remained hidden. One in particular has in esteemed and highly placed position in military intelligence. He's British and a wounded veteran. He sides with the Germans. The information he has passed to his handlers has been enormously damaging to key battles in Europe. Richard Prince is given the assignment to locate this spy and capture. An extremely fast paced espionage thriller. My absolute highest recommendation!!!
Richard Prince, a police detective in civilian life , now M15 covert intelligence, also a spy who has worked in Germany, Norway during the beginning and the height of the German conquests for dominance during WWII. He's skills as a detective are of immense importance in his attempt to survive in many harrowing situations. The Germans have sent numerous spies to Britain to obtain information. Most are immediately captured but a few have remained hidden. One in particular has in esteemed and highly placed position in military intelligence. He's British and a wounded veteran. He sides with the Germans. The information he has passed to his handlers has been enormously damaging to key battles in Europe. Richard Prince is given the assignment to locate this spy and capture. An extremely fast paced espionage thriller. My absolute highest recommendation!!!
October 19, 2020
Hands down, one of the best historical espionage thrillers I have ever read. I mean, not that I read a lot in that genre, but I’ve certainly done my share with Len Deighton and Phillip Kerr. I was really excited to find this author. In this third Richard Prince book, his task is more dangerous than previous ones. When British paratroopers are ambushed, it’s up to him to figure out how the enemy knew where they would be. As to be expected with an espionage thriller, there are intricacies, twists, and surprises. These were all well-done and kept me engaged through the entire book. While the plot in this book is a standalone, there is an awful lot of backstory that is missing if you don’t have the first two books under your belt first. I definitely recommend picking up this series. Thank you to Damp Pebbles for a digital ARC of the book.
March 6, 2024
The more I read Alex Gerlis’s books, the more I love them. The Prince of Spies series is terrific, and this book, Ring of Spies (#3) is brilliant. Prince is on the hunt for a spy ring in his native Britain. Twists and turns abound. Not only do we see Prince in action, but we also learn about the spies and their motivations. The plot was deftly arranged. I also like the authentic feel to the dialogue of the times. Sometimes authors pick a historical setting yet fail to capture the feel of the time. Gerlis never has that problem.
Again, Rupert Bush narrates the Audible version of this book. His performance skills are exceptional as he brings the book to life. I am a huge fan of his too.
Again, Rupert Bush narrates the Audible version of this book. His performance skills are exceptional as he brings the book to life. I am a huge fan of his too.
August 4, 2021
Richard Prince is recalled to Military Intelligence from his job as a police detective in Lincolnshire. This time, he's to go undercover in Britain to try and find German spies working here. Some of the spies have died, others are still deep undercover.
Prince ventures abroad, to Red Army controlled Berlin. and obtains information from a Russian Officer as to the whereabouts of one of the handlers. From this person, Prince is able to locate the spies that he's looking for. His Russian contact also helps Richard find Hanne, and they're reunited as she battles against typhus.
VJ Day happens and the war is now over. However, there is still one spy out there, in hiding.
Prince ventures abroad, to Red Army controlled Berlin. and obtains information from a Russian Officer as to the whereabouts of one of the handlers. From this person, Prince is able to locate the spies that he's looking for. His Russian contact also helps Richard find Hanne, and they're reunited as she battles against typhus.
VJ Day happens and the war is now over. However, there is still one spy out there, in hiding.
December 25, 2023
Another engaging novel from Gerlis.
The third instalment of the Richard Prince series offers a perspective, largely from the point of view of a German spy operation in the UK. This is not something I have read in any of Gerlis’ other books (I have only read the Wolfpack series before this) and I really enjoyed this new perspective. As always, the characters are fleshed out just enough to understand who everyone is, but not so much that you are totally overwhelmed - something I like in a book with so many characters.
I find my reviews are all largely the same and largely positive for Gerlis’ novels as they are consistently easy to read and enjoyable. Perfect page-turning fiction.
The third instalment of the Richard Prince series offers a perspective, largely from the point of view of a German spy operation in the UK. This is not something I have read in any of Gerlis’ other books (I have only read the Wolfpack series before this) and I really enjoyed this new perspective. As always, the characters are fleshed out just enough to understand who everyone is, but not so much that you are totally overwhelmed - something I like in a book with so many characters.
I find my reviews are all largely the same and largely positive for Gerlis’ novels as they are consistently easy to read and enjoyable. Perfect page-turning fiction.
December 4, 2021
#3 in series still engages. I already purchased the next one. Pretty clean, outside of some “men talking of women” speak. Well narrated(narrator’s usual) and well written (author’s usual). Properly adapted to historical facts. If you like previous generations mystery, romance, or fact-based WWII—this one’s for you.
I had read it earlier (each one is a stand alone). However, I was just as interested in the love story so for continuity I re-read this one.
I had read it earlier (each one is a stand alone). However, I was just as interested in the love story so for continuity I re-read this one.
February 28, 2022
In the mid thirties, the Nazis began recruiting young British sympathizers. A handful of these recruits found themselves under control of the Abwehr, the German Intelligence division. In 1944, the enemy were waiting for the allied thrust at Arnhem and knew the position of American units in the Ardennes. Is there a mole in British military intelligence passing on these critical plans? Another captivating WWII espionage effort from this author. Lots of eye opening detail from that era.
March 14, 2023
The third of the Richard Prince series and continued on nicely from the previous two books.
The books are well written and I particularly like the technique that Alex Gerlis uses to build the plot. In this book, it was about a third into the narrative before Richard Prince appeared but the scene had been set.
As the author says, the books are fiction but based on true events which makes them all the more enthralling.
The books are well written and I particularly like the technique that Alex Gerlis uses to build the plot. In this book, it was about a third into the narrative before Richard Prince appeared but the scene had been set.
As the author says, the books are fiction but based on true events which makes them all the more enthralling.
October 18, 2020
WW2 espionage at its finest
Gerlis is in a league of his own when it comes to spies and spying by both the Nazis and the Allies. Nobody but nobody, not even Alan Furst, does it better. I've read every single one of his WW2 espionage novels and avidly look forward to his next book.
Gerlis is in a league of his own when it comes to spies and spying by both the Nazis and the Allies. Nobody but nobody, not even Alan Furst, does it better. I've read every single one of his WW2 espionage novels and avidly look forward to his next book.
November 12, 2020
Spying tonight
Excellent addition in the further adventures of Richard Prince. Gerlis has that great ability to combine near fact with fiction ; Remagen, the Bulge - great end of war battles and weave the tale around them. I couldn't put it down , which sadly means insomnia and the quest for my next read..
Excellent addition in the further adventures of Richard Prince. Gerlis has that great ability to combine near fact with fiction ; Remagen, the Bulge - great end of war battles and weave the tale around them. I couldn't put it down , which sadly means insomnia and the quest for my next read..
November 16, 2020
Fantastic
Really interesting story. A new idea to have spies in UK towards the end of the war, and just after.
I did get lost trying to keep track of the spies with their names, pseudonyms and code names. Also interesting that Prince didn’t come in to the book until some way in. Can’t wait for the final book.
Really interesting story. A new idea to have spies in UK towards the end of the war, and just after.
I did get lost trying to keep track of the spies with their names, pseudonyms and code names. Also interesting that Prince didn’t come in to the book until some way in. Can’t wait for the final book.
July 13, 2021
Yet another more than satisfactory read from Alex Gerlis where Richard Prince is searching for German spies in the UK. With some relevant flashbacks to help explain the background of the wheres and whyfors as to what made British citizens spy for the nazis. Well written and well researched. Great series.
October 2, 2021
Couldn't put it down. Best of the three so far. Looking forward to book four but might take a break first. I really appreciated that he wrapped up the little details. The level of detail though is awesome. The author did a lot of work to put this series together. Very well done and just a great read.
April 16, 2024
I'm enjoying this series of books focusing on policeman/spy Richard Prince and this one maintains the standard set by the second book. It starts to tie-up some loose ends in the series while conveying the range of emotions and fears everyone on both sides must have felt at the cessation of hostilities in 1945.
November 8, 2024
Love lost and regained by a few
Name changes, new loyalties, hatred, revenge, commitment to values, family ties... All get scrambled in war and international conflict. Can national intelligence personnel sort out the bad guys in time for peace? Can personal relationships survive the turmoil?
Name changes, new loyalties, hatred, revenge, commitment to values, family ties... All get scrambled in war and international conflict. Can national intelligence personnel sort out the bad guys in time for peace? Can personal relationships survive the turmoil?
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