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Tommy Hambledon #14
Alias Uncle Hugo
A Hambledon espionage story set in Central Europe behind the Iron Curtain. A 13-year-old princeling has been sent into Russia to a school for leadership and Hambledon is assigned to his rescue and spiriting him out of Russian hands to safety in England. Plenty of violence, quick thinking, fast talking and changes of identity before a plane is used to make a speedy getaway!
261 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 1952
10 people are currently reading
36 people want to read
About the author
Manning Coles
47 books9 followersFrom Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia:
Manning Coles is the pseudonym of two British writers, Adelaide Frances Oke Manning (1891–1959) and Cyril Henry Coles (1899–1965), who wrote many spy thrillers from the early 40s through the early 60s. The fictional protagonist in 26 of their books was Thomas Elphinstone Hambledon, who works for the Foreign Office.
Manning and Coles were neighbors in East Meon, Hampshire. Coles worked for British Intelligence in both the World Wars. Manning worked for the War Office during World War I. Their first books were fairly realistic and with a touch of grimness; their postwar books perhaps suffered from an excess of lightheartedness and whimsy. They also wrote a number of humorous novels about modern-day ghosts, some of them involving ghostly cousins named Charles and James Latimer. These novels were published in England under the pseudonym of Francis Gaite but released in the United States under the Manning Coles byline.
Many of the original exploits were based on the real-life experiences of Coles, who lied about his age and enlisted under an assumed name in a Hampshire regiment during World War I while still a teenager. He eventually became the youngest officer in British intelligence, often working behind German lines, due to his extraordinary ability to master languages. Coles had 2 sons (Michael and Peter, who were identical twins and who are both still alive, living in the UK) and the Ghost stories were based on the tales he used to tell his young sons when he was 'back from his travels'.
Manning Coles is the pseudonym of two British writers, Adelaide Frances Oke Manning (1891–1959) and Cyril Henry Coles (1899–1965), who wrote many spy thrillers from the early 40s through the early 60s. The fictional protagonist in 26 of their books was Thomas Elphinstone Hambledon, who works for the Foreign Office.
Manning and Coles were neighbors in East Meon, Hampshire. Coles worked for British Intelligence in both the World Wars. Manning worked for the War Office during World War I. Their first books were fairly realistic and with a touch of grimness; their postwar books perhaps suffered from an excess of lightheartedness and whimsy. They also wrote a number of humorous novels about modern-day ghosts, some of them involving ghostly cousins named Charles and James Latimer. These novels were published in England under the pseudonym of Francis Gaite but released in the United States under the Manning Coles byline.
Many of the original exploits were based on the real-life experiences of Coles, who lied about his age and enlisted under an assumed name in a Hampshire regiment during World War I while still a teenager. He eventually became the youngest officer in British intelligence, often working behind German lines, due to his extraordinary ability to master languages. Coles had 2 sons (Michael and Peter, who were identical twins and who are both still alive, living in the UK) and the Ghost stories were based on the tales he used to tell his young sons when he was 'back from his travels'.
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
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December 8, 2022Tommy goes behind the Iron Curtain to rescue a Balkan teenage king. Cold War thriller that feels pure 39 Steps/Zenda, highly entertaining nonsense.
February 1, 2022
Major characters:
Kaspar Groenwald, a 13-year old prince
Edward Granger, his tutor
Tommy Hambledon, British Secret Service
Charles Denton, British Secret Service
Locale: Germany and Russia
Synopsis: Tommy Hambledon of the British Secret Service has an assignment: Go to Russia, find and rescue a 13-year old boy who is to be the future king of a mid-European country. Tommy and associate Charles Denton enter Russia with Tommy impersonating Comrade Commisar Peskoff, with Denton as his driver. They go to the boy's town of Bereghark under the guise of inspecting a farm implement factory, but find the boy, Kaspar Groenwald gone. His tutor, Edward Granger, reports he has been taken with a group of others to a special leadership school in Poltava - with the Russians unaware of his royal status.
Tommy (as Peskoff) and Denton head to divided Berlin to provide a ride to Comrade Orzinov. On the way Orzinov determines Peskoff is an imposter, and Denton shoots him. They are stopped en route, and are able to dispose of the body. They arrive in Berlin, and upon entering, find themselves in the middle of a labor uprising. Tommy, lacking identity papers, takes some from a body and assumes his identity of Hugo Britz, unaware Britz was a wanted murderer.
Tommy, as Britz, manages to get appointed to a job in another farm implement factory in Poltava, close to Kaspar's school. Despite knowing nothing about agriculture, he manages to implement various efficiencies in the factory. As far as Kaspar goes, Tommy poses as his Uncle Hugo, and plans to spirit him out of Russia, but how? He is 1000 miles away from the border. Meanwhile, his impersonation as Britz is beginning to unravel.
Review: Tommy Hambledon stories are always a delight. He manages to get himself into scrapes and extract himself with little or no planning. One aspect that was not clear to me was who/why wanted Kaspar in England? It was mentioned late in the book that Kaspar's unnamed European country had a government-in-exile in England, and it was they who wanted to get Kaspar to a safe, friendly country.
Kaspar was an interesting and enjoyable character. Mature beyond his 13 years, he assumes quite a different persona when with Tommy (who knows he is royalty) than he does with everyone else - and when he is with his school buddies he is just like any 13 year old.
Please visit The Mystillery Blog and try The Mystillery Reading Challenges!
Kaspar Groenwald, a 13-year old prince
Edward Granger, his tutor
Tommy Hambledon, British Secret Service
Charles Denton, British Secret Service
Locale: Germany and Russia
Synopsis: Tommy Hambledon of the British Secret Service has an assignment: Go to Russia, find and rescue a 13-year old boy who is to be the future king of a mid-European country. Tommy and associate Charles Denton enter Russia with Tommy impersonating Comrade Commisar Peskoff, with Denton as his driver. They go to the boy's town of Bereghark under the guise of inspecting a farm implement factory, but find the boy, Kaspar Groenwald gone. His tutor, Edward Granger, reports he has been taken with a group of others to a special leadership school in Poltava - with the Russians unaware of his royal status.
Tommy (as Peskoff) and Denton head to divided Berlin to provide a ride to Comrade Orzinov. On the way Orzinov determines Peskoff is an imposter, and Denton shoots him. They are stopped en route, and are able to dispose of the body. They arrive in Berlin, and upon entering, find themselves in the middle of a labor uprising. Tommy, lacking identity papers, takes some from a body and assumes his identity of Hugo Britz, unaware Britz was a wanted murderer.
Tommy, as Britz, manages to get appointed to a job in another farm implement factory in Poltava, close to Kaspar's school. Despite knowing nothing about agriculture, he manages to implement various efficiencies in the factory. As far as Kaspar goes, Tommy poses as his Uncle Hugo, and plans to spirit him out of Russia, but how? He is 1000 miles away from the border. Meanwhile, his impersonation as Britz is beginning to unravel.
Review: Tommy Hambledon stories are always a delight. He manages to get himself into scrapes and extract himself with little or no planning. One aspect that was not clear to me was who/why wanted Kaspar in England? It was mentioned late in the book that Kaspar's unnamed European country had a government-in-exile in England, and it was they who wanted to get Kaspar to a safe, friendly country.
Kaspar was an interesting and enjoyable character. Mature beyond his 13 years, he assumes quite a different persona when with Tommy (who knows he is royalty) than he does with everyone else - and when he is with his school buddies he is just like any 13 year old.
Please visit The Mystillery Blog and try The Mystillery Reading Challenges!
September 11, 2020
More fun identity hijinks with spy Tommy Hambledon trapped in Soviet Russia, trying to smuggle out a young royal heir. A mix of humor and action, well-written but with a somewhat unsatisfyingly abrupt ending.
January 13, 2024
Not something I really enjoy reading. If you like undercover spy intrigue stories you would probably enjoy this book. It’s well written just not something I enjoy.
May 19, 2024
A Thriller!
Manning Coles is the best. The dialog sparkles and the descriptions of life 70 some years ago is a postcard from the past.
Manning Coles is the best. The dialog sparkles and the descriptions of life 70 some years ago is a postcard from the past.
March 17, 2012
This is a pretty short book, but it's quite a bit improved over the previous Tommy Hambledon books I've read so far. It's just a quick little spy story.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews