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Moscow Quadrille
The title of this excellent spy novel comes from the four people--a Russian actor, a wife, a Russian beauty, and a British diplomat--who engage in a dance of betrayal and death set against a backdrop of contemporary Moscow.
- GenresEspionage
304 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1978
2 people are currently reading
24 people want to read
About the author
Ted Allbeury
168 books43 followers1917 - 2005. Also wrote under the pseudonyms Richard Butler and Patrick Kelly.
Ted Allbeury was a lieutenant-colonel in the Intelligence Corps during World War II, and later a successful executive in the fields of marketing, advertising and radio. He began his writing career in the early 1970s and became well known for his espionage novels, but also published one highly-praised general novel, THE CHOICE, and a short story collection, OTHER KINDS OF TREASON. His novels have been published in twenty-three languages, including Russian. He died on 4th December 2005.
See also: http://www.guardian.co.uk/news/2006/j...
and
http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/a/t...
Ted Allbeury was a lieutenant-colonel in the Intelligence Corps during World War II, and later a successful executive in the fields of marketing, advertising and radio. He began his writing career in the early 1970s and became well known for his espionage novels, but also published one highly-praised general novel, THE CHOICE, and a short story collection, OTHER KINDS OF TREASON. His novels have been published in twenty-three languages, including Russian. He died on 4th December 2005.
See also: http://www.guardian.co.uk/news/2006/j...
and
http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/a/t...
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
December 31, 2024
In many ways your typical Ted Allbeury: a gritty Cold War espionage thriller steeped in authentic detail featuring a Communist plot to seize power in 70s Britain. There's a romantic angle as our middle aged Scottish diplomat antagonist is subject of a KGB plot to ensnare him using one of their "Swallow" femme fatales. Let's just say he doesn't take much snaring. I like how the author compares his characters to film stars as a shorthand way of describing their looks.
The melancholy aspect that often features in this author's work culminates in the finale. Allbeury's straightforward prose occasionally takes flight as in the following passage:
"There is a day in early spring when the first fat bumblebees appear, and a day in late September when red admirals and peacocks lie on Michaelmas daisies and buddleia as if it were some saint's day to mark the end of the summer, and in every love affair there is a moment in one day that seals the lovers' fates. From that day on the dice are cast, and from that moment on they will be a couple, cast in some good metal, like a statue, their separate lives are fused inevitably."
Moments like this elevate an otherwise standard thriller and earn an extra star from this reader.
The melancholy aspect that often features in this author's work culminates in the finale. Allbeury's straightforward prose occasionally takes flight as in the following passage:
"There is a day in early spring when the first fat bumblebees appear, and a day in late September when red admirals and peacocks lie on Michaelmas daisies and buddleia as if it were some saint's day to mark the end of the summer, and in every love affair there is a moment in one day that seals the lovers' fates. From that day on the dice are cast, and from that moment on they will be a couple, cast in some good metal, like a statue, their separate lives are fused inevitably."
Moments like this elevate an otherwise standard thriller and earn an extra star from this reader.
December 19, 2018
I came to discover Ted Allbeury quite late, and as a junkie of espionage novels I felt this was a shame so I'm trying to catch up. Ted Allbeury was an extremely prolific writer, he produced an incredibly high number of novels, he came to writing up to 3-4 books a year and he had to adopt two aka's to help carry the weight of such vast production. In the end, Allbeury's work was buried under such over-production, which I’m still digging into to find the good, the bad and the ugly.
So far I stumbled into a couple of good (The Twelfth Day In January, The Crossing and Shadow Of A Doubt), a very good (Seeds Of Treason, in my view the best of Allbeury works), while several others are kind of crappy.
The Moscow Quadrille is a little gem, not the best but quite good; short, very well written and with a dramatic ending.
I thoroughly enjoyed it.
So far I stumbled into a couple of good (The Twelfth Day In January, The Crossing and Shadow Of A Doubt), a very good (Seeds Of Treason, in my view the best of Allbeury works), while several others are kind of crappy.
The Moscow Quadrille is a little gem, not the best but quite good; short, very well written and with a dramatic ending.
I thoroughly enjoyed it.
October 20, 2024
Solid cerebral thriller with some action towards the end. It’s the mid 1970s and our Labour Government and beleaguered population are in thrall to the Union bosses and communist infiltration at the highest level. The country is on the brink of becoming a totalitarian state and Moscow is keen to push us over the edge. No one could have then predicted that relief would take the unlikely form of an ironclad greengrocer’s daughter from Grantham. But that wouldn’t be for three years.
Meanwhile, in Moscow, our retiring ambassador, a stolid but easily manipulated stooge, has a post lined up as special adviser to the British prime minister. He is worryingly easily persuaded by the KGB to fall in love with a high class Russian tart (as you do) and when, through a simple oversight, this proves unsuitable another younger model. Even though he’s married to a beautiful and sociable French woman. Oh well! Andropov’s plan is to compel him to pass secrets from Downing Street to Moscow and, in the event of resistance, use blackmail. The Russians however misjudge the former soldier’s bloody-mindedness and the tension rises as the CIA and the British SIS hatch a plan to thwart the plot. Can a Communist takeover be avoided or will this finish in a hail of bullets? Who are the winners? Read on.
Meanwhile, in Moscow, our retiring ambassador, a stolid but easily manipulated stooge, has a post lined up as special adviser to the British prime minister. He is worryingly easily persuaded by the KGB to fall in love with a high class Russian tart (as you do) and when, through a simple oversight, this proves unsuitable another younger model. Even though he’s married to a beautiful and sociable French woman. Oh well! Andropov’s plan is to compel him to pass secrets from Downing Street to Moscow and, in the event of resistance, use blackmail. The Russians however misjudge the former soldier’s bloody-mindedness and the tension rises as the CIA and the British SIS hatch a plan to thwart the plot. Can a Communist takeover be avoided or will this finish in a hail of bullets? Who are the winners? Read on.
September 17, 2019
The book started right in with some mystery and some dirty tricks by the KGB. The book kept me hooked though and I couldn’t put it down which caused me to read right through the night to finish it.
The story spoke to me in ways that this author can only do. You read the story and you can imagine the hundreds of times this very thing or similar honey pots were used. It’s a pretty good ride for a “fiction” story.
I really enjoyed the British ambassadors attempts at thwarting the KGB at every turn. The ending just knocked me off kilter but after finishing this book I was on amazon and ordered another 10 books from the author.
Read this story it’s a great one and as my well is starting to come up dry having read all of Le Carre, Deighton, Adam hall, graham greene and John Bingham Ted is a welcome sight.
The story spoke to me in ways that this author can only do. You read the story and you can imagine the hundreds of times this very thing or similar honey pots were used. It’s a pretty good ride for a “fiction” story.
I really enjoyed the British ambassadors attempts at thwarting the KGB at every turn. The ending just knocked me off kilter but after finishing this book I was on amazon and ordered another 10 books from the author.
Read this story it’s a great one and as my well is starting to come up dry having read all of Le Carre, Deighton, Adam hall, graham greene and John Bingham Ted is a welcome sight.
August 11, 2018
Another high quality spy thriller, with a suitably downbeat, tragic end for the major characters.
January 18, 2022
If you like your espionage pre EU, choose Allbeury
April 21, 2019
I liked this story a lot. It had a great story line that took a while to get going, but finished at break-neck speed. The characters were well developed and as you would expect from an Allbeury story. Most importantly, for a great story, it had a great end-story! Download it on kindle, order it on Amazon, borrow it from the local library or buy it from a second-hand lender (if you still go to those) because you'll be glad you did. 5 Stars!
Ted Allbeury wrote a staggering 42 novels and wrote under two other pen names ~ Richard Butler and Patrick Kelly as well. Here are 28 read’s from Allbeury, all rated accordingly:
THE GOOD (Four to Five Stars): ‘The Lantern Network’, ’Shadow of a Doubt’, ’A Wilderness of Mirrors', 'A Time Without Shadows' aka 'The Rules of the Game', 'The Only Good German' aka ‘Mission Berlin’, 'The Dangerous Edge', ‘Palomino Blonde’ aka 'Omega- minus', 'The Lonely Margins', ’The Crossing' aka ‘The Berlin Exchange’, 'Seeds of Treason', 'Other Kinds of Treason', 'Special Forces' aka 'Moscow Quadrille', the feel good, 'The Girl From Addis', 'Pay Any Price' and the rather exceptional, and this person's favourite, 'The Line-Crosser' (published in 1993).
THE AVERAGE (Two or Three Stars): 'Show Me a Hero', 'No Place to Hide' aka ‘Hostage’, ‘The Reckoning’, ’The Twentieth Day of January’ a.k.a. ‘Cold Tactics’, 'The Reaper' aka 'The Stalking Angel' and ‘Deep Purple’. He also wrote, ’The Choice' which is not espionage and this reader thought (even though it was critically acclaimed) not a good one.
THE UGLY (One or two stars): It’s, however, probably best to stay away from: ‘Aid and Comfort’, ‘The Assets' aka “Due Process’, 'The Secret Whispers’, 'The Alpha List', ’Consequences of Fear' aka ‘Smokescreen’ and ’The Spirit of Liberty'.
Ted Allbeury wrote a staggering 42 novels and wrote under two other pen names ~ Richard Butler and Patrick Kelly as well. Here are 28 read’s from Allbeury, all rated accordingly:
THE GOOD (Four to Five Stars): ‘The Lantern Network’, ’Shadow of a Doubt’, ’A Wilderness of Mirrors', 'A Time Without Shadows' aka 'The Rules of the Game', 'The Only Good German' aka ‘Mission Berlin’, 'The Dangerous Edge', ‘Palomino Blonde’ aka 'Omega- minus', 'The Lonely Margins', ’The Crossing' aka ‘The Berlin Exchange’, 'Seeds of Treason', 'Other Kinds of Treason', 'Special Forces' aka 'Moscow Quadrille', the feel good, 'The Girl From Addis', 'Pay Any Price' and the rather exceptional, and this person's favourite, 'The Line-Crosser' (published in 1993).
THE AVERAGE (Two or Three Stars): 'Show Me a Hero', 'No Place to Hide' aka ‘Hostage’, ‘The Reckoning’, ’The Twentieth Day of January’ a.k.a. ‘Cold Tactics’, 'The Reaper' aka 'The Stalking Angel' and ‘Deep Purple’. He also wrote, ’The Choice' which is not espionage and this reader thought (even though it was critically acclaimed) not a good one.
THE UGLY (One or two stars): It’s, however, probably best to stay away from: ‘Aid and Comfort’, ‘The Assets' aka “Due Process’, 'The Secret Whispers’, 'The Alpha List', ’Consequences of Fear' aka ‘Smokescreen’ and ’The Spirit of Liberty'.
July 31, 2019
A deadly dance set in Cold War Moscow.
May 14, 2019
A tempered down read. Nothing extraordinary. Good unexpected ending, though, which saved the day for the book.
January 3, 2015
Spy pulp.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews