Espionage Aficionados discussion

As you may well imagine, I frequently receive book and author recommendations from my pals and cronies.

This British book market differs from the American market. Oftentimes, there's well-established writers who just haven't made a reputation for themselves among Yanks.

This is the only reason I can think for never having heard much of this Ted Allbeury fellow.

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show...
https://www.fantasticfiction.com/a/te...

I'm embarrassed to say I've never taken a good look at Allbeury. Never crossed my radar. But his name comes to me from aficionados who's taste I trust outright.

I do see some of his titles on our group bookshelf --which means, at some point I registered his presence.

Allbeury served in WWII in an intelligence role. And he has upwards of 30 titles to his credit.

This includes one series: "Tad Anders"
https://www.goodreads.com/series/6871...

So. I pass this rec on to you all. Looking for a new author? It would be a fine thing for someone of us to sound out this gent and report back on what they find. Gambler's choice!

But the way he is described to me is this: "As serious as LeCarre, but with the excitement of Deighton". That's high praise.

in August 2011, I read the Ted Allbeury novel "As Time Goes By."



This novel is largely centered around the activities of a resistance network in Southern France that fought against the Germans between 1941 and 1944. The leader of the unit is an Englishman, Harry Bailey, who, though from a modest working class background in the Midlands, developed an early love for the French language and culture that was later to stand him in good stead upon entering the British Army in 1940. Subsequently, Bailey was assigned to the Intelligence Corps and was later recruited to join SOE (the Special Operations Executive).

The novel goes on to explore the relationships among the various members of Harry's unit (e.g. Paulette, Louis Maurois, Paul Cattoir, Violette Crowther, and Jenny Campbell) and gives the reader an idea of how the war impacted on people who, in spite of the dangers in being a "resistant", bravely fought against the German occupiers. (The author himself had served in SOE, and through his writing, shows the painstaking work that was involved in training and leading a resistance network.)

Thank you KOMET