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Above Suspicion

3.8 of 5 stars 3.80 · rating details · 420 ratings · 43 reviews

Von Aschenhausen sat on the edge of a large desk. His eyes were fixed on the man standing over the girl roped to a chair. He spoke again: 'You fool. You stupid little fool. Can't you see I must, I will find out? My patience is limited. Kurt, try some more of your persuasion...'

The girl felt a hand of iron on her aching shoulder. She tried to turn her face away from the gla...more

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Published March 15th 1998 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt P (first published 1941)

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Jun 29, 2012 Hannah rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2012-reads, spies-espionage

Entertaining (if terribly dated) spy novel published in 1941 but set a few years earlier.

The action begins in Oxford, England, where professor Richard Myles and his (lovely, of course) young wife Frances are asked by a friend to do a spot of espionage under cover of their annual holiday hiking jaunt. The couple are earnest and willing (if not exactly eager) to do their small part in facing down the Nazi threat that's looming over Europe.

It's standard, retro-classic spy fare from chapter two onw...more Entertaining (if terribly dated) spy novel published in 1941 but set a few years earlier.

The action begins in Oxford, England, where professor Richard Myles and his (lovely, of course) young wife Frances are asked by a friend to do a spot of espionage under cover of their annual holiday hiking jaunt. The couple are earnest and willing (if not exactly eager) to do their small part in facing down the Nazi threat that's looming over Europe.

It's standard, retro-classic spy fare from chapter two onward, as Richard and Frances travel to Paris, then Germany, then Austria. Along the way, they meet up with their various underground contacts, exchange cryptic passwords, wear identifying gear to mark them out, and get shadowed by fascist trolls in every town. Despite being healthy, athletic hiker-types, Richard and Frances manage to puff away a least a pack of cigs between them a day, as well as down copious amounts of beer and other adult beverages. I really admire them for being winded enough, (and sober enough) to tackle all the mountain hiking trails - not to mention those rascally Nazis.

Eye-rolling coincidences abound throughout the novel, with secondary characters met originally in England or Paris magically re-appearing later in small towns in Germany and Austria. Believable? Not on your life, but despite some trite plotlines, I did enjoy the story and found MacInnes a very good writer.

Which brings me to Helen MacInnes, who, IMHO, has one of the best ever author photos:

I mean, is this a classic 1940-1950's "dame" shot or not?
Note the cool, worldy-wise sophisticated look and the ciggy dangling from her elegant fingers. And if she isn't sporting blood red lipstick behind that black and white studio shot, I'll eat my hat.

Women of 2012 don't have a chance in hell of being this svelte, self-confident and uber-goddess cool. We've lost that type of style forever, even though our lungs are healthy and clear...

I've officially got a girl-crush goin' for Helen, and plan on several more forays into her spy-meets-spy worlds.(less)

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Oct 05, 2012 Susan rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Above Suspicion is the first thriller by Helen MacInnes, an author largely forgotten about now, but once a very established and successful writer. She married Gilbert Highet, a Classics scholar, in 1932 and translated German literature with him. Like the characters in this novel, both her and her husband spoke fluent German and spent their summers travelling in Europe. Gilbert Highet also served as an MI6 British intelligence agent and his wife's novels were so realistic that her third book, "As...more Above Suspicion is the first thriller by Helen MacInnes, an author largely forgotten about now, but once a very established and successful writer. She married Gilbert Highet, a Classics scholar, in 1932 and translated German literature with him. Like the characters in this novel, both her and her husband spoke fluent German and spent their summers travelling in Europe. Gilbert Highet also served as an MI6 British intelligence agent and his wife's novels were so realistic that her third book, "Assignment in Brittany" was required reading for Allied intelligence agents about to be sent to work with the French Resistance. As you can tell, you are in safe hands for a realistic novel about Europe in 1939, which is where Above Suspicion is set.

Frances Myles lives with her Professor husband Richard in Oxford. The married couple enjoy climbing and travelling in Europe, as MacInnes did herself. It is 1939 and Europe is poised on the brink of war. Frances and Richard are hoping for one last summer of peace, but it is not to be. When Frances goes to collect Richard from his rooms for a party, she finds an old friend visiting and he wants them to do a job. He is hoping they will go abroad that summer as usual, meet a man in Paris and then continue the journey as he directs them to obtain information the authorities need badly. An agent who has been running an underground railway in Germany has stopped sending the normal messages and they are afraid he has been captured or compromised and they are hoping that "a couple of innocents abroad might be able to get through all suspicion."

Richard is happy to go, but does not want Frances involved. Frances is, however, absolutely not going to be left and, as things should continue as normal, she gets her way. What follows is a chase across Europe, with the couple under scrutiny from the moment they leave England. Europe has changed - now men march everywhere, there is violence in the air, their rooms are searched and they are followed. While in France a woman states, "one war is enough for one lifetime," but war is coming and both Frances and Richard know it is unavoidable. While in Europe they meet up with Robert Thorney, who they know from Oxford, and Henry Van Cortlandt, an American journalist. "You're not the kind of people to handle trouble; you're not tough enough," Van Cortlandt tells Frances, but this is the story of normal people being called upon to do extraordinary things.

This really is a superb story - with excitement, seriously unpleasant bad guys and a real undercurrent of fear. With hindsight it is easy to say that everyone knew what would happen. In 1941 it was not sure at all which way the war would go and so, in many ways, MacInnes is writing some stirring propaganda here. During the novel, Frances attempts to explain to their new American friend why war cannot be avoided and gives a plea for friendship and involvement to the country she was later to spend the rest of her life in. Frances is an excellent heroine - headstrong, opinionated and always very brave, she believes in what she is doing. Above Suspicion was made into a film in 1943, with Joan Crawford, and it is wonderful to see her books appearing on kindle.(less)

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Jun 13, 2013 Jessica rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: mystery, suspense

Above Suspicion is MacInnes’ first novel. Set just before World War II, it begins when Frances and Richard Myles’ old friend stops in at his office to ask if the couple would combine their vacation with a very simple job: Track down an agent gone silent and find out if he’s still alive. It should not be too risky: The couple often takes vacations in Europe anyway, and they are not agents and therefore shouldn’t be marked. They’re just innocently asking a few innocuous questions, here an there. T...more

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Mar 03, 2013 Jeff Raymond rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: books-i-own, read-general-fiction

For as much as I enjoy spy movies and some modern spy books, I am woefully underread on the classics of the genre. I've seen a ton of Bond movies, but never read the Broccoli books. And when Above Suspicion landed on my doorstep last week, I learned that "the queen of spy-story writers" was not only someone I had never heard of, but was responsible for some important fiction to the genre. I suppose I should just dive in from there, right?

I'll say this much, first: I got to read the reissued vers...more

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Feb 09, 2013 Cphe rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: atmospheric-and-moody, thriller

I'm inclined to describe this as a vintage thriller, very much a blast from the past. On the eve of the second world war, An English couple, Frances and Richard Myles are asked to travel to Europe. Their mission is to retrieve information about a fellow Englishman who is head on a spy organisation, that has perhaps been compromised. It becomes a cloak and dagger operation. Frances and Richard are amateurs but are obliged to pit their wits against some very nasty individuals.

I thought that this w...more

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Feb 20, 2013 Joanne Moyer rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: books-read-in-2013, e-book, mystery-thriller, poland-wwii, re-read

Helen MacInnes has long been considered one of the best writers of spy~adventure~thriller books and after a reread of Above Suspicion, I find that to still be true. Today's readers may find her books 'dated' or 'vintage', but knowing that Ms MacInnes' books were written during or just after the events depicted, that she had personal knowledge of the areas the events and the time in which they were written and that her husband was a member of Britian's MI6, I prefer to think of them as 'authentic...more

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Mar 15, 2013 Ellen (Elf TajMuttHall) Finch rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: thriller

This book was fairly easy to read and it kept me just interested enough that I did finish it, but barely. I had trouble accepting the 1930s view of a supposedly clever female character being half brainless, half charming, and getting into situations from which she needed rescuing, and the way in which her husband who loved her and cherished her none-the-less seemed to view her more as a china doll who needed to be carefully tended. So it was written in the 1930s, but still hard to read that.

On t...more

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Jul 22, 2012 Julia rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: spies, world-war-ii

This is a Helen MacInnes book that I have held onto over the years to re-read.

Set in Europe before WWII but when the Nazis are already in power in Germany, it tells the story of an English couple who are asked to take on a mission for the secret service because since they are not professional spies they won't already be known by the enemy.

It was originally written in 1941, so things that are now seen as retro were probably how things were really done then. For example, the couple makes first con...more

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Apr 17, 2013 Monique Snyman rated it 3 of 5 stars

Set in 1939, Richard and Frances Myles are preparing for their annual European summer vacation. However, they are unexpectedly visited at Oxford College by Peter Galt, an old friend, who requests a favour… Their mission is to go to Paris and meet a man at a specific place who will give them details for the next meeting point. An ordinary holiday turns into an extraordinary tale where a pre-war Europe is suspicious of everyone and everything and Richard and Francis Myles quickly realises it as th...more Set in 1939, Richard and Frances Myles are preparing for their annual European summer vacation. However, they are unexpectedly visited at Oxford College by Peter Galt, an old friend, who requests a favour… Their mission is to go to Paris and meet a man at a specific place who will give them details for the next meeting point. An ordinary holiday turns into an extraordinary tale where a pre-war Europe is suspicious of everyone and everything and Richard and Francis Myles quickly realises it as they are hunted down by people trying to find out what they know. Soon the couple is forced to race across Europe ans must use all of their ingenuity to outsmart the shadowy figures that always seem to be on their tail.

Above Suspicion by Helen MacInnes is a fun book to read, though there are of course a few things about it that may seem predictable. Written exceptionally well, Helen MacInnes have often been overlooked or forgotten, because her books are somewhat dated, yet there’s something wholesome about her writing. Spy novels are often cliché and most people prefer to read established writers in the genre, such as Ian Fleming and Tom Clancy. However, long before those writers came along, Helen MacInnes was already busy entertaining readers with tales of fantastic espionage and adventure.

Above Suspicion is a blast from the past with the central plot line surrounding World War II, where secrets, cigarettes and beer seems to be in abundance. That being said, when reading Above Suspicion one has to remember that it was written in a time when the world was very different. Women weren’t supposed to be heard, merely seen and as a result we have a very intelligent and strong female character who comes across as an underachiever. For feminists this might be a problem, but in a historical sense it’s quite an accurate portrayal.

All in all, I enjoyed Above Suspicion, because it reminded me that every genre has a beginning. I liked the writing and I enjoyed the storyline, but sometimes I did find it somewhat dreary. It’s alright though, because when you push through to the end, it’s all worth it.

(Originally posted on www.killeraphrodite.com )(less)

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Sep 22, 2011 Linda rated it 3 of 5 stars

In the summer of 1939, Oxford don Richard Myles and his wife Frances are trying to decide whether to give up their usual summer vacation hiking in the Alps because of the threatening war conditions when they are visited by an old friend who asks a special favor of them. A source of information to British Intelligence has apparently had a broken link in its chain and needs to be investigated. The Myles’ friend says that they would be “above suspicion” because they were well known in the area fro...more

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Jun 24, 2011 Bettie rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: radio-4x, wwii, published-1941, summer-2011, spies, mystery-thriller

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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May 11, 2013 Marilyn rated it 4 of 5 stars

I dipped into my early mystery reading with a reread of MacInnes's spy novel. Dated? Yes! But, still a good read with a couple of believable protagonists. Prewar stirrings, Nazis, intrigue, Germans falling for Hitler's rhetoric -- all of it in one package with an Oxford academic and his wife working to find a missing spy because, as a couple traveling during the summer as per their usual habit, they would be "above suspicion" and perhaps more successful than the professionals had been. A fun rid...more

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Mar 12, 2013 Tom rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I had really been looking forward to this book for at least half a year. When I ordered it back in the fall, it was delayed in shipping until January. So when I got around to it a few days ago, my anticipation was very high. Unfortunately, I feel a little let down. It's a serviceable spy novel about amateurs getting sucked into the Nazi-era intrigue. As the main characters get led down the path toward the climax, I found myself skimming through the pages to get to the dialogue. With about a quar...more

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Feb 28, 2013 Casee Marie rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2013, reviewed

In 1939, when Oxford professor Richard Myles and his wife Frances receive a visit from their good friend Peter Galt, they find themselves faced with a surprising request. They are planning their annual trip abroad and Peter asks them to first visit Paris where they’ll meet a man – an agent. Their journey will continue as their mystery Englishman in Paris dictates, leading them through Europe and encounters with a series of agents until they reach one man whose status has become unknown to the or...more In 1939, when Oxford professor Richard Myles and his wife Frances receive a visit from their good friend Peter Galt, they find themselves faced with a surprising request. They are planning their annual trip abroad and Peter asks them to first visit Paris where they’ll meet a man – an agent. Their journey will continue as their mystery Englishman in Paris dictates, leading them through Europe and encounters with a series of agents until they reach one man whose status has become unknown to the organization. Peter relies on Richard’s sharp intellect and uncanny memory, while Frances’s presence will help the couple achieve a place above suspicion. The stoically determined Richard and infinitely courageous Frances agree to the scheme, resulting in a full-blown adventure which will take them across Europe and under the nose of Nazi enemies. With the help of a fellow Englishman and a wily American reporter, the Myleses will find that their summer holiday has turned into much more than they bargained for.

Above Suspicion, Helen MacInnes’s first novel, was a smashing success upon its first publication in 1941, and now it’s been published in a sleek new paperback edition by Titan Books. MacInnes was lauded for her ability as a master of the spy genre, and the significance of her talent still resounds today; through the passage of time, Above Suspicion maintains its high-energy level of entertainment while its wit and intellect continue to shine. MacInnes created a first-rate duo of amateur spies in Richard and Frances, two characters that the reader is bound to find impossible to forget. Richard’s quite wisdom and keen sensibility paired with Frances’s boldly adventurous spirit make for the perfect combination. Meanwhile, their eventual comrades – young Robert Thornley and Henry van Cortlandt – add a fantastic combination of humor and daring. What is already an exciting story, fascinating in its intricacy, is brought to even brighter life through the charming characters that season its pages.

I found myself gripped by Above Suspicion and the depth of MacInness’s story, charmed by her natural ability to ease through genres; scenes were at times humorous, frustrating, exciting, and romantic as the adventure progressed. Her confidence as a writer and her bold determination bring a certain invigoration to the novel, making it a well-rounded spy story steeped in the detailed history of pre-war Europe. While there are plenty of surprises and a good deal of mystery, Above Suspicion runs on a more intellectual sort of thrill. MacInnes paced the scenes in a way that let the reader linger over simple moments before she delivers a shock that reminds them of the gravity of the situation Richard and Frances are in. The result is a very full reading experience that engages the mind and entertains in a way that remains timeless.

(Review © Casee Marie, originally published on February 21, 2013 at LiteraryInklings.com. I received a copy of the book for the purpose of review.)(less)

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Jan 10, 2009 Elizabeth rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: contemporary-novels

Helen MacInnes was quite a Cold warrior in her day, but her political views don't get in the way of my enjoyment of these books. This, the best and most suspenseful of them all, is one of her earliest. It has a WWII setting; quite a thrilling chase through Germany as a young, untrained British couple take on a difficult espionage assignment.

Interestingly, most of the protagonists in her books (not this one) are men. We see the action through their perspectives, including their views on women.

I...more

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May 31, 2011 Marilou rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: mystery-and-espionage, read-it-so-long-ago-need-to-reread, favorites

The first of MacInnes's 18 or so novels with European settings which move from the Nazi era and the dawn of WWII, through the rise of Communism and the Cold War.

MacInnes's writing is rich with sensory details: the feel of rough felt hats, the cool, clear mountain air, the bruised and aching feet from hiking in the Alps, the smell of burning wool carpet singed by candle flame, the grime on an old book in a dusty bookstore. She knows the geography she describes - Austria, Germany,Paris, Oxford. Yo...more The first of MacInnes's 18 or so novels with European settings which move from the Nazi era and the dawn of WWII, through the rise of Communism and the Cold War.

MacInnes's writing is rich with sensory details: the feel of rough felt hats, the cool, clear mountain air, the bruised and aching feet from hiking in the Alps, the smell of burning wool carpet singed by candle flame, the grime on an old book in a dusty bookstore. She knows the geography she describes - Austria, Germany,Paris, Oxford. You SEE the mountains, the rock strewn river beds, the gloomy city streets and the outsider-wary small villages.

When she takes her characters to a German beer hall, you'll feel you need to wash your hands after touching the beer sodden tables! But, as soon as she enters the forest with its clean air and soft undergrowth, you'll feel you can breathe better!

Helen MacInnes was pro-freedom of expression, fiercely anti-fascist, anti-Communist, anti-appeasement, and maintained what I call a "feminine feminist" view of women. Yes, her women love and depend on their men, but they are courageous, determined, intelligent, educated, and,liberated. They cherish their freedom to make their own choices and they seek to defend it.

She understood the always looming menace to freedom of those who would seek to overpower others, be they individuals or nations. She builds a sense of suspense and intrigue from the start of her books. Her characters are quick-witted, reflective, compassionate, but determined.

This book was published in 1939; I had to look up terms like "Baedekers," "Sard Harker," and "sporting the oak." I always feel better after reading MacInnes; a little more knowledgeable and a lot more grateful for those who hold her fierce desire to expose and defeat the bullies of the world, one person at a time.

My previous review: This is MacInnes' first novel. A fast moving story of espionage just before World War II. Great for spy-Nazi-WWII-Europe-Anglo philes. The movie with Fred MacMurray and Joan Crawford was not as good. Crawford is just unbelievable as the tame and trusting wife and MacMurray is not an English professor! (less)

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Jan 28, 2012 Michael Wallace rated it 3 of 5 stars

An interesting early spy novel, published in 1941 and taking place in 1939 just before the war started. A young British couple are recruited to make contact with a missing spy while taking their usual summer vacation on the continent. The pacing is occasionally clunky and there are other stylistic choices that show their age, but I found it fascinating to read what seems to be a historical thriller but was written in the thick of the action, so to speak.

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Aug 24, 2012 Regina rated it 4 of 5 stars

Liked many things about this book including the "old fashioned" writing (I also like early Mary Stewart!)and the vivid descriptions of place and clothing. Also liked how right she got the mood of prewar Nazi Germany - shades of Alan Furst. I had tried to read some of her Cold War novels -didn't like them anywhere near as well as this one.

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Jul 02, 2012 Barbara Schade rated it 4 of 5 stars

The first half of this pre world war II book was really slow - I decided that if you are going to endure a spy book from that era, that you just have to put up with that. However, the last part was more interesting and had some chase scenes that would make a great movie.

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May 06, 2013 Danielle McClellan rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This was a really fun vintage spy novel set between the wars with a smart, witty Oxford couple that finds themselves slightly over their heads. I enjoyed it and also enjoyed the snapshot of the historical & political moment of the summer of 1939 just before England went to war.

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Feb 13, 2013 Jerry Ward rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fiction

I think I would have given a higher rating in 1941 when it was written. I think that the intervening years has made me a bit more demanding of credulousness and good character development. Such weaknesses would have been forgiven—or unnoticed—as long as there was action. And there was action!

1 like · like · see review

Apr 12, 2012 Karen Baker rated it 4 of 5 stars

Suspensful and very factual of the time period...approx. 1939-1940. I truly enjoyed this book and would recommend reading this author. In fact, I will be reading more of her books, at least the books that tell about WWII.

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Feb 21, 2013 Kristin rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: crime-mystery-suspense, read-and-reviewed

Above Suspicion is a noteworthy spy novel—a fascinating fictional look back at an important time in the world’s history.

Read the full review at http://www.nightsandweekends.com/arti...

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Dec 29, 2012 Stuart Thomas marked it as to-read

Shelves: heard-radio-adaptation

I heard the bbc adaptation.
Not sure if was worth it. Their initial goal seemed unclear, as was whether it was achieved. Some mildly interesting incidents along the way, with rather good atmosphere.

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May 26, 2013 Donna rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: historical, spy, fiction

Back in print and ebook, Helen MacInnes spy stories have always been favourites. The value of these books are also in understanding the gender roles and political impressions of the 1930s-50s.

The author's protagonists are believable, everyday characters with none of the James Bond antics. In this story, an academic and his wife begin their annual summer vacation in Europe on the eve of the Second World War with a secret mission to discover the fate of a British spy who seems to be missing in th...more

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Apr 12, 2013 Natasha rated it 3 of 5 stars

It was interesting reading about how anti-nazi people helped each other as the Germans were invading their countries. The ending was pretty anti-climatic.

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Feb 19, 2013 Tom rated it 3 of 5 stars

An entertaining but not particularly exciting spy novel. I most enjoyed its glimpses of life in Germany just pre WWII. Philip Kerr did it better, though.

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Aug 06, 2011 Becky Stewart rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

May have just found a new author to keep me busy for a while.

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Oct 05, 2010 Karen rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: mystery-thriller

Again, a great Cold War story of spies and heroic deed.

1 like · like · see review

Feb 11, 2013 Miriam rated it 5 of 5 stars

Classic, set between the wars.

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About Helen MacInnes

Helen MacInnes was a Scottish-American author of espionage novels. She graduated from the University of Glasgow in Scotland in 1928 with a degree in French and German. A librarian, she married Professor Gilbert Highet in 1932 and moved with her husband to New York in 1937 so he could teach classics at Columbia University. She wrote her first novel, Above Suspicion, in 1939. She wrote many bestsell...more

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