Lee Allen's Blog - Posts Tagged "espionage"

The City in Darkness by Michael Russell

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Stefan Gillespie returns in the third in Michael Russell's series of historical crime thrillers.

Having read both 'The City of Shadows' and 'The City of Strangers' in 2012 and 2013 respectively, I have been eagerly awaiting 'The City in Darkness' for several years, and it was certainly worth the wait. The opening scenes of a murder in rural Ireland and an insight the Spanish Civil War set up the juxtaposition of personal and political crimes that run through the Gillespie series. When we are reacquainted with Stefan Gillespie, he is an Inspector working for Special Branch and not entirely happy with the situation in which he finds himself.

Soon having reason to suspect his superior officer is involved with the IRA, Stefan finds himself conveniently requested to assist in the case of a missing postman who disappeared in a place where Stefan has ghosts of his own. His investigation leads to a personal revelation which shifts his focus and leaves him in mortal danger, while a request to safeguard the Irish Ambassador on a trip to Franco's Spain may also present Stefan with the opportunity to find the vital clues he needs.

'The City in Darkness' is a slow-burning cocktail of murder, corruption, espionage and betrayal, leading to a gripping climax back where it all began in rural Ireland. A superb, gripping thriller - I'm very much looking forward to reading 'The City of Lies'.



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The City of Lies by Michael Russell

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


An absorbing, multi-layered historical crime thriller, set primarily in 1940 Dublin and Berlin.

Stefan Gillespie has been following a German doctor for weeks, monitoring his activities in Dublin, when he is summoned to the Ministry of External Affairs and told to prepare for a clandestine trip to Berlin in the coming weeks. An IRA attack leaves a friend and colleague injured, a race meeting erupts into violence, and Stefan is dispatched to the scene of the murders of an entire family to investigate the presence of a German radio.

Meanwhile, we follow the experience of Hauptmann Rilling, a German Army officer, commencing a year earlier with the invasion of Poland. He witnesses the burgeoning of the horrors the SS will come to inflict with a discomfort that will lead him back to Berlin a year later, shortly before Stefan Gillespie travels to the city on a mission to deliver a cipher to the Irish Ambassador. While in Germany, Stefan becomes embroiled in an investigation, determined to prove the miscarriage of justice that sees an Irishwoman behind bars for a murder she did not commit.

During his journey home, Stefan takes a detour via London to visit Kate, where he becomes suspected of being a German spy. Returning to Ireland, he unravels the mysteries surrounding the murders and unmasks the IRA soldier responsible for the attack on the guards.

Michael Russell's series goes from strength to strength, oozing with paranoia and atmosphere. The 1930's and 40's was a turbulent time for Europe and the wider world and the novels perfectly evoke the tension in the cities and wider communities. In this novel, the fourth in the series, we visit Berlin at the height of the Nazi's apparent omnipotence, Hitler's armies spreading across Europe like a plague, nations convinced the attacks on London can end with only one outcome.

At times chilling, 'The City of Lies' is an engrossing thriller that I would recommend to anyone who enjoys historical fiction or espionage thrillers. I am highly anticipating the next in the series, 'The City in Flames', which I recently discovered will be published later this year.



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Black Sunday by Thomas Harris

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Thomas Harris' debut novel centres around a terrorist plot on American soil and the international effort to hunt down the terrorists.

Members of Black September, a terrorist group, are making the final arrangements for an attack within the United States. Ambushed in Beirut as part of an Israeli-led mission, their numbers are severely depleted. But, underestimated by those who brought down the cell, Dahlia Iyad escapes with her life and returns to America to continue facilitating the planned attack.

Michael Lander, an ex-marine and Vietnam veteran, feeling betrayed by the American government after his years of service and what he was subjected to as a prisoner of war, is determined to seek revenge in a demonstration that will also claim maximum casualties. Together, he and Dahlia plot to construct and detonate a bomb that will claim millions of lives.

David Kabakov, an agent with Mossad, Israel's intelligence agency, travels to America, determined to hunt down the surviving members of the terror group and foil their plot when it becomes clear that the mission in Beirut has not neutralised the threat.

Character-driven rather than action-driven, the novel's shining moments are the detailed explorations of the characters' psychology, backstories and personal relationships, reminiscent of Harris' later psychological thrillers. With a backdrop of the global political climate of the 1970's - this is the midst of the Cold War and in the aftermath of the Vietnam War (a conflict that drew in both the US and USSR) - you are also immediately struck by how little the world has changed; conflict in the Middle East continues to this day - significantly the conflict between Israel and Palestine; and between extremist Islamist terror groups and the West, significantly the US. Terror attacks over the last twenty years, notably 9/11, lend a chilling plausibility to events and the novel does not suffer for reading it over four decades later.

In a race against time, Kabakov hunts the terrorists to the eleventh hour, building to a dramatic action-packed climax as the terror plot unfolds. A gripping political thriller that hooks until the very end, 'Black Sunday' is an early demonstration of Harris' skill at exploring the horrors human beings are capable of inflicting on each other.



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The City in Flames by Michael Russell

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


An enthralling historical crime thriller set primarily in London during the Blitz, featuring Irish detective Stefan Gillespie.

In the fifth in the series, set in autumn 1940, Stefan finds himself suspended from Special Branch, ostracised by his colleagues and the community at large. Currently helping his father on the farm in Wicklow, they are both suspicious when a local man is found dead and his death deemed a suicide. Stefan’s interference is not welcomed by the local constabulary and he has little time to explore his suspicions, as he is whisked away to London on the orders of his superiors.

Meanwhile, German agents are dispatched to the UK, seeking IRA support to undermine Ireland’s position of professed neutrality, while one of the agents has her own hidden agenda. First, she journeys to London, evading British intelligence services. From there, she will continue her journey to Ireland.

Enlisted in an undercover mission, Stefan takes up a job as a barman, having left Ireland under a cloud. Under the threat of German bombs, he soon finds romance to while away the time, unaware that this draws him closer to a nefarious murder plot with potentially devastating political ramifications. Between the dangerous streets of wartime England and the hills of rural Ireland, Stefan wades through the darkness and subterfuge in his continual quest for the truth.

Seamlessly blending local, national and international crime and intrigue, ‘The City in Flames’ gives an insight into life during the Second World War from multiple perspectives. I have eagerly devoured each entry in this series since the first novel; this, the fifth, is another intricately plotted and well-written chapter, packed with imagery that evokes the daily danger and uncertainty of wartime London, but also the human resolve to continue with everyday life against this bleak, unforgiving backdrop. Behind the scenes, the machinations of German, British and Irish intelligence services influence and direct events. One of the strengths of the series is its depiction of historical context and how this weaves with Stefan’s own story and those of the crimes he investigates. Real-life characters also feature, while the politics of multiple countries and the horrors of war and prejudice constantly lurk in the background.

Deeply absorbing and slow-burning, combining elements of police procedural, espionage and political intrigue, ‘The City in Flames’ is another superb entry in Michael Russell’s high-quality series; which continues with the sixth novel, ‘The City Under Siege’.



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The City Underground by Michael Russell

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


A gripping wartime thriller set in neutral Ireland.

Josie Kilmartin seeks the services of private investigator Emmet Warde in a final attempt to find the truth behind the disappearance of her brother two decades earlier.

Initially warned off by Special Branch, Emmet finds himself a pawn in their inquiries when a German spy is broken out of prison, as Josie’s links with the IRA become clear.

DI Stefan Gillespie, with troubles of his own, is assigned to enlist and keep close watch on Emmet. But as the hunt for the spy continues, the case becomes increasingly complex and dangerous.

'The City Underground' is the seventh novel in the Stefan Gillespie series by Michael Russell. Set in late 1941, the narrative centres around a cold case of the disappearance of a young man during the Irish War of Independence. Stefan is soon pulled into the case following the escape of a German spy from Mountjoy Prison, presumably aided by the IRA. Mixing espionage, political intrigue and private eye noir, this is a multi-faceted historical thriller that explores the history of the IRA and Ireland's politics during the world wars and in the midst of the Second World War, while the country was officially neutral, neither affiliated with Britain and the forming Allies, nor the Axis powers led by Hitler’s Germany and Mussolini’s Italy.

Differing from the previous novels in the series, the book is set entirely in Ireland, with a brief cross of the border into Northern Ireland later in the novel. Without an active inquiry, aside from the pursuit of the prison escapees, this novel is less police procedural and evolves more from the espionage and private investigation angles, with Stefan ultimately going rogue on a mission to save a man's life against Special Branch orders. Meanwhile, the sub-plot of Stefan's personal life continues to evolve in the background, with his son, Tom, now at a Methodist boarding school near to his headquarters at Dublin Castle. Layered with slow-burning, smouldering suspense, moments of action blended with mystery and ghosts of the past, this series continues to be historical crime fiction at its finest.

The historical context and exploration of historical events never fails to be both interesting and engaging, as much a part of the tapestry of the novels as the characters and plot, also featuring many characters and events inspired by historical fact. The novel explores battles that get fought in relative silence, where no war has been declared or when war is believed to be over, delving into aspects of the Irish War of Independence and Irish Civil War as well as the current global war. The final chapter is a chilling display of the continuing power of evil even after its apparent defeat, while it also has implications for what may be coming in the future of the series. In the meantime, the series is set to continue with ‘The City of God’.

Rich in detail and brooding atmosphere, ‘The City Underground’ is another enthralling chapter in both Stefan’s life and career and Irish political history.



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The City of God by Michael Russell

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


A captivating Second World War crime thriller.

Dispatched to Rome to undertake a mission on behalf of the Irish Ambassador, Inspector Stefan Gillespie finds himself immersed in the unease and paranoia enveloping the city.

When a young priest is brutally murdered within Vatican City, Stefan finds himself assisting the Gendarmerie in their pursuit of the killer.

In the shadows of Rome’s unique architecture and the physical heart of the Catholic faith, Stefan’s investigation takes him on a perilous journey.

‘The City of God’ is the eighth novel in the Stefan Gillespie series by Michael Russell, set in the autumn of 1943. We begin at the end, with Stefan’s journey into Switzerland following his time in Italy, and a confrontation with an SS officer which leaves him hospitalised. Told through a flashback narrative from Stefan’s first person perspective, a first for the series, we return to the beginning of Stefan’s diplomatic mission, travelling through war-torn Europe to Rome, currently occupied by the Nazis as the Allies march ever-closer, the wind of change in the air. While a standalone narrative, there are references to earlier entries in the series and returning characters from the first, ‘The City of Shadows’, plus the fourth ‘The City of Lies’, while we delve a little deeper into Stefan’s loneliness and his feelings about all that he witnesses around him.

As we travel with Stefan, we get a sense of the tension and distrust, the monumental evil the Nazis represented and the fear and suspicion they inspire. Stefan discovers his mission to be an unconventional one – to obtain documents a former ambassador has retained as they may prove embarrassing to Ireland should they come to light were Germany to lose the war. Finding himself under observation, Stefan conducts his own surveillance, uncovering covert agendas and hidden allegiances, before being confronted by murder. The victim, a Catholic priest, was part of a group aiding Jews and others to escape the Nazis, offering them sanctuary within the Vatican before travelling elsewhere under a false identity. Alongside his own mission, Stefan becomes embroiled in the aftermath of this brutal crime and the war of rebellion conducted in secrecy.

Entwined within the narrative are real people and events, revealing some of the political machinations that occurred during this time, both those corrupt and efforts to protect those persecuted and aid them in reaching a place of safety. It’s also interesting to delve a little deeper into the positions of the neutral states of Ireland, Switzerland, and, significantly, Vatican City, exploring the moral questions this throws up in the face of atrocity. This is a significant point in time in the history of WWII – the Allies are gaining ground against the Axis powers, now in disarray following Italy’s surrender and splintering; while the Nazis continue to escalate their Final Solution, the true extent of this sheer horror still largely unknown.

Blending politics, espionage and intrigue with detective fiction, this is a sublime historical thriller, with a multi-faceted, intricate plot and complex characters shaping an atmospheric and evocative narrative; mystery and tragedy wrapped in this stark look at the political tapestry of Europe at its most perilous and desperate, perfectly capturing the hostility and paranoia, the threat of betrayal, but also the resonating power of hope and faith that offers a glimmer of light in these incredibly dark times; a vivid depiction of place and time told through rich, bleak prose. Most disturbing of all is how we recognise the hatred and segregation, the persecution and intolerance, that continues to be present in our own modern society.

Absorbing and chilling, ‘The City of God’ continues a superlative and consistently fascinating historical crime series. Stefan will return in the ninth novel ‘The Dead City’, as we move forward into 1944 and return to Berlin.



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Codename Villanelle by Luke Jennings

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


The thrilling first volume in the ‘Killing Eve’ series.

Rescued from a life of incarceration, Villanelle commits assassinations at the behest of a mysterious group known only as the Twelve.

Her proficiency and flair for the dramatic soon attracts the attention of British intelligence agent Eve Polastri.

Villanelle’s anonymity is now under threat, thus beginning a dance for survival where there can only be one victor.

‘Codename Villanelle’ is the first book in the ‘Killing Eve’ series by Luke Jennings, a gripping, fast-paced espionage crime thriller, following the assassinations orchestrated by Villanelle and the hunt that commences to track her down. Originally published in four parts as separate novelettes: “Codename Villanelle”, “Hollowpoint”, “Shanghai” and “Odessa”; the structure of the novel retains this serialisation in four short, sharp, globetrotting capers, navigating twists and turns; Villanelle displaying her ingenuity in hunting and dispatching her victims, while a cat and mouse game ensues.

Villanelle is a superb character – dangerous and captivating, at times unpredictable and impulsive while her work is intricately planned and skillfully orchestrated. Intelligent and theatrical, charming and seductive, she displays as a classic psychopath – ruthless, detached, devoid of empathy, learning how to mimic other human beings in order to survive and manipulate, but never truly feeling a connection or depth of emotion. She displays neither guilt nor remorse, no moral questioning – she relishes her kills, while often becoming bored between assignments, seeking the superficial pleasures of sexual encounters, which never come close to the ecstasy of murder.

We delve into Villanelle’s backstory and the creation of a killer, how she became imprisoned in Russia after an act of vengeance, which brought her to the attention of the Twelve, a shadowy organisation comprising of powerful men, from whom she receives her orders to kill. Jennings took inspiration for the character from Idoia López Riaño, known as La Tigresa, a contract killer for a former Basque nationalist group, active in 1984-86, imprisoned for her crimes in 1994 and later convicted of twenty-three murders.

In the second story enters Villanelle’s nemesis-to-be: MI5 agent Eve Polastri, happy in her home life with her husband, Niko, and somewhat content with her work, if a little uninspired. She is quiet, committed, methodical and analytical, displaying strong instincts and proving herself to be a dogged investigator. She becomes convinced a female assassin is operating with impunity across Europe and Asia and begins tracking her. But the closer she gets, the more Villanelle’s machinations impact her own life, and Eve soon becomes determined to hunt her down as her investigations develop into a personal crusade, thus her obsession, joining ours, begins.

The Villanelle series was adapted as BBC TV series ‘Killing Eve’, starring Jodie Comer and Sandra Oh, in 2018, which ran for four seasons before ending in 2022. So impactful were the actors’ performances, particularly Comer’s as Villanelle, that it has become impossible to separate them. The books continued to be published under the series’ name from the second entry onwards.

Four entertaining missions provide a marvellous introduction to the characters, capturing the entertaining allure of a spy thriller, the suspense of a psychological game, the visceral and sometimes inventive bursts of violence of a slasher, all with shades of quirkiness and dark humour. Laying the foundation for the duel to come as predator and prey become blurred and the mutual obsession begins, ‘Codename Villanelle’ ends with a cliffhanger that leaves us eagerly poised for the next chapter as Villanelle and Eve head for an inevitable collision, as the series continues with the novel ‘No Tomorrow’.



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