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Xanthe Schneider Enigma #1
The Berlin Affair
Summer, 1940.
American Xanthe Schneider finds herself catapulted into the world of British espionage, and is sent into the heart of Nazi Berlin.
Her task? To find out whether Ralph Lancing-Price – a former government minister she had known briefly in London – is a patriot or traitor.
And what of the code he talked about so abstrusely? Using her guise as an American correspondent, Xanthe sets out to find him. But not all is what it seems. Xanthe soon becomes drawn into a web of intrigue involving a project entitled "Enigma" - and she also unexpectedly falls in love.
As the weeks go by, and Germany begins to mobilise its armies, Xanthe has to question who she can trust - and how she can survive?
The Berlin Affair is a page-turning thriller, full of historical insight and dramatic reversals of fortune.
A must read for fans of Robert Harris, David Downing and Alan Furst.
‘Authentic and compelling... Boyle captures the paranoia and peril of the era.’ Roger Moorhouse, author of Berlin at War
‘The Berlin Affair is the first book in what I'm sure will prove to be a gripping series... For fans of Alan Furst and Robert Harris.’ - Richard Foreman, author of A Hero of our Time
‘Exhilarating’ - Daily Mail
‘A book that is engagingly sensitive’ Dominic Lawson, Sunday Times
David Boyle is a British author and journalist who writes mainly about history and new ideas in economics, money, business and culture. He lives in Crystal Palace, London. His books include Alan Unlocking the Enigma, Before Enigma, Operation Primrose,Rupert England’s Last Patriot, Peace on The Christmas Truce of 1914, England’s National Anthem, Unheard Warfare in the Dardanelles, Towards the Setting The Race for America and The Age to Come .
American Xanthe Schneider finds herself catapulted into the world of British espionage, and is sent into the heart of Nazi Berlin.
Her task? To find out whether Ralph Lancing-Price – a former government minister she had known briefly in London – is a patriot or traitor.
And what of the code he talked about so abstrusely? Using her guise as an American correspondent, Xanthe sets out to find him. But not all is what it seems. Xanthe soon becomes drawn into a web of intrigue involving a project entitled "Enigma" - and she also unexpectedly falls in love.
As the weeks go by, and Germany begins to mobilise its armies, Xanthe has to question who she can trust - and how she can survive?
The Berlin Affair is a page-turning thriller, full of historical insight and dramatic reversals of fortune.
A must read for fans of Robert Harris, David Downing and Alan Furst.
‘Authentic and compelling... Boyle captures the paranoia and peril of the era.’ Roger Moorhouse, author of Berlin at War
‘The Berlin Affair is the first book in what I'm sure will prove to be a gripping series... For fans of Alan Furst and Robert Harris.’ - Richard Foreman, author of A Hero of our Time
‘Exhilarating’ - Daily Mail
‘A book that is engagingly sensitive’ Dominic Lawson, Sunday Times
David Boyle is a British author and journalist who writes mainly about history and new ideas in economics, money, business and culture. He lives in Crystal Palace, London. His books include Alan Unlocking the Enigma, Before Enigma, Operation Primrose,Rupert England’s Last Patriot, Peace on The Christmas Truce of 1914, England’s National Anthem, Unheard Warfare in the Dardanelles, Towards the Setting The Race for America and The Age to Come .
121 pages, Kindle Edition
Published July 6, 2017
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31 people want to read
About the author
David Boyle
232 books54 followersDavid Courtney Boyle was a British author and journalist who wrote mainly about history and new ideas in economics, money, business, and culture. He lived in Steyning in West Sussex.
He conducted an independent review for the Treasury and the Cabinet Office on public demand for choice in public services which reported in 2013. Boyle was a co-founder and policy director of Radix, which he characterized in 2017 as a radical centrist think tank. He was also co-director of the mutual think tank New Weather Institute.
He conducted an independent review for the Treasury and the Cabinet Office on public demand for choice in public services which reported in 2013. Boyle was a co-founder and policy director of Radix, which he characterized in 2017 as a radical centrist think tank. He was also co-director of the mutual think tank New Weather Institute.
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
September 4, 2017
I received a complimentary manuscript of The Berlin Affair by David Boyle from Endeavour Press, in exchange for this review.
A lightweight World War II thriller which breezes along at a brisk pace as a naive young American woman gets tangled up in a British spy operation in Berlin. The book's heroine is Xanthe Schneider, from Cincinatti, who arrives in Cambridge as a student in Spring of 1939. One of the people she meets is Ralph Lancing-Price, an upper class Brit and former Government minister.
Her brief relationship with the mercurial Price leads her to be recruited by British Intelligence in the shape of naval intelligence officer Ian Fleming (later to be famous as the author of the James Bond novels). With Fleming at her initial interview is Alan Turing - later to become a key element in Britain's bid to crack Nazi Germany's wartime codes and someone Xanthe had met during her brief spell at Cambridge University.
Xanthe discovers that Ralph seems to have defected to the Nazis and Fleming wants her to follow him and find out what exactly he is up to. There follows a necessarily brief spell of training before she is sent off to Nazi Germany in the guise of an American journalist.
In 1940 Berlin, she renews her acquaintance with a man she obviously has romantic feelings for while simultaneously worrying that he might be a traitor to his country.
Ralph remains mysterious about his real reason for being in Berlin, dropping hints about secret codes and the Enigma machine hither and thither, while Xanthe has to deal with the unwanted sexual attentions of a minor Nazi official.
Will she discover what Ralph is plotting and, given her feelings for him, will she have the nerve to stop him if he is indeed betraying Britain? Ralph insists he's a patriot, but a patriot to which country?
The action plays out amid the fading splendour of Berlin's hotels and at various other events for the media organised by the Nazis' propaganda department.
I had a few problems with the story - the language was very stilted in places, especially during the solitary sex scene, and the constant use of various famous - and infamous - wartime "celebrity" names became a bit wearing.
Although it's a light read, the author David Boyle includes a wealth of detail about British intelligence and life in London and Berlin during the "Phoney War" and that raises this tale above the average wartime thriller.
A lightweight World War II thriller which breezes along at a brisk pace as a naive young American woman gets tangled up in a British spy operation in Berlin. The book's heroine is Xanthe Schneider, from Cincinatti, who arrives in Cambridge as a student in Spring of 1939. One of the people she meets is Ralph Lancing-Price, an upper class Brit and former Government minister.
Her brief relationship with the mercurial Price leads her to be recruited by British Intelligence in the shape of naval intelligence officer Ian Fleming (later to be famous as the author of the James Bond novels). With Fleming at her initial interview is Alan Turing - later to become a key element in Britain's bid to crack Nazi Germany's wartime codes and someone Xanthe had met during her brief spell at Cambridge University.
Xanthe discovers that Ralph seems to have defected to the Nazis and Fleming wants her to follow him and find out what exactly he is up to. There follows a necessarily brief spell of training before she is sent off to Nazi Germany in the guise of an American journalist.
In 1940 Berlin, she renews her acquaintance with a man she obviously has romantic feelings for while simultaneously worrying that he might be a traitor to his country.
Ralph remains mysterious about his real reason for being in Berlin, dropping hints about secret codes and the Enigma machine hither and thither, while Xanthe has to deal with the unwanted sexual attentions of a minor Nazi official.
Will she discover what Ralph is plotting and, given her feelings for him, will she have the nerve to stop him if he is indeed betraying Britain? Ralph insists he's a patriot, but a patriot to which country?
The action plays out amid the fading splendour of Berlin's hotels and at various other events for the media organised by the Nazis' propaganda department.
I had a few problems with the story - the language was very stilted in places, especially during the solitary sex scene, and the constant use of various famous - and infamous - wartime "celebrity" names became a bit wearing.
Although it's a light read, the author David Boyle includes a wealth of detail about British intelligence and life in London and Berlin during the "Phoney War" and that raises this tale above the average wartime thriller.
August 11, 2017
An interesting tale about the British Intelligence attempt to crack the German coding system known as Enigma. Xanthe Schneider is a young American studying in England where she meets a member of Parliament who subsequently ends up in Berlin. Is he betraying his country? Xanthe is recruited to find out. The story is entertaining as she makes contact with him, but conflicting emotions cloud her ability to do the job she was sent to do. She also attracts the attention of the Gestapo and that element is a prime plot line that reaches a rather stunning conclusion. All in all the story is well written and researched. My only real complaint, valid or not, is that the book is too short. Other than that it is a good read and I would recommend it to anyone interested in a spy thriller taking place in 1940 Berlin. 3.7 stars
August 11, 2017
3.5 stars
I reviewed this book on behalf of Rosie Amber's Review Team, and received an ARC, which has not influenced my review.
This is a novella length story; I wondered if such a plot could be fitted into a novella, and if there would be a lack of detail, but it is well structured and fits nicely into the shorter length.
Xanthe Schneider from Cincinatti arrives in Cambridge as a student, six months before the outbreak of World War Two. During her childhood, she was endowed with a love of and talent for crosswords by her father, and, in England, during the 'phoney war' of the first eight months following September 3rd, 1939, she gets to know the mysterious Ralph Lancing, a code cracking enthusiast. The Ralph disappears, and Xanthe is approached by war officials to take part in the world of British espionage.
One thing I liked about this was the portrayal of the England at the time; it's very well done, but subtly, and it came over, to me, a bit like a black and white film. I also liked that Boyle has used real life characters, such as Goebbels, and I felt Xanthe's growing fear; the atmosphere of menace certainly worked. Sometimes I felt the choice of words was a little odd, and I wasn't always sure about the way in which, for instance, a naval commander spoke to Xanthe, a woman he had only just met.
This is a good read for the historical detail in itself, and it is well plotted; an undemanding, enjoyable book with which to curl up for an afternoon.
I reviewed this book on behalf of Rosie Amber's Review Team, and received an ARC, which has not influenced my review.
This is a novella length story; I wondered if such a plot could be fitted into a novella, and if there would be a lack of detail, but it is well structured and fits nicely into the shorter length.
Xanthe Schneider from Cincinatti arrives in Cambridge as a student, six months before the outbreak of World War Two. During her childhood, she was endowed with a love of and talent for crosswords by her father, and, in England, during the 'phoney war' of the first eight months following September 3rd, 1939, she gets to know the mysterious Ralph Lancing, a code cracking enthusiast. The Ralph disappears, and Xanthe is approached by war officials to take part in the world of British espionage.
One thing I liked about this was the portrayal of the England at the time; it's very well done, but subtly, and it came over, to me, a bit like a black and white film. I also liked that Boyle has used real life characters, such as Goebbels, and I felt Xanthe's growing fear; the atmosphere of menace certainly worked. Sometimes I felt the choice of words was a little odd, and I wasn't always sure about the way in which, for instance, a naval commander spoke to Xanthe, a woman he had only just met.
This is a good read for the historical detail in itself, and it is well plotted; an undemanding, enjoyable book with which to curl up for an afternoon.
February 20, 2021
Personable young American woman is recruited by British Secret Service to go to wartime Berlin and find out what on Earth a missing English diplomat is doing there. Surprise, surprise, he is actually a supporter of the Nazis. Crazy plot, but interesting for all that. Short novel, short review.
July 28, 2018
Because I like to get the uglies out of the way, I'm going to jump out of the gate in saying that my only complaint with The Berlin Affair was that it was too short! There were so many amazing moments and key elements - like Xanthe's exit from Germany - that could have been given a little more time, which would have taken this novel up to the next level. But in saying that, with the way my life has shaken out over the past few weeks, I really enjoyed picking up a book that I could complete in a single sitting and put down feeling like the story was complete.
And just because this novel is short, does not mean that it is any way lacking in realism and research. Jam packed with historical facts and figures, it ticked all of my requisite boxes for authenticity and believability. I enjoyed the elements of the SOE, of the quest to break the Enigma code, and the inclusion of real persons throughout the narrative. Add in a touch of fashion, the realities of rationing, and the continually growing sense of oppression and fear and you've got a winning combination.
Xanthe's affair was a little tough to understand in the beginning, but as time went on and the realities of war set in I had two realizations: 1) you can't always help who you fall for and 2) with the pool of eligible men dwindling in the trenches, age gaps and odd matches were more the norm than otherwise. And once I wrapped my head around it, I could see it. A young, idealistic woman falls for a passionate and charismatic older man. I do believe that this is one of the foundational plots of romance, regardless of where the story is set! Sure, Ralph is a little off base, but his quirkiness and off-hand comments is a large part of what heightens the suspense and drives the plot along.
It was fun reading those sections where Xanthe was arranging her dead drops and meet ups, especially since I found my hands a little shaky in those moments. I can only imagine the fear the operatives of the SOE would have felt and the anxiety that they must have endured on a daily basis. I genuinely appreciated (and was equally revolted by) the realities that many women faced at the hands of soldiers and officers, with their unwanted advances and obvious reprisals if they didn't cooperate.
Would I recommend this book? Sure thing! Although it does read closer to a novella than a full blown novel. It's punchy, fast paced, and undeniably engaging. Given the subtitle I am hopeful that there will be a few more books in the Enigma Thriller series, and these subsequent instalments will a little longer and more fully flushed out.
And just because this novel is short, does not mean that it is any way lacking in realism and research. Jam packed with historical facts and figures, it ticked all of my requisite boxes for authenticity and believability. I enjoyed the elements of the SOE, of the quest to break the Enigma code, and the inclusion of real persons throughout the narrative. Add in a touch of fashion, the realities of rationing, and the continually growing sense of oppression and fear and you've got a winning combination.
Xanthe's affair was a little tough to understand in the beginning, but as time went on and the realities of war set in I had two realizations: 1) you can't always help who you fall for and 2) with the pool of eligible men dwindling in the trenches, age gaps and odd matches were more the norm than otherwise. And once I wrapped my head around it, I could see it. A young, idealistic woman falls for a passionate and charismatic older man. I do believe that this is one of the foundational plots of romance, regardless of where the story is set! Sure, Ralph is a little off base, but his quirkiness and off-hand comments is a large part of what heightens the suspense and drives the plot along.
It was fun reading those sections where Xanthe was arranging her dead drops and meet ups, especially since I found my hands a little shaky in those moments. I can only imagine the fear the operatives of the SOE would have felt and the anxiety that they must have endured on a daily basis. I genuinely appreciated (and was equally revolted by) the realities that many women faced at the hands of soldiers and officers, with their unwanted advances and obvious reprisals if they didn't cooperate.
Would I recommend this book? Sure thing! Although it does read closer to a novella than a full blown novel. It's punchy, fast paced, and undeniably engaging. Given the subtitle I am hopeful that there will be a few more books in the Enigma Thriller series, and these subsequent instalments will a little longer and more fully flushed out.
June 11, 2018
"The Berlin affair" eBook was published in 2018 and was written by David Boyle. Mr. Boyle has 12 publications. This is the first in his "Xanthe Schneider Enigma thriller" series.
I received an ARC of this novel through https://www.netgalley.com in return for a fair and honest review. I categorize this novel as ‘R’ because it contains scenes of Violence, Mature Language, and Mature Situations. The story is set in England and Germany during 1940. The primary character is the young American woman Xanthe Schneider.
Schneider is recruited by British intelligence to travel to German in the guise of an American reporter. She is to determine if Ralph Lancing-Price, a former British government minister, is still a patriot to England or a traitor.
She finds more in Germany than she bargains for: Information about the secret German 'Enigma' coding device is revealed to her; She develops a romantic relationship with Lancing-Price; and German begins to mobilize its armies.
I thought the 3+ hours I spent reading this 121 page World War II spy thriller was interesting. This wasn't a very compelling read. The story seemed to just amble along. I think it would have been better if it had been expanded into a full novel. The cover art is OK, but not very closely related to the story. I give this novella a 3.5 (rounded up to a 4) out of 5.
Further book reviews I have written can be accessed at https://johnpurvis.wordpress.com/blog/.
I received an ARC of this novel through https://www.netgalley.com in return for a fair and honest review. I categorize this novel as ‘R’ because it contains scenes of Violence, Mature Language, and Mature Situations. The story is set in England and Germany during 1940. The primary character is the young American woman Xanthe Schneider.
Schneider is recruited by British intelligence to travel to German in the guise of an American reporter. She is to determine if Ralph Lancing-Price, a former British government minister, is still a patriot to England or a traitor.
She finds more in Germany than she bargains for: Information about the secret German 'Enigma' coding device is revealed to her; She develops a romantic relationship with Lancing-Price; and German begins to mobilize its armies.
I thought the 3+ hours I spent reading this 121 page World War II spy thriller was interesting. This wasn't a very compelling read. The story seemed to just amble along. I think it would have been better if it had been expanded into a full novel. The cover art is OK, but not very closely related to the story. I give this novella a 3.5 (rounded up to a 4) out of 5.
Further book reviews I have written can be accessed at https://johnpurvis.wordpress.com/blog/.
September 5, 2017
Firstly, I’d like to say I was very impressed with the amount of information the author was able to fit into a novella. Nor did it feel crammed or out-of-place. This pint-size thriller has everything a full-length novel should have and it was done really well.
The storyline and characters were fully developed and in no way felt two-dimensional. No easy feat considering, the author also had to provide an interesting plot, and in this case, accurate historical information.
I have always been fascinated with WWII and enjoy opportunities to learn new things. “The Berlin Affair” gave me an interesting glimpse of life in Berlin during the war. For example, the rationing and how German women weren’t allowed to wear trousers or makeup. In addition to that, it was really cool to learn that at the beginning of the war, american journalists or foreign correspondence were not only welcome but invited to Germany to cover the German side of things. Heavily censored of course. How fascinating that many of these journalists were actually spies!
I quite liked this book and if you enjoy political thrillers with little romance thrown in, then I encourage you to give it a go.
Rating… B+
The storyline and characters were fully developed and in no way felt two-dimensional. No easy feat considering, the author also had to provide an interesting plot, and in this case, accurate historical information.
I have always been fascinated with WWII and enjoy opportunities to learn new things. “The Berlin Affair” gave me an interesting glimpse of life in Berlin during the war. For example, the rationing and how German women weren’t allowed to wear trousers or makeup. In addition to that, it was really cool to learn that at the beginning of the war, american journalists or foreign correspondence were not only welcome but invited to Germany to cover the German side of things. Heavily censored of course. How fascinating that many of these journalists were actually spies!
I quite liked this book and if you enjoy political thrillers with little romance thrown in, then I encourage you to give it a go.
Rating… B+
January 25, 2018
I really enjoyed reading this book. The time period was interesting, the backstory - leading up to the war, especially the British and US portion of it. I really enjoyed the main character. I could see how she was torn between her job and the man she loved, despite his beliefs.
The only thing that bothered me was the constant mentioning that she was from Cincinnati, Ohio. Other than that, I totally recommend this book. It was short and a fun read. I finished it in a single night and I can't wait to read the next one in the series.
The only thing that bothered me was the constant mentioning that she was from Cincinnati, Ohio. Other than that, I totally recommend this book. It was short and a fun read. I finished it in a single night and I can't wait to read the next one in the series.
August 9, 2019
While the beginning is wobbly enough to be off-putting, if you stick with it becomes an OK read. Not more, not less. The heroine Xanthe, is a puzzle. She is bland [but blonde and pretty], modestly talented [a whiz at crossword puzzles] woman who is repeatedly accorded skills she clearly does not have. Even she knows this, but is relentlessly dragged into events and situations that are way above her cross-wording ability. OK sums it up.
November 11, 2017
Exciting Adventure in Berlin
An American in London before the war becomes involved in an intrigue with a British gentleman who has apparently detected to the Germans.
What follows is a well told story of early war in Berlin prior to England's entry into the war.
You will enjoy this interesting tale.
An American in London before the war becomes involved in an intrigue with a British gentleman who has apparently detected to the Germans.
What follows is a well told story of early war in Berlin prior to England's entry into the war.
You will enjoy this interesting tale.
May 19, 2018
This was definitely not for me. No connection, the characters didn’t have depth, the start (letter writing stuff) was a little pointless and because of all that I was bored the entire time. Just needed a little more something. Also, that love stuff was unbelievable lol. He sounded like a creep to me but whatever
May 30, 2024
I am conflicted about this rating. I liked the book's plot and the writing but I didn't like the main character, Xanthe. How can she fall in love with a man who is anti-Semitic and a traitor to his country unless she has the same political leanings? The fact that after everything, she ended up at Bletchley Park seemed unlikely to me. I don't think I will continue with the series.
November 27, 2017
Nicely written
It is not usually the book that I would have chosen but it was well written and had the atmosphere
It is not usually the book that I would have chosen but it was well written and had the atmosphere
April 10, 2018
A good read.
I enjoyed this book even though I felt as if it had been rushed. I would recommend this book to friends and family.
I enjoyed this book even though I felt as if it had been rushed. I would recommend this book to friends and family.
May 28, 2019
Unusual book
It turned out well but, it was more like about what she was feeling and seeing. A little more action would have been good. I will see what number 2 holds in store.
It turned out well but, it was more like about what she was feeling and seeing. A little more action would have been good. I will see what number 2 holds in store.
August 6, 2020
A young American girl is persuaded to spy for British Naval Intelligence in Berlin
Read
November 28, 2018Berlin in the middle of Nazi Germany (1940) - say no more, I had to read this book!
Not a fan of Nazis, just a fan of the 1930s, 1940s and WWII so I am biased.
This is a thriller with historical tidbits - an historical roller-coaster ride, if you will. The plot has been done before, American woman needs to suss out if a government minister she was in contact with in London is a traitor or not. OK, you have attractive girl, spies, WWII, friend or foe, love interest, twists of fate - all of the necessary plot points are in this book to make it a best seller.
Try it out, it's a fast paced tale. Reminded me of Alan Furst books.
Not a fan of Nazis, just a fan of the 1930s, 1940s and WWII so I am biased.
This is a thriller with historical tidbits - an historical roller-coaster ride, if you will. The plot has been done before, American woman needs to suss out if a government minister she was in contact with in London is a traitor or not. OK, you have attractive girl, spies, WWII, friend or foe, love interest, twists of fate - all of the necessary plot points are in this book to make it a best seller.
Try it out, it's a fast paced tale. Reminded me of Alan Furst books.
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews