From the Bookshelf of Retro Reads…

The Venetian Affair

Helen MacInnes

Start date: February 1, 2018

Finish date: February 28, 2018

Discussion: Group Reads

Discussion leader: Tadiana ✩Night Owl☽

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What Members Thought

Feb 15, 2018 Critterbee❇ rated it really liked it

Shelves: f, library, atw

A fast paced, intelligent, retro-ish cold war espionage action extravaganza, with likable and competent main characters, an intense countdown to a deadline, and despicable villains, set in a gorgeously described Venice.

Bill Fenner and Claire Langley make a great team, handling a threat to Western Europe and undeniable mutual attraction. This was a very enjoyable read.

ATW 2018 Italy

7 likes · Like · see review

Feb 17, 2018 Elizabeth A.G. rated it really liked it · review of another edition

This is my first Helen MacInnes book and I enjoyed the plot, setting descriptions, and characters. Lots of intrigue and having lived through the "Cold War" period in the 60's, I found the story very plausible. The villain, Kalgarov, was a master of disguise, ruthless and frightening in his determination for disruption in the world to promote his ideology and ambition. The way our hero gets involved in the plot was clever and MacInnes' portrays him as curious, intelligent, brave, vulnerable, and ...more

3 likes · Like · see review