Tuesday, September 9, 2014

The Spies of Warsaw by Alan Furst

The Spies of Warsaw by Alan Furst

The French military attaché to Poland in the late 1930s is actually running spies on the side and through his side business discovering information which could be crucial to France’s strategy when war, which seems inevitable, breaks out.  If only those in power would listen to the intelligence he has gathered.

This was a well-written but frustrating spy novel.  I enjoyed getting the how-it-may-have-went behind the scenes perspective, especially knowing how things turned out.  The main character is convinced that Germany is going to simply go around the Maginot Line (through the Ardennes in Belgium) with a huge amount of tanks.  The powers that be refuse to believe such nonsense despite the growing intelligence pointing towards the route of attack.  We all know what happens and watching this one man’s frustration build, and rightly so, was the source of my frustration, but in a good way.  I felt for him, and France and Poland, knowing what was right around the corner.

An interesting way and time period in which to write a spy novel, and I would read another when I need my spying fix!