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!
