A mixture of fact and fiction in an engaging wartime adventure
Rating: 3.3/5
This is the fifth book by Rory Clements to feature the character of Professor Tom Wilde, an American who lectures in history at Cambridge University and who doubles up as an agent for the O.S.S. I hadn't read any of the previous books in the series, but I didn't feel that this hampered my ability to enjoy this novel in its own right.
In this outing we find Tom Wilde being charged with the task of getting to the truth behind an aeroplane crash in the north of Scotland ... a plane that had been carrying George, the Duke of Kent, younger brother of the King of England. Was it purely an accident, or was some form of sabotage involved? If the latter, then what was the motive and who was responsible?
The plane crash itself was a factual event and Rory Clements mixes fact and fiction to create an engaging wartime adventure. Not only is the setting of the story in the 1940s, but for the most part, the author also adopts an appropriate writing style that fits well with that era. However, there are also occasions when a much edgier approach is taken, which generally works well. The scenes relating to "the Jewish question" are particularly impressive and are suitably harrowing and disturbing.
A few plot devices are employed that are a bit on the convenient side and they do stretch credulity at times. Otherwise, I would have probably rated this as a 4-star read. That said, it does serves the purpose of helping the writer to move the storyline forward and to maintain a good level of pace throughout.
Overall this is an enjoyable read, which should appeal to fans adventure stories, spy dramas, or those who just have an interest in this period of history.
This is the fifth book by Rory Clements to feature the character of Professor Tom Wilde, an American who lectures in history at Cambridge University and who doubles up as an agent for the O.S.S. I hadn't read any of the previous books in the series, but I didn't feel that this hampered my ability to enjoy this novel in its own right.
In this outing we find Tom Wilde being charged with the task of getting to the truth behind an aeroplane crash in the north of Scotland ... a plane that had been carrying George, the Duke of Kent, younger brother of the King of England. Was it purely an accident, or was some form of sabotage involved? If the latter, then what was the motive and who was responsible?
The plane crash itself was a factual event and Rory Clements mixes fact and fiction to create an engaging wartime adventure. Not only is the setting of the story in the 1940s, but for the most part, the author also adopts an appropriate writing style that fits well with that era. However, there are also occasions when a much edgier approach is taken, which generally works well. The scenes relating to "the Jewish question" are particularly impressive and are suitably harrowing and disturbing.
A few plot devices are employed that are a bit on the convenient side and they do stretch credulity at times. Otherwise, I would have probably rated this as a 4-star read. That said, it does serves the purpose of helping the writer to move the storyline forward and to maintain a good level of pace throughout.
Overall this is an enjoyable read, which should appeal to fans adventure stories, spy dramas, or those who just have an interest in this period of history.