This is the latest of a series of books involving Inspector Troy none of which I had previously read. Despite this I was able to quickly get up to speed about him, his family members and his work colleagues.
This book revolves around Troy’s pre-war friendship with Guy Burgess and recounts there subsequent meetings up to his defection to Russia. As Troy is taking a holiday with his family Burgess reappears in Vienna and asks Troy to try and get him home. A sudden incident in Vienna leads to Burgess disappearing behind the iron curtain and Troy coming under investigation by both Special Branch, MI5 and MI6.
This is a well researched book that is well plotted and action packed but for me there was something lacking. I didn’t feel when I came to the end of the book fully satisfied with the way things had resolved themselves. I also couldn’t reconcile myself to Troy becoming a senior police officer at Scotland Yard given his family were Russian emigres though he was born in Britain. It is unlikely given the pre-war focus on countering Communism and all things Russian that Troy would have been given the relevant security clearance that he appears to have in the story. This is especially relevant given the subsequent suspicions that are directed at him.
Despite this I did enjoy this book and would now look to go back and read the previous books in the series.
This book revolves around Troy’s pre-war friendship with Guy Burgess and recounts there subsequent meetings up to his defection to Russia. As Troy is taking a holiday with his family Burgess reappears in Vienna and asks Troy to try and get him home. A sudden incident in Vienna leads to Burgess disappearing behind the iron curtain and Troy coming under investigation by both Special Branch, MI5 and MI6.
This is a well researched book that is well plotted and action packed but for me there was something lacking. I didn’t feel when I came to the end of the book fully satisfied with the way things had resolved themselves. I also couldn’t reconcile myself to Troy becoming a senior police officer at Scotland Yard given his family were Russian emigres though he was born in Britain. It is unlikely given the pre-war focus on countering Communism and all things Russian that Troy would have been given the relevant security clearance that he appears to have in the story. This is especially relevant given the subsequent suspicions that are directed at him.
Despite this I did enjoy this book and would now look to go back and read the previous books in the series.