Then We Take Berlin (Thorndike Press Large Print Thriller) - Hardcover

Lawton, John

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 1410465098 ISBN 13: 9781410465092

Publisher: Thorndike Pr, 2014

Synopsis

In 1963, freelance P.I. Joe Wilderness, a former MI6 agent and black market con-artist, agrees to one last Berlin scam, which involves smuggling people and brings the old gang back together once again. (espionage).

About this title

Review

"This intelligent first in a new series from Lawton ("A Lily of the Field" and six other Inspector Troy thrillers) opens on the eve of President Kennedy's 1963 Berlin visit, but the real meat lies in the compelling backstory of John Wilford Holderness, an East London Cockney who joins the RAF in 1946. . . . A wonderfully written and generally wise book that will thrill readers with an interest in WWII and the early Cold War era."--"Publishers Weekly" (starred review)
Praise for "Lily of the Field"
"An unbearably tense account of two musicians whose lives and careers are shattered in the aftermath of the Anschluss . . . Technically dazzling. Lawton keeps his historical perspective on the war while introducing new characters and adding layers of political subtext to the plot."--"The New York Times"
"Lawton has always pushed the boundaries of the series crime novel, edging ever closer to broad-canvas historical fiction, but this time he has leaped the fence altogether. Like Dennis Lehane in The Given Day, Lawton introduces multiple characters and stories in a sweeping tale that comes together at a particular historical moment, but unlike Lehane, he does all that without abandoning his series hero or the continuity established in the previous volumes . . . A truly multitextured tale."--"Booklist" (Starred Review)
"Another complex and compellingly readable historic thriller from Lawton, full of profound questions and memorable characters."--"Kirkus Reviews"
"If you love mystery and history, run out and pick up a book by Lawton, author of the superb Inspector Troy novels."--"The Seattle Times"
"If the previous six installments in John Lawton's Inspector Troy series haven't made the point adequately, the seventh, "A Lily of the Field," makes it again, and solidly: Lawton's thrillers provide a vivid, moving and wonderfully absorbing way to experience life in London and on the Continent before, during and after World War II.

"Lawton captures both the immediate postwar and midcentury landscapes perfectly, stirring elements of Graham Greene, John le Carre, and the great Ross Thomas' too-little-known McCorkle and Padillo novels into a superbly well-built Cold War cocktail--bracing, deliriously delicious, but carrying the slightly bitter aftertaste of dreams gone bad."--"Booklist" (starred review)
"Lawton kicks off a crafty new series of spy novels centered on Joe Wilderness, a former British airman sent to Berlin after WWII to find former Nazis. From Kennedy's 1963 Berlin visit to the nitty gritty of the divided city's black market, this thriller is chock full of early Cold War history and rich fictional characters."--"Publishers Weekly" Fall 2013 Books Preview: The Season's Big Books
"This intelligent first in a new series from Lawton ("A Lily of the Field" and six other Inspector Troy thrillers) opens on the eve of President Kennedy's 1963 Berlin visit, but the real meat lies in the compelling backstory of John Wilford Holderness, an East London Cockney who joins the RAF in 1946. . . . A wonderfully written and generally wise book that will thrill readers with an interest in WWII and the early Cold War era."--"Publishers Weekly" (starred review)
Praise for "Lily of the Field"
"An unbearably tense account of two musicians whose lives and careers are shattered in the aftermath of the Anschluss . . . Technically dazzling. Lawton keeps his historical perspective on the war while introducing new characters and adding layers of political subtext to the plot."--"The New York Times"
"Lawton has always pushed the boundaries of the series crime novel, edging ever closer to broad-canvas historical fiction, but this time he has leaped the fence altogether. Like Dennis Lehane in The Given Day, Lawton introduces multiple characters and stories in a sweeping tale that comes together at a particular historical moment, but unlike Lehane, he does all that without abando

--A Publishers Weekly "Big Book" of Fall 2013

"John Lawton's stylish spy thriller, "Then We Take Berlin", is a splendid introduction to John Wilfrid (Wilderness) Holderness, born a Cockney guttersnipe, trained in various criminal enterprises by his grandfather and transformed into a British intelligence operative during World War II. . . .[An] enthralling story of Wilderness's adventures in espionage and Lawton's harrowing descriptions of life in the battered nations of Europe in 1945, when the war was over but never seemed to end."--"New York Times Book Review"

"Lawton's gift for atmosphere, memorable characters and intelligent plotting has been compared to John le Carre, but his dry humor also invokes the late Ross Thomas. . . . Never mind the comparisons--Lawton can stand up on his own, and Then We Take Berlin is a gem."--"The Seattle Times"

"A dangerous assignment in East Berlin is fraught with complex memories from postwar Europe. . . . A wonderfully complex and nuanced thriller."--"Kirkus Reviews"

"Lawton captures both the immediate postwar and midcentury landscapes perfectly, stirring elements of Graham Greene, John le Carre, and the great Ross Thomas' too-little-known McCorkle and Padillo novels into a superbly well-built Cold War cocktail--bracing, deliriously delicious, but carrying the slightly bitter aftertaste of dreams gone bad."--"Booklist" (starred review)

"This intelligent first in a new series from Lawton ("A Lily of the Field" and six other Inspector Troy thrillers) opens on the eve of President Kennedy's 1963 Berlin visit, but the real meat lies in the compelling backstory of John Wilford Holderness, an East London Cockney who joins the RAF in 1946. . . . A wonderfully written and generally wise book that will thrill readers with an interest in WWII and the early Cold War era."--"Publishers Weekly" (starred review)
--A Publishers Weekly "Big Book" of Fall 2013
"John Lawton's stylish spy thriller, "Then We Take Berlin," is a splendid introduction to John Wilfrid (Wilderness) Holderness, born a Cockney guttersnipe, trained in various criminal enterprises by his grandfather and transformed into a British intelligence operative during World War II. . . .[An] enthralling story of Wilderness's adventures in espionage and Lawton's harrowing descriptions of life in the battered nations of Europe in 1945, when the war was over but never seemed to end."--"New York Times Book Review"
"Lawton's gift for atmosphere, memorable characters and intelligent plotting has been compared to John le Carre, but his dry humor also invokes the late Ross Thomas. . . . Never mind the comparisons--Lawton can stand up on his own, and Then We Take Berlin is a gem."--"The Seattle Times"
"A dangerous assignment in East Berlin is fraught with complex memories from postwar Europe. . . . A wonderfully complex and nuanced thriller."--"Kirkus Reviews"
"Lawton captures both the immediate postwar and midcentury landscapes perfectly, stirring elements of Graham Greene, John le Carre, and the great Ross Thomas' too-little-known McCorkle and Padillo novels into a superbly well-built Cold War cocktail--bracing, deliriously delicious, but carrying the slightly bitter aftertaste of dreams gone bad."--"Booklist" (starred review)
"This intelligent first in a new series from Lawton ("A Lily of the Field" and six other Inspector Troy thrillers) opens on the eve of President Kennedy's 1963 Berlin visit, but the real meat lies in the compelling backstory of John Wilford Holderness, an East London Cockney who joins the RAF in 1946. . . . A wonderfully written and generally wise book that will thrill readers with an interest in WWII and the early Cold War era."--"Publishers Weekly" (starred review)
"Absolute dynamite in a trench coat . . . Don't miss this one!"--I Love A Mystery Newslette

--A Publishers Weekly "Big Book" of Fall 2013

"John Lawton's stylish spy thriller, Then We Take Berlin, is a splendid introduction to John Wilfrid (Wilderness) Holderness, born a Cockney guttersnipe, trained in various criminal enterprises by his grandfather and transformed into a British intelligence operative during World War II. . . .[An] enthralling story of Wilderness's adventures in espionage and Lawton's harrowing descriptions of life in the battered nations of Europe in 1945, when the war was over but never seemed to end."--New York Times Book Review

"Lawton's gift for atmosphere, memorable characters and intelligent plotting has been compared to John le Carre, but his dry humor also invokes the late Ross Thomas. . . . Never mind the comparisons--Lawton can stand up on his own, and Then We Take Berlin is a gem."--The Seattle Times

"A dangerous assignment in East Berlin is fraught with complex memories from postwar Europe. . . . A wonderfully complex and nuanced thriller."--Kirkus Reviews

"Lawton captures both the immediate postwar and midcentury landscapes perfectly, stirring elements of Graham Greene, John le Carre, and the great Ross Thomas' too-little-known McCorkle and Padillo novels into a superbly well-built Cold War cocktail--bracing, deliriously delicious, but carrying the slightly bitter aftertaste of dreams gone bad."--Booklist (starred review)

"This intelligent first in a new series from Lawton (A Lily of the Field and six other Inspector Troy thrillers) opens on the eve of President Kennedy's 1963 Berlin visit, but the real meat lies in the compelling backstory of John Wilford Holderness, an East London Cockney who joins the RAF in 1946. . . . A wonderfully written and generally wise book that will thrill readers with an interest in WWII and the early Cold War era."--Publishers Weekly (starred review)

"Absolute dynamite in a trench coat . . . Don't miss this one!"--I Love A Mystery Newsletter

"A thriller that is sure to have any fan of John Le Carre's Smiley novels gripped."--Crime Fiction Lover

"[Then We Take Berlin] is a stand-alone novel outside [Lawton's] wonderful 'Troy' series, set in Berlin in 1963 . . . it is extremely good."--Deadly Pleasures

"A very captivating read."--Fantasy Book Critic

Book Description

The opening novel in a new historical thriller series from the author of the Inspector Troy series.

About this edition

• Publisher: Thorndike Pr
• Publication date: 2014
• ISBN 10: 1410465098
• ISBN 13: 9781410465092
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 669