Saturday, August 26, 2017

Review of "Mission to Paris: An Espionage Novel" by Alan Furst




In this 12th book in the 'Night Soldiers' series, a popular Hollywood actor is asked to spy on Germany in the days leading up to WWII. The book can be read as a standalone.

*****

It's the late 1930s and Warner Brothers sends Austrian-born Hollywood actor Frederic Stahl to Paris to star in a movie.



During this time Hitler is waging a propaganda and intimidation campaign across Europe, meant to expand Germany's power without war.



To this end Hitler's minions plan to rope in the popular, well-known Stahl - have him hobnob and be photographed with Nazis and so on - to make it seem that Stahl agrees with Hitler's philosophy.



Stahl resists these tactics and wants to just make his movie, eat some good meals, and have some romances.



It's not to be, however, and Stahl soon finds that he's spied on, followed, pressured, and threatened.

Meanwhile, an American diplomat suggests that Stahl play along with the Nazis so that he can help with a spot of espionage.



It's all quietly exciting and makes for a good story.


Rating: 4 stars

2 comments:

  1. If this isn't true, it probably could be. Sounds great.

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    Replies
    1. I agree Kali. This seems like something that probably happened!

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