Very poor novel -- shallow and disjointed. I couldn't even finish it!

A very short and shallow book with little effort to develop the story or characters.

*Checking cover one more time* Yep, still says Alan Furst.

This book had a potentially interesting main character and sidekick. It had the in-depth detail of location that we are used to. It just didn’t have ..... soul. Only in the final dozen pages did the soul start to appear. Maybe he was trying something different.

Please, sir, do not do that again.

I have read I believe every book written by Alan. This one I am sorry to say is his worst, but still acceptable. For more interesting there is The Foreign Correspondent, or Spies of the Balkans.

As I listened to this book, I thought I was channeling Raymond Chandler and could hear Humphrey Bogart delivering the lines. Mr. Furst certainly does not believe in fleshing out his characters. Each "chapter" involved another traitor or a dead woman , or a new city / country. It felt like the book was being written for a series in a magazine - one episode per edition. If it is the author's purpose to sound like he is really writing in the 1940's and chasing the Maltese Falcon, he achieves it. I prefer books that give you enough information about characters that you become involved in their fates. There were enough story lines here to fill 6 books. Despite all these comments, I did not completely dislike the book, but if I want to read pot boilers from the 1940's, I will go to the real deal - Dashiell Hammett - Rex Stout - John Dickson Carr - S. S. Van Dine. I think the book had potential, but threw everything but the kitchen sink into a frenetic story line. Kristi & Abby Tabby

1942. Occupied Paris. Gestapo. Great read.

A short insight into the French resistance in 1942-43.

Like other Alan Furst novels about espionage, this latest book will have you reading into the night as his characters develop relationships and espionage techniques to fool the Germans and get essential military information from the resistance into the right hands. His characters are full of life, passion and creativity and this book ended too soon. Highly recommend this for anyone who wants a good read about real life espionage against the Third Reich.

The newest from Furst! One of my favorite writers of this genre, usually set in Paris and surrounding areas, which I'm familiar with.

His stuff is pretty formula driven: espionage, some sex, boy gets girl, and the Germans are bad, and always shown up.

Though some parts were a little simplistic, its always easy to steal large sophisticated weapons of war, and smuggle them across France with little trouble, I always enjoy his works.

I think his earlier works are better, a little more complicated and good character development, but I did enjoy this book. I was stuck(!) in Maui with little reading material so read this twice. It seems to be more informative to follow the maps of Paris and France.

So, all you fans out there, ENJOY!