The final volume in Deighton's hook, line and sinker espionage trilogy will likely disappoint even his staunchest fans with its passionless, unsuspenseful scenario for explaining the political liberation of Eastern Europe at the end of the '80s. Bernard Sampson, protagonist of the earlier books, here steps backstage as his wife, Fiona, defects to East Germany after being groomed as a double agent. In place, Fiona is set to implement a plan facilitating the westward defection of East German professionals, leaving a gap in the economic structure which is expected to defeat the Communist regime. Fiona's abandonment of her husband and two young children occurs with little drama or conflict, and is a move no more convincing than the doubts Deighton later visits upon her. The plan conceived by Bret Rensselaer, deputy controller of European economics for Britain's SIS, to dismantle the Wall is intriguing and plausible, but its fictional execution is without force. At his best with action scenes, Deighton gives us too few; only those that begin and end his tale ring with excitement and suspense. Biography From Wikipedia - Len DeightonLeonard Cyril Deighton (born 18 February 1929, Marylebone, London) is a British military historian, cookery writer, and novelist. He is perhaps most famous for his spy novel The IPCRESS File, which was made into a film starring Michael Caine.Deighton was born in Marylebone, London, in 1929. His father was a chauffeur and mechanic, and his mother was a part-time cook. At the time they lived in Gloucester Place Mews near Baker Street.Deighton's interest in spy stories may have been partially inspired by the arrest of Anna Wolkoff, which he witnessed as an 11-year-old boy. Wolkoff was a British subject of Russian descent who was a Nazi spy. She was detained on 20 May 1940, and convicted of violating the Official Secrets Act for attempting to pass secret documents to the Nazis.After leaving school, Deighton worked as a railway clerk before performing his National Service, which he spent as a photographer for the Royal Air Force's Special Investigation Branch. After discharge from the RAF, he studied at St Martin's School of Art in London in 1949, and in 1952 won a scholarship to the Royal College of Art, graduating in 1955. While he was at the RCA he became a "lifelong friend" of fellow designer Raymond Hawkey, who later designed covers for his early books. Deighton then worked as an airline steward with BOAC. Before he began his writing career he worked as an illustrator in New York and, in 1960, as an art director in a London advertising agency. He is credited with creating the first British cover for Kerouac's On the Road. He has since used his drawing skills to illustrate a number of his own military history books.Following the success of his first novels, Deighton became The Observer's cookery writer and produced illustrated cookbooks. He also wrote travel guides and became travel editor of Playboy, before becoming a film producer. After producing a film adaption of his 1968 novel Only When I Larf, Deighton and photographer Brian Duffy bought the film rights to Joan Littlewood and Theatre Workshop's stage musical Oh, What a Lovely War!. He had his name removed from the credits of the film, however, which was a move that he later described as "stupid and infantile". That was his last involvement with the cinema.Deighton left England in 1969. He briefly resided in Blackrock, County Louth in Ireland. He has not returned to England apart from some personal visits and very few media appearances, his last one since 1985 being a 2006 interview which formed part of a "Len Deighton Night" on BBC Four. He and his wife Ysabele divide their time between homes in Portugal and Guernsey.Several of his novels have been adapted as films. His first four novels featured an anonymous anti-hero, named "Harry Palmer" in the films, and portrayed by Michael Caine. The first trilogy of his Bernard Samson novel series was made into a 12-part television series by Granada Television in 1988, shown only once, and withdrawn on instructions from Deighton.[citation needed] Quentin Tarantino has expressed interest in filming the trilogy. Deighton wrote the screenplay and was an uncredited producer of the 1969 film of the stage musical Oh, What a Lovely War!. His 1970 World War II historical novel Bomber about an RAF Bomber Command raid over Germany often is considered his masterpiece.He reportedly began an unfinished Vietnam War novel, a portion of which appeared as the story First Base in his short story collection Declarations of War. Views: 64
In Panama City, Florida, in the 1940s, one-armed and gut-shot, PI Jimmy Riley is on the trail of Flaxon De Grasse, a sadistic serial sex killer, who has abducted his girlfriend, Lauren Lewis.Riley will hit every juke joint and brave every roadside stop by the cops to track them down. Stalwart, and given to occasional quick speeches on the meaning of life, Riley has backup in the form of his one-eyed black pal, Clip. Asked why he lost the peeper, he quips: "I training to be a private eye like him. Nobody tol' me you can have two." Views: 64
E-book exclusive extra: Christie biographer Charles Osborne's essay on Sparkling Cyanide. Six people sit down to a sumptuous meal at a table laid for seven. A sprig of rosemary -- 'rosemary for remembrance' -- marks the empty place. It is the first anniversary of the horrific death by cyanide-laced champagne of the beautiful and troublesome Rosemary Barton. The assembled guests are the same participants at the meal a year prior, and Rosemary's widower, George Barton, is determined to prove that one of them is a murderer. But George's dinner party, and his plans for justice, will go terribly awry, as another death will come to haunt this date. Colonel Race of the British Secret Service, friend of Hercule Poirot (and a featured player in Cards on the Table and Death on the Nile), is on the scene to investigate. Views: 64
What secrets hide behind dying eyes?With the Christmas and New Year chaos out of the way, it’s time for the Preston Police Department to put their feet up and return to normality.But for DS Brian McDone, there is no respite from the frenzy. An unidentified young woman is found brutally murdered in a seedy section of the city, her body laced with bruises, her sharp fingernails digging into her palms. Her eyes are staring up at something in pure fear.Nobody knows who she is.As Brian and his team begin to piece together the clues, the answers lead him to places he would least expect. The further Brian digs, one question soon becomes apparent: who can he trust? The answer, it seems, may be life-threatening.The first in a new series from bestselling author Ryan Casey, Dying Eyes is a dark detective mystery with complex characters and a twisting, turning plot that is sure to please fans of the genre. If you enjoy hit Danish TV phenomenon, The Killing, you’ll love Dying Eyes. Views: 64
When they arrived at the planetarium, the clerk was affixing a sign to the glass window: No shows today. Equipment malfunction ... A powerful tale about a special father and son trip that will haunt you long after the story's conclusion. SCOTT WILLIAM CARTER's first novel, The Last Great Getaway of the Water Balloon Boys, was hailed by Publishers Weekly as a touching and impressive debut. Views: 64
Three months ago Dave was an innocent virgin. Now, inspired by her "discovery" of sex, she is ready to cop off with as many bi-curious girls as she can. And the opportunities at all those sixth form parties! Some nights it's almost impossible to fail. Views: 64
