Due to a sudden, unexpected passing in the family a few years ago and another more recently and my subsequent (mental) health issues stemming from that, I was unable to download this book in time to review it before it was archived as I did not visit this site for several years after the bereavements. This meant I didn't read or venture onto netgalley for years as not only did it remind me of that person as they shared my passion for reading, but I also struggled to maintain interest in anything due to overwhelming depression. I was therefore unable to download this title in time and so I couldn't give a review as it wasn't successfully acquired before it was archived. The second issue that has happened with some of my other books is that I had them downloaded to one particular device and said device is now defunct, so I have no access to those books anymore, sadly.

This means I can't leave an accurate reflection of my feelings towards the book as I am unable to read it now and so I am leaving a message of explanation instead. I am now back to reading and reviewing full time as once considerable time had passed I have found that books have been helping me significantly in terms of my mindset and mental health - this was after having no interest in anything for quite a number of years after the passings. Anything requested and approved will be read and a review written and posted to Amazon (where I am a Hall of Famer & Top Reviewer), Goodreads (where I have several thousand friends and the same amount who follow my reviews) and Waterstones (or Barnes & Noble if the publisher is American based). Thank you for the opportunity and apologies for the inconvenience.

A very impressive solid espionage thriller at this strange time of diplomacy and spying; pre-Smiley and at the very birth of the Cold War as eyes turned east to Moscow.
Thrillingly told and with great research into locations and characters
Prince is a noble lead character of great distinction and care

End of spies is a great mystery that keeps you on the edge of your seat until the very end.

A great historical thriller with well-crafted characters and easy to follow the storyline.

If you enjoy reading a really good mystery, then this is the book for you.

Definitely a 5 star!

In the months following the end of the Second World War some of the darkest aspects of the Third Reich were revealed. Nazi war criminals faced trials and probable death sentences, but then America, Russia and Britain began recruiting some of their scientists and inventors. Old enemies became uneasy allies; long-trusted friends found themselves on opposite sides suddenly.
Alex Gerli a once again delivers an intelligent and compelling spy thriller. He pulls off the trick of combining fact and fiction with emotionally potent characters.

With the end of WW II, have we seen the last of British agent Richard Prince and Danish wife Hanne Jakobsen? In “End of Spies”, the fourth book in this excellent series by Alex Gerlis, we have one last mission for our adventurous couple.

Although the last war has ended, it’s not really over for the allies yet. Those that committed crimes must be held accountable, and the British are on the trail of a particularly gruesome SS Officer responsible for quite a few atrocities. Richard and Hanne start off in Paris, where they realize that there’s an escape route for Nazis, the Kestrel Line, which not only is being used by their quarry (The Ferret) but also possibly Martin Bormann. The chase continues throughout Europe: Germany, Austria, Slovenia, Italy. Meanwhile, the British Nazi sympathizers are also feeling the heat, feeling the noose tighten around them. They too are set to use the Kestrel Line to escape the net. As the Americans are forgetting the past in order to prepare for their next enemy (the USSR), Richard and Hanne turn to some strange acquaintances to help them chase down their prey in a climactic finish.

What a wonderful ending to an outstanding series. In this book we really see the aftermath of six long years of war – the destruction, the despair, the rewriting of the past in order to escape justice. People are just trying to survive, trying to forget, trying to move on, while others are already trying to prepare for what’s next, trying to do what’s right, or else looking for revenge. The chaos as the world adjusts to a new reality results in compromises by many people.

I have thoroughly enjoyed the series and I am hoping that Richard and Hanne find their lives a bit boring and are called back into action sometime soon.

I requested and received a free advanced electronic copy from Canelo via NetGalley. Thank you!

My thanks to NetGalley and publisher Canelo for the electronic copy.

This is Book#4 in the Richard Prince series, and I'm sad to say it seems to be the last - although perhaps I did detect a small hint that we may not have heard the last of Richard Prince and his wife Hanne Jakobson - perhaps we'll catch them during the cold war next time?

A week after their wedding in 1945 after the end of WW11, Richard and Hanne are summoned to meet with Tom Gilbey - Richard's boss at MI6. SOE agents in France and the Netherlands during 1943 and 1944 had been betrayed and suffered brutally at the hands of a psychopathic Gestapo officer nicknamed The Ferret. It was a matter of justice that he be identified and located. However, The Ferret seemed to have friends in high places and was regularly transferred within the German occupied territories. Richard & Hanne were to start in Paris.

During their investigation they make other discoveries including the existence of an escape route for Nazis to leave the continent - The Kestrel Line, which appears to be funded by Nazi sympathisers in Britain. They have to move between the American, British and Russian-controlled sectors in their quest, convinced that The Ferret is on the escape route; not only him, but prominent Nazi Martin Bormann.

This is a gripping and truly un-put-downable spy thriller with a complex and absorbing plot which weaves fact and fiction. Really good characters; excellent plot construction and good dialogue. The atmospheric portrayal of the destruction and devastation of towns and cities, with the accompanying desolation of the population was palpably conveyed. Berlin is a divided city; the prisons are full of people denying their Nazi allegiances; collaborators have gone to ground.

Will the ever-resourceful Richard and Hanne be able to trace the final destination of The Kestrel Line and bring the fugitives to justice?

I have all the books in this series and enjoyed them all. This is a solid story with some good twists. I stayed engaged and it was fun to see the MC take on new challenges. Recommended to thriller fans.

I really appreciate the review copy!!

End of Spies is the fourth and maybe the last book in the Richard Prince series. In this book, Richard and his wife Hanne Jakobsen come together for one last mission, to find a Nazi war criminal responsible for the murder of fellow British agents.

This is a taut, authentic and gripping spy novel set place right after the end of world war II. This was my first book by Alex Gerlis and I really enjoyed it. It's so well-written and if you love spy novels and authors like John le Carré, Alan Furst and Joseph Kanon then you will love this book. I have bought book 1-3 in this series and I'm looking forward to read more about Richard Prince and how it all started. Hopefully there will be more books in the future. The end of the book gave me some hope...

Thanks to NetGalley, the author and Canelo for the opportunity to read this book and to share my honest review.

I have read End of Spies, the fourth and maybe final book about Richard Prince by Alex Gerlis. It's the end of the second world war and there is some mopping up to do. Some nazis are trying to escape and there are still some brits who will help them. Enter Richard Prince and his Danish girlfriend Hanna. Will they find out what goes on with the Kestrel line and who can they trust? We have Americans, Russians, Germans Slovaks, Austrians and British in one big mess. I have really enjoyed these four books nad can really recommend them. I have actually been stockpiling a couple of @AlexGerlis other books to read at a later date. I must Thank @Netgalley and @Canelo_co for giving me this advance copy.

Finally reunited End of Spies sees Richard Prince and Hanne Jakobsen combine for one last mission but this time post World War 2 with Europe trying to settle down to a new order.

The book is an interesting and enjoyable read that keeps a good pace throughout as Prince and Jakobsen are assigned the task of finding a Nazi.

There are a number of twists and turns throughout as you would expect with the author interweaving both fact and fiction until the final conclusion and twist.

Recommended

What a good read. I was hooked from the moment I picked it up. It is easy to read and the story really pulls you in and you find yourself not wanting to put it down. A great installment in an excellent series that sets us up for some great Cold War stories. Can't wait for the next one. And thank you for the ARC

This is the second Richard Prince spy thriller that I have read and it is a worthy edition to the series. Well written, excellent characterisation, a good sense of time and place and a credible plot that draws you in.

There is a lot of completion in this field and Alex Gerlis deserves recognition.

Recommended.