This series is proving compelling reading, and ‘Dead Ground’ is another excellent story built around a robust framework of real events and people in the years around the Second World War. The story takes us back to the relatively unknown years, in the UK at least, of the Spanish Civil War before the flow of history takes us to the position of Spain, a fascist state like Germany and Italy, but strangely not yet drawn into the Hitler’s war as a belligerent power. The plot steers the reader round the desire on the part of Hitler to see Franco throw in his lot with Nazi Germany, whilst Britain is equally determined to keep Spain from joining the Axis powers. The author introduces the reader to characters that give a real sense of the place and time in which the novel is set. These credible characters serve to give some substance to a plot that sees the lead character serve as a volunteer nurse on the Republican side during the violent civil war before she is drawn into the far less clear cut world of espionage as war spreads across Europe. The plot moves along at a pace that is likely to suit most readers making this a book to enjoy.
Strongly recommended.

Interesting read for a crime novel. I enjoyed the historical aspects and learned a lot. I recommend to others

This is the second Spoils of War novel I've read. The series takes an interesting approach because it is not chronological. Instead, each book focuses on a key aspect of the Second World War. In this outing the focus is on Spain, beginning in 1936.

Annie Wrenne is an Anglo-Breton with a talent for languages who has fallen in love with Spain, and the art of Goya. She is clever but drifting somewhat when she volunteers as a nurse for the Republicans. A chance meeting with Ortega, a man who she thinks is a beggar, but who is actually a gun for hire, changes her life after the Second World War breaks out. She is recruited by MI5 in Madrid and finds herself embroiled with Ortega in an audacious assassination plot. At the heart of the story is the Nazis' attempt to bring Franco into the war so they can send troops through Spain to take Gibraltar. There are people - on both sides - who don't want it to happen.

I really enjoyed the immersion in 1930s Spain, and the story of Annie Wrenne which focuses on the human aspects of war and espionage, an ordinary person who is confronted by extraordinary demands. There is a second narrative strand following a German Abwehr officer which focuses more on the political and military machinations of those who have chosen this life. The two storylines complement each other well. I also enjoy the way the protagonists in one book pop up as minor characters in another. It gives a real sense of the nature of relationships in war - intense yet fleeting, with a poignancy for what might have been.

A challenging, lengthy historical thriller set during the Spanish Civil War, rehearsal for the Germans of the Second World War. Graham Hurley is a talented writer.and fans of the Spoils of War will welcome this addition to the collection.

Dead Ground is the latest book in Graham Hurley's excellent "Spoils of War" series. These books are fiction based on actual events during World War 2 ,and the Spanish Civil War that preceded it.

British translator Annie Wrenne is working in Madrid when the Spanish Civil War breaks out. Shocked by the carnage around her Annie volunteers first as a nurse and then finds herself involved not only in a couple of potentially unwise relationships but also the murky world international intrigue with massively high stakes. As Annie's story progresses so does that of the charismatic Admiral Canaris,a decent man trying to thwart the plans of the barbarians and charlatans of the Nazi party infesting his beloved Germany,in particular their attempts to court Spanish dictator General Franco.

This is a lot more than a "war story",Annie is just one of a diverse host of believable characters involved in the labyrinthine politics of Civil War and Second World War Spain. Annie is a refreshingly strong female character and this book is partly a prequel to the previous book in the series "The Blood of Others",where an older and more experienced Annie plays a major role.

This is an excellent addition to a fantastic series that,combining fact with fiction,is often enlightening as well as entertaining,I had no idea quite how calculated and cynical the British attack on the French fleet at Mer-el-Kebir was and no idea at all that the French air force attacked Gibraltar by way of retaliation.

I found this quite a demanding read. The parts about the Spanish Civil War were interesting and there were parts I knew nothing of previously but some of the WWII politics I found hard going. I found the different factions confusing particularly in the first half of the book. It was a relief at first to get to Annie's story but after a while she irritated me. No-one's character was really developed and this was more a work of war tactics, loyalties, deception and planning. All themes I like but I do feel this is a male-orientated book (if one is allowed to make such a judgement), and I did not warm to any of the characters, bar Carlos Ortega. He's a man who befriends Annie, a volunteer nurse working in Spain in 1936. Greatly disfigured ( a "church fell on him") and shunned by society, he makes a great 'overlooked' spy and through him, Annie is recruited by M15.
Relationships between the Abwehr and the SS/Hitler were very interesting to find out about - and there too was another interesting (and historical) character, namely Canaris. The epilogue is sobering. I also had no idea that the Abwehr and MI5 might work together at that time.
The story about Gibralter, I found tedious (albeit extremely important at the time!) but maybe this was just not the book for me.

Having read many Graham Hurley books , this one like the others , have not disappointed me. The research that goes into his Spoils of War novels must be applauded . His sticking to historical facts and making a captivating book out of them is a real joy.

Dead Ground is based around a young women Annie Wrenne , a half breed of English , French and now adoptive Spanish. She enlists as Nurse during the Spanish Civil War and survives the brutal challenges of that era. She falls in love with a patient of hers , Giles Roper and when they split she meets the enigmatic , mysterious and half destroyed of a man , Carlos Ortega . Their lives intertwine through the start of the WW2 and gets introduced to Tam Moncrieff a British spy who she then works for. Ortega who does anything for money gets embroiled in a plot with Moncrieff with Annie as the go between . The overall mission is to save Gibraltar from a German invasion.

A great page turner with loads of historical drama laced through the read.

I chose this as I got to know Spain quite well over the last ten years and wanted to know more about Franco.
The story centres around a plot by Hitler and his cronies to capture Gibraltar- a strategic advantage would be gained in the war. Annie Wrenne is an Anglo-French nurse who speaks Spanish so well she is often mistaken for a Spaniard. With her skills , she is an invaluable asset to the British in gaining intelligence. Franco is portrayed as a ditherer, unable to commit to what he wants for Spain. I’d still like to know how he came to be the dictator that stayed in power until 1975. ( That’s another book! )
An interesting story with just enough of the history to keep it interesting. Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for an ARC.

This is a complex and richly detailed story set against the backdrop of the Spanish Civil War. Anna, the central figure, is in Madrid when the war starts and signs up for front line duties as a nurse. She has an ill fated romance and then becomes involved with a strong Republican figure and is soon embroiled in espionage and a double life.

I know very little about the Spanish Civil War and this is the first book I’ve read by Graham Hurley. However, I was absolutely engrossed from start to finish. In addition to it being a carefully plotted adventure/ espionage tale, it was deftly woven into settings and events that are historically accurate. There’s a real sense of the era and the issues and it felt authentic. I’m going to look for other books in this series on the strength of this read, All the ingredients for a fast paced thriller, delivered with conviction. I loved it and my pulse raced more than once.

This book has a dual narrative, weaving together real historical characters like Admiral Canaris and fictional elements - the second thread moves from Annie Wrenne's experiences of the Spanish Civil War which lead her to be drawn later to a MI5/German Abwehr plot to prevent Franco bringing in Spain to join the WW2 as a German ally.

I'm a great fan of Graham Hurley's police procedurals, but I found the plot somewhat difficult to follow in the first half of the book. This was probably due in part to my unfamiliarity with the historical figure of Canaris and the various divisions of power under Hitlet between the Abwehr and, for example, the SS. I had some trouble keeping track of the actions and identities undercover/double agents on both sides - it was a relief to return to Annie's story in this part of the book.

I found the historical elements of the Spanish Civil war interesting, also, the potential campaign by Hitler to try and capture Gibralter. The real life fate of Canaris, as explained in the author's note, was sobering.

I would probably recommend this book to male readers interested in WW2 thrillers (though for them perhaps Annie's story might be a bit 'soft'?) I have a male writing colleague I will definitely suggest this book to as an example of complex plotting and the weaving together of historical events and fictional elements.

The ninth in this pulsating Spoils of War series written by that marvellous writer Graham Hurley. Quite how Hurley has not become far more famous and well known is a total mystery to me.

I loved his police procedurals featuring Faraday, Winter and Suttle and adored the Enora Andresson series too.

The Spoils of War series shows his talent in writing second world war thrillers mostly featuring espionage and treachery and this is well up to standard with a wonderful heroine and trickery in abundance together with a dash of romance.

It is an intoxicating brew and made for an engrossing read.

The latest Graham Hurley novel is Dead Ground set primarily in Franco’s Spain. “Dead Ground” is a thrilling addition to the Spoils of War Collection.
Dead Ground” is a historical thriller set against the backdrop of the Spanish Civil War and World War II, featuring the character Annie Wrenne. The plot unfolds as Annie, an Anglo-Breton translator, finds herself in Madrid when the Spanish Civil War erupts in 1936. She becomes a nurse on the front lines and, after falling in love with a patient, ends up pregnant and abandoned by a man she believed she knew.
As the war progresses, Annie’s only solace is her relationship with Carlos Ortega, a mysterious Republican fighter. This connection leads her into a world of espionage and intrigue, culminating in her recruitment into MI5. For her first mission, Annie is tasked with posing as Ortega’s wife and traveling to Algeciras to thwart Hitler’s Operation Felix, a strategic plan aimed at controlling the Mediterranean and forcing Churchill to negotiate.
The stakes are high as the mission is critical to preventing the Nazis from taking Gibraltar. However, Annie faces a significant dilemma: Ortega has been secretly working for the Nationalists as part of Madrid’s Fifth Column. With Ortega’s loyalties in question, Annie must navigate a web of deception and determine whether she can trust a man who has repeatedly switched allegiances.
“Dead Ground” is a story of love, betrayal, and the complexities of wartime loyalties, offering readers a suspenseful journey through one of history’s most tumultuous periods
The novel is set in a richly detailed world that captivates the imagination and keeps the pages turning. Hurley’s skillful storytelling is evident as he weaves a complex narrative that is both gripping and thought-provoking.
Overall, “Dead Ground” is a must-read for fans of the genre and a testament to Graham Hurley’s talent as a writer. It’s a book that not only entertains but also leaves a lasting impression, making it a worthy addition to any thriller enthusiast’s collection