This is one of the British Library’s Classic Thrillers, first published in 1936, which some would say was the golden age of crime writing, sitting as it did between the two World Wars. Sydney Horler was a popular writer of the period and earned the slogan ‘Horler for Excitement!’ This novel is now being re-published by Poisoned Pen Press.
The book has two threads, beginning with an indiscretion by Captain Alan Clinton during the last days of 1918; an indiscretion that unwittingly resulted in the loss of five thousand British soldiers’ lives.
Then in 1935, his adopted son, Lieutenant Robert (Bobby) Wingate of the tank corps travels on leave to Paris and on to Ronstadt to do a little amateur spying, intending to gain information on Germany’s new tank tractors. Like his father, Bobby finds himself embroiled in a trap, largely of his own making, and involving the same woman who was his father’s undoing.
To say that both young men are naïve would be an understatement; neither really questions why the agent provocateur (Marie Roget/Minna Braun) is so willing to be intimate with them, and both fall completely under her spell.
The traitor of the title is Bobby, whose every move is watched by British Intelligence and reported back to Y1, the MI5 of its day. Important military secrets have been stolen and Bobby appears to be the likely suspect.
I really enjoyed this book, the writing is of course rather dated but this did nothing to detract from what is a page turning read. The characters are well drawn and convincing with Clinton portrayed as a naïve fool, racked with guilt, whilst Bobby is a sensible and respected young officer who apparently went on leave and left his wits at home! There is a strong female lead in Bobby’s girlfriend Rosemary who never doubts him, but uncomfortably finds herself employed as an under-secretary working for the boss of Y1, and I just knew there was something fishy about Peter Mallory!
It was entirely refreshing to read something which was set in a less complicated period where communication took so much longer than today. I suspect that the plot wouldn’t work today when Bobby would have been able to google the people he came across!
I recommend this highly to anyone who is fed up with our techno age, and who wants to enjoy a good British thriller.
Pashtpaws
Breakaway Reviewers received a copy of this book to review