Review ‘A brilliant picture of Britain under German rule’ Sunday Telegraph‘One of Deighton’s best. Apart from his virtues as a storyteller, his passion for researching his backgrounds gives his work a remarkable factual authority. With Bomber and Fighter he established himself as an expert on a period… the authority of these books seem absolute.’ The Observer‘Len Deighton is the Flaubert of the contemporary thriller writers… there can be little doubt that this is much the way things would have turned out if the Germans had won the war.’ Michael Howard, Times Literary Supplement‘Deighton is a tremendous weaver of tales… action is all, and splendidly done.’‘A master of fictional espionage.’ Daily Mail‘The poet of the spy story.’ Sunday Times‘For sheer readability he has no peer’ The Standard Read more About the Author Born in London, Len Deighton served in the RAF before graduating from the Royal College of Art (which recently elected him a Senior Fellow). While in New York City working as a magazine illustrator he began writing his first novel, The Ipcress File, which was published in 1962. He is now the author of more than thirty books of fiction and non-fiction. At present living in Europe, he has, over the years, lived with his family in ten different countries from Austria to Portugal. Read more
J**G
Read All About It, Archer Of The Yard Solves Another Murder.
A very well researched, authentic Alternate History tale. First of this type Len Deighton novel I've read. Read a lot of Deighton's Espionage Fiction, WWII- related novels, non -fiction but this read was exceptional !!! Douglas Archer - aka "Archer of the Yard" (Scotland Yard) is the protagonist in this quick paced "what-if" alternative history novel. The Germans, having successfully invaded the UK, have installed SS General Kellerman as the head of Britain's Scotland yard. And Kellerman has kept on Douglas Archer -- now known throughout Britain by Britain's newspaper readers and Germans alike as the famous ARCHER OF THE YARD, his exploits in solving the hardest, grisliest cases written up in the daily papers - as the head of the MD (Murder Department).There are twists and turns abounding (famously known as a Deighton hallmark) in this novel. With the defeated British resistant groups and theSS Sicherhiendienst* Colonel Hutt, a flinty eyed marvel prodigal intelligence whiz mentored by Himmler, head of the SS - not only the fighting Waffen SS but the * SD Intelligence Service and the feared Gestapo. It soon becomes apparent that there is nuclear science going on in Britain unknown to anyone outside the Wermacht (Armed Forces), who hate the SS and have allied secretly with the British Resistance Underground to prevent both Archer and the SS investigators to find out anymore about the murder of 'the man in the book store'. Cracking good action, suspense and superb detective work by Archer of the Yard make this a must read to any one who a) likes alternative history, or b) well developed detectivenovels, fans of World War II era novels or anyone who just likes a well drawn good yarn.
M**D
Deighton and Britain that might have been
Len Deighton penned this novel in the 1970s and at the time it was a remarkable distopian account of what very nearly might have been. Deighton obviously lived through wartime Britain and he captures the feel and mood of the period completely. He accurately portrays the gloss of German occupation, the setting for what otherwise might have been a fairly standard murder mystery. It is a good read but not quite enough Nazi dastardliness for me.
Y**S
Excellent read
I have had the opportunity to read this book many years ago and I enjoyed the book then. I was looking for another book when I saw this title, I ordered the book again to re-read the bok and enjoyed the book all over again. For the WWII buff, this is a great read!
P**S
pass on this ome
Just not one of his best efforts
L**N
Five Stars
Very entertaining.
J**S
I read this one years ago and purchased this copy to share.
I read this one years ago and purchased this copy to share.
O**A
Four Stars
Alt history, but really a murder mystery.
J**T
Five Stars
I don't write revirew
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