The Counterfeit Consul by J. R. Rogers
The Counterfeit Consul by J. R. Rogers
Summary
It is 1916 and Europe is in the middle of war, while America is still neutral and profiting from manufacturing arms for Germany. Gerard Le Caillec, a French Intelligence officer whose ambitions for promotion appear to come true when he is posted to New York, is given orders to set in motion a sabotage operation that could change the course of the war and France’s fortunes.
Review
Rogers cleverly sets up the era and intrigue with his writing style and historical details. In keeping with a sense of the time, it is not a fast paced thriller but a more considered and involved read. The tension builds as our hero attempts to recruit an agent and execute his ill formed plan, and as the plot unfolded I found myself willing him on despite all his flaws. The character portraits of each nationality are nicely done and highlight the conflicts that were raging across the Atlantic, while the twist at the end was a satisfying surprise.
★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆
Why you’ll like it
If you like your thrillers character driven, prefer your spies old school, and long for the days before gadgetry and technology took over the plot, then this is the novel for you.
Why you won’t
While the intrigue and back room plotting take the story forward, it is just as much about the subtleties and details of each character, and if you prefer a faster paced and more action packed story this one may not satisfy. There were also some problems with the formatting making it disjointed at times.
