The French Spy is an intoxicating mix of police procedural and counter-espionage
that takes the reader from blitz-besieged London to occupied France and even to
Buenos Aires. The tale begins, though, in Crete where a dying Simon Arbuthnot
passes a sealed envelope to his colleague for safekeeping.
After this intriguing
premise, the reader is transported to Vichy France where concerns are growing
about a possible leak in the Free French organization in England, and then to
London where DCI Frank Merlin has been called in to investigate the death of a
woman in a seedy hotel. The three strands of the story are brilliantly woven into a
thrilling tale of financial shenanigans involving Simon’s will, skullduggery among
spies, and determined police work. The rich detail about war-torn London and the
wonderfully vivid backgrounds of even minor characters ground the story firmly in
time and place. The French Spy is a compelling, intricately plotted standout, a
must-read for mystery lovers everywhere. The best news, however, is that it is the
middle book in a five-story series about the professionally tenacious yet family- oriented Frank Merlin. Better yet, one more installment, number six, will be released in May 2025. This is a series that is worth following from start to finish.
Star Rating: 4.5 out of 5
Available on Amazon
Published by Headline Accent
March 18, 2024
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