Wednesday, July 9, 2014

Jack of Spies by David Downing

Jack of Spies by David Downing, 338 pages.

On the eve of the First World War Jack McColl has decided that selling luxury automobiles, specifically the fictional (I'm pretty sure) Maia model, isn't for him anymore. Cars and car sales have changed so much, and Jack doesn't see much future in sales in the manner he has grown accustomed to. Currently he and his mechanic travel the world, car in tow, heading for places where the wealthy can be found, and give test drives and take orders for cars that will then be manufactured. Since the changes coming don't appeal, Jack is convinced that he should be seeking full-time employment in the newly evolving field of espionage. He's been nosing around German naval settlements during his travels in China, and throughout the Pacific, reporting back to London on an ad-hoc basis. Now, with war in the offing Jack hopes to prove his worth and turn this into a paying, full-time gig. It seems like that is going to work out for him, but when the German officers he has been following start conspiring with Irish nationals in New York and Dublin, Jack has to choose between his new-found career, and the beautiful Irish woman he met on his travels. She's not working with the Germans, he knows that, but his bosses would like him to investigate her friends and family members. Jack's pretty sure Caitlin would see that as a breach of trust, especially since he hasn't told her about his new career and she thinks he's just a car salesman. Maybe he can just keep quiet, and hope she doesn't notice that people keep trying to kill him. 
Good fun from the author of the "John Russell" Station novels.
Light violence, nice historical setting and light romance.
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