Tento autor je známy pod pseudonymom Alan Judd, no jeho skutočné meno je Alan Edwin Petty. Po absolvovaní Oxfordskej univerzity pôsobil ako dôstojník britskej armády počas konfliktu v Severnom Írsku. Jeho rozsiahle skúsenosti z armády a neskôr z diplomatických služieb, keď pracoval pre britské ministerstvo zahraničia, ovplyvňujú jeho písanie, najmä jeho fiktívne diela. Okrem toho pôsobí ako bezpečnostný analytik a prispieva svojimi článkami do rôznych publikácií.
A young author unexpectedly receives an invitation from the renowned O.M. Tyrell after writing a harsh review of his novel. Following Tyrell's sudden death during their meeting, the author experiences a meteoric rise in his career, gaining fame and acclaim. However, he becomes increasingly haunted by his success. The narrator uncovers a mysterious manuscript, an enchanting woman linked to it, and a dark bargain that suggests achieving greatness comes with a heavy cost.
In a dangerous world nothing is straightforward. Not even murder. 'Judd...knows his stuff when it comes to the milieu of espionage.' The Times 'An elegant and informed British espionage novel.' Financial Times 'Authentic, clever and wonderfully entertaining.' Sir Richard Dearlove, former head of MI6 'We can't think of a better Christmas read.' Oxford Alumni Magazine 'He saw Cleaner Bob arrive that morning, the morning of his death.' In the peaceful towns and villages of England, Cleaner Bob is washing windows, and people are dying in sudden and unexpected circumstances. When it becomes clear that the victims have a common history as Russian defectors, foul play is suspected and a hunt begins to locate their assailant, the lethal poison that killed them, and the mole who is leaking their locations. In a race against time, only one man has the connections and experience to crack the case before more people perish. Charles Thoroughgood, former head of MI6, is enjoying retirement in the Oxfordshire hamlet he calls home when the call comes in. A man of duty, he agrees to take part in a mission that will lead him into the heart of enemy territory and threaten to undermine the very values he holds most dear. Tense, engrossing and terrifyingly believable, the latest Charles Thoroughgood novel is a timely and brilliant reminder that Alan Judd is a master of the spy thriller and a writer of the very highest quality.
*SUNDAY TIMES HISTORICAL FICTION BOOK OF THE MONTH, MARCH 2021* ‘Absolutely spellbinding. I gobbled it up in two days and could not stop' Miranda Seymour. This meticulously researched novel by award-winning writer Alan Judd delves into the life of literary genius Kit Marlowe, whose violent death remains one of history's great mysteries.
Set in Elizabethan England, the narrative follows Francis Walsingham, the Queen’s chief spymaster, and his agents as they combat Catholic plots and invasion threats. Among them is Kit Marlowe, a young Cambridge undergraduate of humble origins and controversial beliefs, who is dedicated to gathering intelligence for the Crown. His murder outside an inn in Deptford ignites a flurry of rumors and unresolved suspicions.
Years later, Thomas Phelippes, a former colleague of Marlowe's, finds himself imprisoned in the Tower. To regain his freedom, he must recount every detail he remembers about Marlowe's life and death to King James, who is inexplicably intrigued by the poet.
Praise highlights Judd's storytelling prowess and deep understanding of his subject. Critics commend the vivid portrayal of espionage, dissent, and intellectual discourse, while also applauding the atmospheric tension and the enigmatic depiction of Marlowe. The narrative keeps readers guessing until the very end, blending historical fact with fiction in a gripping tale.
A fictionalised account of the Kaiser Wilhelm's last years in Nazi-occupied Holland.It is 1940 and the exiled Kaiser is living in Holland, at his palace Huis Doorn. The old German king spends his days chopping logs and musing on what might have been. When the Nazis invade Holland, the Kaiser's Dutch staff are replaced by SS guards, led by young, eager Untersturmfuhrer Krebbs, and an unlikely relationship develops between the king and his keeper. While they agree on the rightfulness of German expansion and on holding the country's Jewish population accountable for all ills, they disagree on the solutions. Krebbs's growing attraction and love affair with Akki, a Jewish maid in the house, further undermines his belief in Nazism. But as the tides of war roll around them, all three find themselves increasingly compromised and gravely at risk.This subtle, tender novel borrows heavily from real history and events but remains a work of superlative, literary fiction. Through Judd's depiction of the Lear-like Kaiser and the softening of brutal Krebbs, the novel draws unique parallels between Germany at the turn of the 20th century and Hitler's Germany.
In April 1945 Hitler's bunker in Berlin was the last place Edith Mecklenburg wanted to be. But Edith had no choice: as secretary to Eva Braun, Hitler's mistress and -- for a few final, desperate hours -- his wife, Edith had to see it through to the bitter end. Edith was one of the lucky few. She not only got out alive but made a new life for herself in England. Sixty years on, now a widow and grandmother, the Bunker is almost forgotten. But the past has not forgotten her. Hans, a soldier she knew from those dark days, has written asking if he may visit. Obsessed with the war, he has spent the intervening decades tracking down all who were there, and who survived. In her reluctant raking-over of old coals, Edith finds embers that still burn, and in the act of remembrance a very current threat . . .
