COLD HARBOUR

by Jack Higgins ‧ RELEASE DATE: Feb. 1, 1989

Fresh from the anomalously autobiographical Memoirs of a Dance-Hall Romeo, Higgins returns to familiar WW II thriller waters. Very familiar WW II thriller waters: just like Night of the Fox (1986), this latest page-burner features a plot to keep the D-day plan from the Nazis, Rommel as a central character, an Allied super-spy who poses as a Standartenfuehrer--and twists and hurtling suspense enough to forgive its pure pulp roots. Despite the self-borrowings, the premise here is original: that on the English coast, the Allies maintain an ersatz Nazi force: Yanks and Brits masquerading as German pilots, soldiers, and sailors, manning captured Nazi craft--perfect to penetrate enemy lines. Drafted into this hush-hush scheme, helmed by ruthless spymaster Dougal Munro, are American agent Craig Osbourne and British-French aristocrat Genevieve Trevaunce. Genevieve's mission is to pose as her estranged twin sister Anne-Marie: formerly living the high life--and working as an Allied spy--in occupied France while Genevieve worked in England as a nurse, Anne-Marie, it now appears, has been raped into insanity by an S.S. patrol, then rushed to England by the Resistance. If Genevieve takes her place, Genevieve can spy upon Rommel at a vital conference to be held at her ancestral home. Genevieve agrees; Osbourne trains her in spy-ways: Genevieve sneaks into France, dancing a dangerous tango with assorted Nazi brass, including Rommel. But then Osbourne learns the terrible truth: it's all a setup by Munro, with Genevieve meant to be captured--to reveal under torture implanted misinformation about D-day, Disguised as a top Nazi, Osbourne flies to the rescue--but can he outfox the Desert Fox and others, including the treacherous Munro? Here, ladies are beautiful and elegant, men rough-hewn and dashing, and honor counts more than life itself: a high-velocity WW II fantasy, then, sure to please Higgins' faithful fans.

Pub Date: Feb. 1, 1989

ISBN: N/A

Page Count: -

Publisher: Simon & Schuster

Review Posted Online: N/A

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 15, 1989

Categories: FICTION