Book Review: Codename Lazarus: The Spy Who Came Back From The Dead by A.P. Martin

This is an engrossing, and thought provoking, story of espionage during WWII.
Codename Lazarus: The Spy Who Came Back From The Dead
by A.P. Martin

File Size: 982 KB
Print Length: 365 pages
Publisher: Troubador (July 15, 2016)
ASIN: B01IKY3UD6
Genre: Espionage, WWII
My Rating: 4.0 of 5.0

Spring 1938 and Great Britain is facing potentially lethal threats: the looming war with Germany; the fear that her Secret Service has been penetrated by Nazi agents and the existence of hundreds of British citizens, who are keen to pass information to her enemies.
John King, a young academic, is approached by his Oxbridge mentor to participate in a stunning deception that would frustrate Britain’s enemies. As King struggles to come to terms with the demands of his mission, he must learn to survive in a dangerous and lonely ‘no man's land’, whilst remaining one step ahead of those in hot pursuit.
Adapted from a true story, ‘Codename Lazarus’ takes the reader on a journey from the dark heart of Hitler’s Germany, across the snowy peaks of Switzerland to the horrors of Dunkirk, the Battle of Britain and the London Blitz, before reaching a thrilling and decisive conclusion, from which none of those present emerges unscathed.

Review:
John King is a graduate student who is completing two years of research in Heidelberg, Germany. As he and friends gather to commemorate his last days in Germany in 1933, he is saddened that one of his best friends has joined the SS - the Schutzstaffel, paramilitary, surveillance forces under Hitler. His friend, Joachim Brandt, rejects John for socializing with other friends who are Jewish. Joachim becomes angry that John does not show proper deference or respect to Joachim’s new uniform and life choice. From this point on the lives of these young men are on different paths.

John helps two half-Jewish friends, Rachel and David, to leave Germany to find careers in Britain while being helped by John’s parents. He later finds their parents in need of rescue and tries to arrange to get them out of Germany to safety.

A few years after returning to Britain, John is asked to return to Germany under the guise of ‘security research’ interests, while observing what he can of German activities. This work expands as John is asked to fake his own death so that he can become an intelligence operative infiltrating the German intelligence network in Britain.

The story describes the covert training that John is given and the planning for his accidental death. It then moves to his experiences as he steps into the role of a German Abwehr agent leading several sympathizer cell groups. The story pace picks up in the last quarter. John’s former German friend, Brandt, who has been undercover in America, is reassigned to Britain. His activities set him on a collision course with John's world. David, the other friend whom John helped move to England, has become a cop tasked with investigating the meager leads to a cell leader known as “Lazarus”. David is pulled in to help find German infiltrators and his path weaves towards Brandt and John’s tense confrontation.

The history is interesting with strong detail of physical settings, as well as social and political sentiments. The author does a good job describing the devastation and fears, first at battle scenes at Dunkirk, and again during the German bombing of London and surrounding communities. The author also portrays the impressive strength and resilience of the British people. The detail makes this story very engaging, if a bit slower in pacing. There were a couple of awkward point of view shifts and stronger editing might have helped to move the story through better action. I was wrapped in the intense climax when the book abruptly ended, leaving me with several questions.

This is a worthwhile read, especially for history buffs interested in life-like details of the earlier years of WWII. I also found the portrayed thought processes of the German and Russian sympathizers interesting as it made me more aware how citizens could betray their country with justifications of different political ideologies, including fascism, communism and socialism.

I received this through NetGalley. It qualifies for NetGalley Challenge, Mount TBR and “L” in Alphabet Soup Challenge.

Audible Review: Citizens of London: The Americans Who Stood with Britain in Its Darkest, Finest Hour by Lynne Olson

This is an excellent portrayal of key Americans during WWII. History that we didn’t learn in school made ‘alive’.

Citizens of London: The Americans Who Stood with Britain in Its Darkest, Finest Hour
Written by: Lynne Olson
Narrated by: Arthur Morey

Length: 17 hrs and 28 mins
Unabridged Audiobook
Release Date:02-22-10
Publisher: Tantor Audio
Genre: History, WWII
My Rating: 5.0 of 5.0

Publisher's Summary
In Citizens of London, Lynne Olson has written a work of World War II history even more relevant and revealing than her acclaimed Troublesome Young Men.
Here is the behind-the-scenes story of how the United States forged its wartime alliance with Britain, told from the perspective of three key American players in London: Edward R. Murrow, Averell Harriman, and John Gilbert Winant. Drawing from a variety of primary sources, Olson skillfully depicts the dramatic personal journeys of these men who, determined to save Britain from Hitler, helped convince a cautious Franklin Roosevelt and a reluctant American public to support the British at a critical time. The three---Murrow, the handsome, chain-smoking head of CBS News in Europe; Harriman, the hard-driving millionaire who ran FDR's Lend-Lease program in London; and Winant, the shy, idealistic U.S. ambassador to Britain---formed close ties with Winston Churchill and were drawn into Churchill's official and personal circles. So intense were their relationships with the Churchills that they all became romantically involved with members of the prime minister's family: Harriman and Murrow with Churchill's daughter-in-law, Pamela, and Winant with his favorite daughter, Sarah.
Others were honorary "citizens of London" as well, including the gregarious, fiercely ambitious Dwight D. Eisenhower, an obscure general who, as the first commander of American forces in Britain, was determined to do everything in his power to make the alliance a success, and Tommy Hitchcock, a world-famous polo player and World War I fighter pilot who helped save the Allies' bombing campaign against Germany. Citizens of London, however, is more than just the story of these Americans and the world leaders they aided and influenced.
©2010 Lynne Olson (P)2010 Tantor

Review:
This is history that I have never heard. Lynne Olson does a grand job of following a handful of Americans that made an impact in the events of World War II (WWII). Although the story focuses on the perspective of three primary players, there are other important characters discussed as well. The three primary men are John Gilbert Winant, a politician, Edward R. Morrow, a journalist, and Averell Harriman, a millionaire socialite. Each of these had a unique contribution, growth and experience that was fascinating to follow. All three developed close relationships with Winston Churchill and were influential in encouraging Franklin D. Roosevelt to commit to aiding Britain even though they were unable to get the United States to enter the war until the attack on Pearl Harbor in November, 1941.

Wianant was a likeable, shy, idealist Republican politician. He was a three term Governor of New Hampshire and the first head of the Social Security Board, a program evolving from the “Townsend Plan” which he strongly promoted. He became a friend of all Britains as the deeply personal and committed US Ambassador to Great Britain during the war years. Olson was able to portray his brooding passion and deep friendliness. She even conveyed the frustration and tragic waste of his death.

Morrow became the ‘voice of London’ as the American broadcaster for CBS. He was an on-the- scene correspondent who brought the blight of war torn London into the homes of Americans. Just as his reporting must have made the war more real to listeners, this audiobook made the war more real for me. The descriptions of the bombing on London and the evacuation and hardships of the citizens, left homeless, jobless and hungry, gave me a new appreciation for the fact that Americans have been privileged to live mostly free of the devastation of war on our own soil.

Averell Harriman was my least favorite of these characters as it first appeared that he was always seeking political influence through his social position and money. However he had provided a special intermediary role. He was appointed by FDR as a special envoy to Europe in the spring of 1941 and helped coordinate the Lend-Lease program which brought desperately needed supplies to Britain and allies. He became Ambassador to the Soviet Union in1943 trying to balance the interests of Europe allies as they fought the war on many fronts.

I think in school history we get a very condensed, shallow view of wars of the past… and then, of course, as years go by we forget even those things we learned. I choose this audiobook because it looked like it would present an interesting view and I was not disappointed. I knew of Churchill, FDR and Eisenhower of course. And I had heard of Murrow probably through my journalism schooling. The other participants were new to me. I was not pleased to learn about the affairs between the players and the Churchill women but it is an interesting part of the history I would not otherwise know. What I found truly wonderful was the in depth views of these men, and the women involved, as they faced the struggle of war.

I appreciated Ms. Olson’s attention to details including the feelings of hope, frustration, anger and despair, as they impacted on the participants and the citizens around them. I highly recommend this audiobook for those who have any interest in a detailed view of American lives as they shared in the London experience of WWII.

Audio Notes: Arthur Morey’s authoritative and smooth narration makes this an awesome listening experience. The audiobook is longish so I am thinking the book is longish which is all the more reason for me to listen rather than read. This is well worth the audible credit!

I had this in my Audible library since 2011 and it is part of my 2015 TBR Pile Challenge. It also qualifies for my Audio Challenged and my Full House Challenge.

Audio Book Review: A Blind Goddess by James R. Benn

This is an engaging double mystery with very interesting racial history from WWII.
A Blind Goddess
Author: James R. Benn
Narrator: Peter Berkrot

The Billy Boyle World War II Mysteries, book 8
Length 10.2 hrs
Unabridged
2014 by Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Genre: World War II Mystery

My Rating: 4.25 of 5.0

SUMMARY
March, 1944. US Army Lieutenant Billy Boyle, back in England after a dangerous mission in Italy, is due for a little R&R—and a promotion. But the now-Captain Boyle doesn’t get to kick back and enjoy his leisure time because two upsetting cases fall into his lap at once.
The first is a personal request from an estranged friend: Sergeant Eugene “Tree” Jackson, who grew up with Billy in Boston, is part of the 617th Tank Destroyers, the battalion poised to make history by being the US Army’s first combatant all–African American company. But making history isn’t easy, and the 617th faces racism at every turn. One of Tree’s men, a gunner named Angry Smith, has been arrested for a crime he almost certainly didn’t commit and faces the gallows if the real killer isn’t found. Tree knows US top brass won’t care about justice in this instance and asks Billy if he’ll look into it.
...© 2013 by James R. Benn

Review:
US Army Lieutenant Billy Boyle is a special investigator working through orders sometimes issued by his “cousin” General Ike Eisenhower. He is in between assignments planning a little vacation with his girlfriend. He is contacted by an estranged childhood friend, Sergeant Eugene “Tree” Jackson. Tree wants Billy to investigate a murder that his gunner, Angry Smith, has been charged with. Tree and Angry are part of the first combatant all African American company and there is a great deal of American racism that harasses them even though the Europeans have accepted the blacks as polite and mannerly forces in their restricted community.

Billy and his Polish co-hort, Caz, agree to look into the circumstances regarding Angry’s arrest but then they are given an assignment in a nearby town. A young man has been killed at a boarding house that is operated by a German couple who are apparently assets of the allied forces. Billy has been called in as the primary suspect is an American soldier and they powers that be want special handling for the case.

Billy and Caz, along with help from local authorities, persistently pursue minimal leads on both cases. A local girl has also gone missing and Billy begins to believe that there is a connection. There is wonderful foot work and detail to the investigation that made this very interesting. At the same time there is a fascinating, if disturbing, picture of the tragedies of racism that have followed Tree all his life, from his childhood days with Billy, to his army days in the prejudiced south and now continuing from the white army companies.

The unraveling of the murders is well done, including an action chase when one of the murderers tries to escape and a tense show-down when the other is discovered. This is a very good blend of mystery and history on a sensitive topic. Apparently there are other Billy Boyle mysteries and I think they would be good stories that any mystery fan and WWII history fan would enjoy.

Audio Notes: The narrator, Peter Berkrot, does a good job with the various accents although it took just a little time to get used to the Boston accent for Billy, who is the primary character. Not only did Mr. Berkrot do a good job with the voices but also with the emotional inflections. This is the sort of story I might not read in print but found entertaining to listen too.

I received this title through Audiobook Jukebox.

Book Review: Windshift by Joyce Faulkner

This a wonderful story involving the reader in the personal and professional struggles of four brave female pilots at a time when it wasn't socially acceptable for women to take on male duties.

Windshift

by Joyce Faulkner

• File Size: 500 KB
• Print Length: 310 pages
• Publisher: Red Engine Press (October 22, 2012)
• Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.
• ASIN: B009VM07VU

Genre: Historical Fiction
My Rating: 4.75

Book Description
Publication Date: October 22, 2012
Shirley Maxwell is a troubled young woman facing a complicated personal life, a culture that restricts female options, and a world at war. Yet, together with friends -- Emmie, Delores, and Mags -- she joins Jackie Cochran's Women's Air Service Pi-lots program (WASP) and participates in the adventure, challenges, and tragedies of the 1940s with determination and courage. Shirley and her friends know what they are tackling will be hard, but they do it anyway and relish the effort. In the process, they change what is possible in the minds of young girls everywhere. Lively and moving, Windshift inspires and educates. Appropriate for history buffs interest-ed in the World War II era, students of social change, those who love tales of der-ring do and those who just love airplanes.

Review:
This book tells the story of four young women in the short-lived Women's Air Service Pilots program (WASP) in the early 1940s. The experience is told by Shirley Maxwell, the conservative daughter of wealthy News magnate, George Maxwell. Through the pilot program Shirley meets three other young ladies at the Windshift Inn in Ohio. Shirley quickly becomes friends with exuberant, courageous Emmie who has consistently moved forward in her young life after being raised an orphan, finding love with a wonderful guy and then losing him in a tragic accident.

Delores is the gorgeous one of the group attracting all the men, like bees to honey. Shirley initially takes a dislike to her, thinking she will be a snob, but Shirley soon learns that Delores is really down to earth, helpful and friendly. The final lady in the group is confident, outrageous Mags who has already had extensive flying experience even in Europe. She knows her away around the system and is on a first name basis with the commanding officer.

The girls struggle to be accepted as they face public prejudice against women in the work force and cope with the hostility of resentful service men who feel they are taking their jobs. Shirley and her friends are adventurers in a time that doesn’t allow women much freedom. At one point Delores remarks “You know, I thought I was doing something good – something patriotic, but they make me feel like I’m a criminal, like I’m intruding on some private male domain.” Location 1478.

The four girls develop a strong bond and they push to do more then just ferrying planes from Wiley Aircraft in Ohio to Camp Morgan, California. The more experienced pilots, Mags and Emmie, are allowed to deliver planes elsewhere and transport important officials.  The commander finally agrees to allow the girls to fly banners for target practice. This is duty that the male pilots don't like as the planes are patched together and the flying is subject to possible hits from the men practicing the shooting.

Danger and tragedy strikes Delores first when a banner pulling plane fails and she has to crash land. While Delores recovers from that incident, a short time later Emmie goes up in a plane that has been continually grounded due to mechanical problems. The plane tumbles from the sky in front of Delores, Shirley and the men. They all race to try to reach Emmie before the plane is engulfed by fire.

There is drama and romance that plays an important part in the emotional aspects of the girls’ lives. Shirley ends up with two love interests. One is a handsome, determined young business man who tries to get her to stop flying. The other is an exciting young man she meets in Key West. He shares her love of flying but could he be serious marriage material?

This isn't the typical story that I read but I was completely fascinated by the deep-seated resentment against women even though they were coming forward to help in the war effort. The story is well written and there is plenty of forward motion that captivated my interest. The characters are “real” making this seem like a memoir more than just fiction. I highly recommend this to those who enjoy reading historical fiction and courageous women.

Fifinella (designed by Walt Disney) unit patch
Army Air Force Flying Training Detachment.

I picked this up for review through NetGalley.