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Then We Take Berlin

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About this listen

John Holderness, known to the women in his life as ‘Wilderness’, comes of age during World War II in Stepney, breaking into houses with his grandfather. After the war, Wilderness is recruited as MI5’s resident ‘cat burglar’ and finds himself in Berlin, involved with schemes in the booming black market that put both him and his relationships in danger.

In 1963 it is a most unusual and lucrative request that persuades Wilderness to return - to smuggle someone under the Berlin Wall and out of East Germany. But this final scheme may prove to be one challenge too far....

©2014 John Lawton (P)2014 Oakhill Publishing Crime Fiction Espionage Fiction Genre Fiction Historical Mystery Political Spies & Politics Thriller & Suspense War & Military World Literature War Military Suspense

Critic reviews

"A superbly well-built Cold War cocktail - bracing, deliriously delicious, but carrying the slightly bitter aftertaste of dreams gone bad." (Booklist)
"John Lawton finds himself in the same boat as the late Patrick O'Brian - a sublimely elegant historical novelist as addictive as crack but overlooked by too many readers for too long." (Daily Telegraph on A Lily of the Field)
All stars
Most relevant
Thank you to Rory Stewart for recommending this on The Rest is Politics. I really enjoyed everything about this gripping story. Every character is convincing and the settings are fascinating especially the descriptions of Post-War Berlin and Vienna. the narration is excellent and each character comes to life. I can forgive the pronunciation of a lot of the German as he gets the general tone right. I will definitely move on to the next in the series.

Gripping

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There’s something Zelig-like about the way Lawton’s characters slot, slide and sometimes fall into world events and yet he gets away with it. Set in the same world as the Troy series, this book features the same kind of chancers and scumbags and very good it is.

Fascinating take on modern history

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wanted something to listen to while traveling. couldn't stop listening to it in the taxi, train, bus, airport, plane... I think you get it. was addicted after a few chapters and was dying to find out what would happen next. looking forward to second book !!!!

pleasant suprise

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I thought books needed a beginning, a middle and an end. the first two parts were great, various characters from other Inspector Troy books popping up, evocative period description, and then it was as if the author ran out of time and just dashed of any old ending. Such a shame.

where was the end?

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Although the story of chancer Joe is deftly written and narrated, the Cold War really only appears in the final hour of this talking book. However it is a very detailed and finally observed history of the end of World War II and its aftermath. I kept expecting something to happen, but it never really did.

Not really a Cold War thriller at all

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