Troubled Midnight

By John Gardner

Book Overview

In 1943, The United Kingdom is alive with men and women making ready for the greatest invasion in history: preparing to assault Hitler's Fortress Europe. The skies are full of training aircraft, their engines merging with the throb of the RAF and USAAF bombers heading on round-the-clock missions against Germany. With fresh bloodshed on the horizon, the coming Christmas preparations seem even more poignant. But with just ten days to go, the seasonal mood is shattered in the quiet market town of Wantage in Berkshire by the discovery of two badly battered bodies. It seems that the victims were tortured before being beaten to death. Detective Chief Superintendent Tommy Livermore and DS Suzie Mountford, Tommy's right-hand woman and secret lover, are assigned to the case. The bodies are identified as Lieutenant Colonel Tim Weaving, an officer commanding a detachment from the Glider Pilot Regiment stationed at a nearby airfield; and Emily Burrage, wife of the town's hero, an officer with the Desert Rats who was awarded the Victoria Cross at Tobruk.As they begin to investigate the double murder, Tommy and Suzie are joined by Curry Shepherd, a representative of the Intelligence Services. It is possible that an enemy agent has interrogated Tim Weaving and as he was in possession of information concerning the plans for Overlord---the Allied plan for the invasion of occupied Europe---things become urgent. Suzie finds herself seconded to War Office Intelligence Liaison and so enters the secret world.This is a surprising, dark, and imaginative novel from one of Britain's best thriller writers.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0312337213
• ISBN13: 9780312337216
• Release Date: February 2006
• Publisher: Thomas Dunne Books
• Length: 264 Pages
• Weight: 1.00 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.0" x 5.8" x 8.5"

Customer Reviews

History Plus Excitement

I had to read the UK edition because I couldn't wait the year it took to get published in the US. It is the 4th book in a series about a female Detective Sergeant in war torn England (1943), investigating a double murder. It's an exciting tale of military espionage, secrets and romance relating to the planned Allied invasion of Europe. Hard to put down. I enjoy the historical aspect of this series of stories as well as the pre-feminism perspective of a "woman detective". I've enjoyed Suzie's investigations as much as all of John's previous characters, and can only hope there will be a lot more stories.

fine historical spy story

In 1943 in Wantage, England, someone tortures before killing Lieutenant-Colonel Tim Weaving and his lover; the bodies found in her cellar. Concern over this homicide is extremely high because Weaving has been a key participant in the planned D-Day invasion of the mainland. Scotland Yard Reserve Squad lead the investigation as much into who committed the killings and what did they learn from the late military officer. In spite of RS chief Tommy Livermore's chagrin, the War Office Intelligence Liaison Curry Shepherd takes over much of the inquiries claiming security. He also persuades Woman Detective Sergeant Suzie Mountford to switch sides at work joining his team and in bed dropping Livermore for her new boss. Still the concern remains whether top secret Operation Overlord has been breached. This intriguing World War II espionage police procedural is a fine thriller that provides an interesting look at the pre D-Day planning. The who-done-it is more critical than just a double homicide investigation as the allies need to capture the culprit to learn what he or she might know and who they divulged that information to. In her fourth appearance, Mountford remains a bit weak needing male rescuing, but in spite of her seemingly pathetic skills John Gardner provides a fine historical spy story. Harriet Klausner