by John Gardner
First published 1976
Fleet Street journalist Simon Darrell receives what seems like a routine assignment. Michael Hensman, Member of Parliament for Crayshott East, has disappeared while on holiday with his wife in 1938 London. Europe teeters on the edge of war, and Anthony Eden's resignation as Prime Minister has shaken England's already unstable political landscape. Few people notice one missing politician. Darrell's unconventional investigative approach gets him pulled from the story, but he continues digging on his own time. Bodies start appearing. People connected to the vanished MP turn up dead, and a pattern emerges that chills Darrell to the bone. The murders link back to Nazi Germany and a conspiracy that reaches deep into British political circles. What began as a missing person case becomes a race for survival. Darrell uncovers a web of political corruption, blackmail, and murder that threatens not just his own life but the security of the entire nation. In a world where trust is scarce and enemies wear familiar faces, he must stay one step ahead of those who want him silenced.
Genres: historical-fiction, 20th-century, adventure, mystery, political-thriller
Vibes: fast-paced, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: enemies-to-lovers, race-for-survival
Setting: Fleet Street, Crayshott East, London, Nazi Germany
Period: 1938
204 pages · Hardcover · Joseph
Content warnings: violence