Furst fans will not be disappointed, and uninitiated spy-novel devotees, particularly those who demand a sure sense of mid-20th-century European history, are in for a treat. As summer or subway reading goes, it doesn’t get more action-packed and grippingly atmospheric than this. Mission to Paris by Alan Furst - From the New York Times bestselling author and the modern-day master of the genre (New York Newsday). The fast-moving final pages are filled with classic spy against spy action, as Stahl scrambles to escape Europe ahead of Nazi assassins and German Panzers. The Nazis ultimately find out what Stahl is up to, and, as he’s finishing up production on his film, they decide to “eliminate” him. Stahl, a movie star with a romantic bent, must decide whom to trust, and Furst is savvy enough to leave open the question of who really is trustworthy until the very end. This being Paris before the war, there are parties and gorgeous women aplenty. The dangers are obvious, and Furst brilliantly mines the rich vein of Stahl’s “double life” for every ounce of dramatic tension. They ask Stahl to play a double game on their behalf, prodding the actor to get inside the Nazi spy ring and share information about Berlin’s objectives. The Americans, of course, are running their own spy operation with their own agenda. Circled by Nazis who would have him advocate for French pacifism as German soldiers prepare to invade France, he justifiably seeks help from the US Embassy.
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