Review

The by-now familiar formula, this time with a repeat character - Jules Casson, the once movie producer, now a person of interest to the Gestapo in Paris. The formula: main character is recruited for a relatively simple job, but complications arise, and m.c. narrowly escapes. Time passes, a love interest develops. The second job is much more dangerous, but m.c. comes through OK. Time passes, and love interest is lost. In the end there is a third job, this time simple enough but with external problems that complicate matters irretrievably. Final scene: m.c. looks to the future with determination to carry on until the war is won.

It’s a good formula and it holds up well in this episode. Most reviewers note the realistic feel of Furst’s novels, and I agree that he does an excellent job of evoking the dark times leading to and during the second world war - but since hardly any of us had that experience, we can only guess that the evocation matches the reality - and that’s good enough for me.

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