Funeral in Berlin
Ratings6
Average rating3.7
15
Ratings6
Average rating3.7
A ferociously cool Cold War thriller from the author of The Ipcress File.Len Deighton's third novel has become a classic, as compelling and suspenseful now as when it first exploded on to the bestseller lists.In Berlin, where neither side of the wall is safe, Colonel Stok of Red Army Security is prepared to sell an important Russian scientist to the West – for a price. British intelligence are willing to pay, providing their own top secret agent is in Berlin to act as go-between. But it soon becomes apparent that behind the facade of an elaborate mock funeral lies a game of deadly manoeuvres and ruthless tactics. A game in which the blood-stained legacy of Nazi Germany is enmeshed in the intricate moves of cold war espionage...
Reviews with the most likes.
I liked this book just fine, but I would have liked it even more if I had understood what was going on.
After the, in my opinion, somewhat pedestrian Horse Under Water, Deighton hits his stride with the third “Unnamed Spy” novel, Funeral In Berlin. Capturing perfectly the mid-sixties Cold War paranoia that affected all sides, Deighton sends his protagonist to secure the defection of a top Soviet scientist, Semitsa. But there is always more at play than a simple defection.
We are introduced to one of the great villains, Colonel Stok, who is playing his own game of chess with the West. Hallam, the Home Office spook who procures false documents for Semitsa's defection, is also a well drawn character. Then there is the femme fatale, Samantha Steel, and the playboy fixer Johnnie Vulkan, who is brokering the deal. Nothing is as it seems, everyone has a hidden agenda that only really becomes clear in the final few chapters.
Our hero navigates his way through double cross after double cross while trying to keep his boss, Dawlish, off his back and uncover the real situation behind the game of bluff and double bluff.
Deighton keeps things moving at a swift pace and the short Chess rules quotations at the head of each chapter are a nice touch. This really is like a game of chess with our hero trying not to be a pawn sacrificed in the game. Shadows of the war, lost Nazi money and Cold War politics all make for a highly enjoyable read. Recommended.
Series
6 primary booksSecret File is a 6-book series with 6 primary works first released in 1962 with contributions by Len Deighton.
