Hornet Flight

November 11, 2002
Bestselling Welsh author Follett has made a career out of the WWII suspense thriller (Eye of the Needle; Jackdaws), and he hits the mark again with this dramatic and tragic tale of amateur spies pursued by Nazi collaborators in occupied Denmark in 1941. Harald Olufsen is an 18-year-old physics student who stumbles into espionage when he accidentally discovers a secret German radar installation on the island where he lives. The British do not know the Germans have radar and cannot understand why British nighttime bomber losses are so high. When Harald learns there is a fledgling Danish resistance group called the Nightwatchmen, he becomes involved through his older brother, Arne, a happy-go-lucky Danish army pilot. Harald photographs the secret radar site, but the spy group quickly unravels under the pressure of Danish police detective Peter Flemming, an officious, ruthless, and arrogant cop who hates the Olufsen family for a public humiliation his father suffered years before. The amateur spy network underestimates the police with tragic and deadly results, and soon Harald and his Jewish girlfriend, Karen, must plan a desperate aerial escape to get the photographs to England. Follett starts out fast and keeps up the pace, revealing how ordinary people who want to do the right thing are undone by their own enthusiasm and inexperience. He also paints a vivid and convincing picture of life in occupied Denmark, of easy collaboration with the Nazis and of the insidious, creeping persecution of the Jews. (Dec. 2)Forecast:Big sales are business as usual for Follett, and his latest offering (supported by television and print advertising) should be a strong performer. Audio rights have been sold to Audio Book Club and Books on Tape.

This is truly everything one would want in an audio presentation. Suspenseful writing by Follett and a superb delivery by Byron Jennings combine with a sophisticated background orchestra that unobtrusively adds emotion, intensity, and texture. Follett writes this novel of spies and intrigue in Denmark following the country's capitulation to Hitler. Harald Olufsen is unintentionally drawn into the resistance movement when he discovers a secret German radar installation that enables them to strike down the nighttime British bombers. Jennings thoughtfully portrays personal moments that complement the main storyline. Strong female characters and the enthusiasm of youth add to this fast-paced story of ordinary people facing the adversity and struggles of wartime. F.L.F. (c) AudioFile 2003, Portland, Maine