Midnight In Europe

April 21, 2014
After a slow start, this spy thriller set in 1938 from Edgar finalist Furst (Mission to Paris) settles into a lazy pace, as it charts the attempts of two part-time arms dealers, Chistián Ferrar and Max de Lyon, to serve the Spanish Republic and its beleaguered army while most of the continent has its eye on Berlin. Every clandestine mission they undertake—a prolonged quest for cannons in Poland, a nifty operation to trick Russia out of field guns and antiaircraft weaponry in Odessa—is fraught with struggle, and the pro-Franco Nazi spy apparatus always seems one step ahead. A revolving cast of secondary characters leads several plotlines that peter out, heavy on atmosphere, light on action. As usual, Furst manages to capture the fragile, itinerant nature of European life during the interwar period, dropping in hints of the horror to come, but this is one of his less memorable efforts. Agent: Amanda Urban, ICM.

Narrator Daniel Gerroll dials in Furst's atmospheric Paris wrapped in the ominous events of impending war, as well as the determined normality of its citizens. The story revolves around the cause of procuring and delivering arms for the Spanish Republic. With Gerroll's elegant suggestions of accents and varied speech patterns, the characters are clear to listeners and come alive in rich layers. Christi‡n Ferrar, an attorney with a prestigious firm with international connections, has a useful cover that allows him access and influence as he aids the Spanish cause during 1938. As spies, generals, police officers, and merchant seamen come on stage, listeners benefit from Gerroll's knowledge and experience with Furst's other works. A sophisticated performance--outstanding in all respects. R.F.W. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award © AudioFile 2014, Portland, Maine