E. Phillips Oppenheim (1866–1946)

Really didn't think I was enjoying it that much until near the end when the main character's motivation becomes clear. Until then, she just seemed odd, and cold, really.
Wilhelmina is the mistress of an estate and has a whole town full of people that depend on her and take her word as law. When Victor Macheson, a young man chock full of ideals and theories about how to make the world a better place, petitions her for the use of a barn where he can speak on these subjects, she refuses. Her people are moral, they are prosperous, they are satisfied. Why do they need to be preached to? So she argues.
But Macheson will not take rejection so easily. He hangs around the area longer than Wilhelmina wants him to; in fact, just long enough for her to develop a new kind of fascination with him. But why is she so incomprehensible, so affectionate and then so distant? And will Macheson's ideals and high thinking stand the test of such treatment by her?
Like I said, I was on the fence about the whole thing until right near the end, where the pieces fell into place.… (més)

A new series from the British Library which I had not come across before, to add to the beloved British Library Crime Classics, ie the British Library Spy Classics.

Unlike the Crime Classics series, where many of the authors are familiar to me, even if the books themselves are not, I had never heard of E. Phillips Oppenheim, though the back cover blurb describes him as:

'one of the most popular and successful writers of spy fiction in the early twentieth century, and was known in his time as the Prince of Storytellers.'

Some research suggests he was:

- author of more than 100 novels between 1887 and 1943, 'featuring glamorous characters, international intrigue and fast action';
- was on the cover of Time magazine in 1927;
- 'notably easy to read'.

Fawley is the main character; a citizen of the US but who is looking for excitement (and something to do) when the USA decides between WWI and WWII to disband its secret service agencies, who ends up working (or is he) for Italy which is looking to tie up something nefarious with Germany.

Almost from the beginning, he is involved with a botched assassination, a beautiful woman, a need to travel to the casinos or Monte Carlo, cocktail parties, dangerous undercover investigations as to a secret weapon amongst other events.

Of course, the US and English authorities get involved again (most of whom Fawley is on a first name basis with), and a terrible outcome, affecting the entire world, is averted, largely down to Fawley.

Sound familiar? Yes Oppenheim's books are credited as being a inspiration to Ian Fleming's later James Bond books.

But to be assured that this example is of an earlier era than James Bond, one need only consider:

- the front cover;
- this quote, which has Frawley describing himself early on in the novel (p4): 'I am admittedly a free lance. I must have work of an adventurous type, and since my country cannot offer it to me I must seek for it in any decent way.'

To my way of thinking, this is probably not a strong example to start my foray with this series, but interesting in itself. Would I read a thousand of similar quality, probably not. But as I say, interesting in itself. But if you are not interested in dated early crime/spy novels, I suspect this is not for you other than to try something different/historical.

I will keep an eye for for more in the series.

Big Ship

27 May 2022… (més)