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This review is from: Schism (Hardcover)
Deveroux's back! R Section operative Deveroux, code name November returns in the second installment of Bill Granger's often overlooked spy series. After a Catholic priest wanders out of the jungles of Thailand after having disappeared 20 years earlier and into the custody of the U.S. embassy in Bangkok, a power strugglw between the CIA, the Soviets, and the Vatican Intelligence network ensues to silence Father Leo Tunney.Years earlier Tunney was working in Souyheast Asia on behalf of the CIA. Tunney knows secrets that would be damaging to the previously mentioned parties. Enter Deveroux, sent to find out what a reporter named Rita Macklin knows about the resurfaced Father Tunney after she had managed to take a photo of him while in custody of CIA. Macklin is roughed up by agency goons and warned off of the story. Deveroux, pretending to be a vacationing reporter, wins the trust of Macklin in Florida where Father Tunney has taken up residence in a local diocese. It turns out that Tunney is writing a tell-all journal about his time in the war ravaged jungle and all factions will stop at nothing to stop him. A woman claims Tunney miraculously heals her while reciting the forbidden Latin Mass which leads to a whirlwind of media attention, causing panic among the interested parties who would have the most to lose if Tunney's journal were to see the light of day.After meeting up once again with KGB nemesis Denisov, Deveroux is caught in the middle of a race to possess the journal. The story moves toward a very satisfying conclusion with all the various loose ends tied up and explained. The relationship between the hardened and jaded Deveroux and the idealistic reporter Macklin is realistically drawn in a world where there is never only black and white, but varying shades of grey. This second in the long running November man line is thrilling and gritty in its portrayel of the shadowy world that Deveroux inhabits.
In this third book in the November Man series, author Bill Granger takes the reader to Paris,France for a story of lost love and betrayel. R Section agent William Manning was sent to Paris to seduce a young leftist woman in 1968 in order to learn about the doings of the radical neo-communist French left. There's only one problem, Manning falls in love with the woman and is wracked with guilt when he must inevitably betray her. Now 15 years later there is unuasually alarming data being put forth by the Agencys Supercomputer known as Tinkertoy about troop movements behind the Iron Curtain under the cover of Soviet wargames. When a soviet agent is murdered in England and also a American agent goes missing, there is something wrong. When information surfaces at R Section that the same French woman (I can't remember the characters name) appears to somehow be involved, Manning is sent back to Paris to "accidentally" meet up with her and reestablish his relationship after not seeing her for 15 years. From that point the story starts to pick up a bit. Series anti-hero Deveroux does not appear in the story until page 100, when he is sent to Paris to find out what is going on. Needless to say, a vast conspiracy of traitorous behavior by French officials and a terrorist cell are what Deveroux is up against. I dont want to spoil the ending so I'll just say that Deveroux is at his ruthless best. I gave this one 4 stars instead of 5 because I felt the first half of the story dragged a little. It was ahead of its time in the fact that complete reliance on computers is not always a good thing.I think Deveroux is (was)the most interesting character in spy fiction during that time
The November Man himself, the character also known as Deveraux, is barely mentioned in the first half of the book, but as the suspense builds and builds, his involvement becomes very stratetic to the story, especially the all-important climax.
Deveraux is an American spy (ex-CIA) and in this story other American spy agencies are involved, as are the French, some Brits and those also dangerous Russians. Just call it an espionage Olympics! Granger's novels aren't quite as fun or laced with snappy dialogue like those of another 80s writer of espionage tales, the great Ross Thomas, but he's still a very good writer and spins an engrossing tale. This wouldn't be the best novel to start with in the series, but if you've read other November Man tales you'll enjoy this one too. Just don't get too discouraged in the first half of the book when Granger is introducing various characters and weaving sub-plots as he adds layers to the story. Your patience be rewarded with a good read.Double, triple, or quadruple agent? By ECW0647 on May 22, 2012
In this third book in the November Man series, author Bill Granger takes the reader to Paris,France for a story of lost love and betrayel. R Section agent William Manning was sent to Paris to seduce a young leftist woman in 1968 in order to learn about the doings of the radical neo-communist French left. There's only one problem, Manning falls in love with the woman and is wracked with guilt when he must inevitably betray her. Now 15 years later there is unuasually alarming data being put forth by the Agencys Supercomputer known as Tinkertoy about troop movements behind the Iron Curtain under the cover of Soviet wargames. When a soviet agent is murdered in England and also a American agent goes missing, there is something wrong. When information surfaces at R Section that the same French woman (I can't remember the characters name) appears to somehow be involved, Manning is sent back to Paris to "accidentally" meet up with her and reestablish his relationship after not seeing her for 15 years. From that point the story starts to pick up a bit. Series anti-hero Deveroux does not appear in the story until page 100, when he is sent to Paris to find out what is going on. Needless to say, a vast conspiracy of traitorous behavior by French officials and a terrorist cell are what Deveroux is up against. I dont want to spoil the ending so I'll just say that Deveroux is at his ruthless best. I gave this one 4 stars instead of 5 because I felt the first half of the story dragged a little. It was ahead of its time in the fact that complete reliance on computers is not always a good thing.I think Deveroux is (was)the most interesting character in spy fiction during that time
The November Man himself, the character also known as Deveraux, is barely mentioned in the first half of the book, but as the suspense builds and builds, his involvement becomes very stratetic to the story, especially the all-important climax.
Deveraux is an American spy (ex-CIA) and in this story other American spy agencies are involved, as are the French, some Brits and those also dangerous Russians. Just call it an espionage Olympics! Granger's novels aren't quite as fun or laced with snappy dialogue like those of another 80s writer of espionage tales, the great Ross Thomas, but he's still a very good writer and spins an engrossing tale. This wouldn't be the best novel to start with in the series, but if you've read other November Man tales you'll enjoy this one too. Just don't get too discouraged in the first half of the book when Granger is introducing various characters and weaving sub-plots as he adds layers to the story. Your patience be rewarded with a good read.Double, triple, or quadruple agent? By ECW0647 on May 22, 2012
Format: Mass Market Paperback
Devereaux, his code name is "November," wants nothing more than to continue playing the IF game with members of Section R, one of those elusive agencies hiding within the intelligence bureaucracy that is used often to accomplish tasks that border on the illegal (the ethics of such a system we won't debate here.) He has a nice relationship with Rita, who hates the agency.
The R Section offices were in parts of two Department of Agriculture buildings: The intelligence section had been first funded under subparagraph R of a funding bill for all agriculture. The funds that established R section were vaguely labeled as money for "agricultural crop estimates and international grain reportage," clumps of words intended to make legislative eyes glaze over." No doubt a very accurate portrayal of how agencies get hidden and buried within the larger bureaucracy. I just wonder how many of them are there and no one knows what they do nor to whom they might be accountable.
Devereaux is persuaded he must trek off to Alaska in search of Henry McGee, an elusive spy who was supposed to be dead, but now seems to be sending a signal that he is not. A trapper by that name has been found shot in the wilderness. Of course, that wasn't his real name, so when his prints find their way to Washington, Section R becomes concerned and Devereaux, their senior agent is charged with finding out what's going on.
Mix in a couple of former Soviet agents being hidden in the Witness Protection Service, a rogue double-agent who wants to leave the business and gains funds to do so by blackmailing a former and current Senator by threatening the oil pipeline in Alaska with total destruction (does he or does he not have a suitcase atomic weapon?) and a very bright Civil Service employee who actually takes her job seriously, and you have all the elements of a very nice espionage novel.
The R Section offices were in parts of two Department of Agriculture buildings: The intelligence section had been first funded under subparagraph R of a funding bill for all agriculture. The funds that established R section were vaguely labeled as money for "agricultural crop estimates and international grain reportage," clumps of words intended to make legislative eyes glaze over." No doubt a very accurate portrayal of how agencies get hidden and buried within the larger bureaucracy. I just wonder how many of them are there and no one knows what they do nor to whom they might be accountable.
Devereaux is persuaded he must trek off to Alaska in search of Henry McGee, an elusive spy who was supposed to be dead, but now seems to be sending a signal that he is not. A trapper by that name has been found shot in the wilderness. Of course, that wasn't his real name, so when his prints find their way to Washington, Section R becomes concerned and Devereaux, their senior agent is charged with finding out what's going on.
Mix in a couple of former Soviet agents being hidden in the Witness Protection Service, a rogue double-agent who wants to leave the business and gains funds to do so by blackmailing a former and current Senator by threatening the oil pipeline in Alaska with total destruction (does he or does he not have a suitcase atomic weapon?) and a very bright Civil Service employee who actually takes her job seriously, and you have all the elements of a very nice espionage novel.
Spies
From Publishers Weekly
Granger's November Man series has been consistently entertaining andinteresting, far surpassing much of the work done in the espionage genre. This addition to the list maintains that consistency. The story begins when Hanley, former boss of the now-retired Deverauxcode name Novemberis carted off to a mental hospital on the orders of his superiors. This triggers a sequence of deadly events that brings November back into action, pitting him against a deadly female Soviet operative and ultimately leading him to a Soviet sleeper agent high within the American security community. Cross-cutting between November's return to the U.S. from Europe and Hanley's desperate attempts to keep his sanity, the book builds almost perfectly to an exciting finish. Despite telegraphing the identity of the "mole," Granger is mostly on the mark and is approaching the class of le Carre, although he lacks some of that writer's subtlety and psychological insight. 50,000 first printing; $100,000 ad/promo; author tour.
Copyright 1986 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Copyright 1986 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
From Library Journal
Coldly effective but suspicious American spy-runner Hanley inadvertently fouls up a deeply embedded Russian mole's scenario when he warns "sleeping" agent Devereaux ("November") that something has gone amiss in R Section. Rudely forced out of retirement in Lausanne by two hit men, the calm, collected, and utterly cynical Devereaux enlists the aid of former contacts in determining the truth of Hanley's allegation. Crisp style, well-mannered prose, and inexorable tension characterize this worthy addition to the successful November Man series ( The Zurich Numbers ). Granger once again displays his winning talent for manipulating traditional elements of intrigueincluding here a luscious Russian lady spy with charismatic eyes and an isolated insane asylum (run by nuns) for unwanted agents. Highly recommended for public libraries. Rex E. Klett, Anson Cty. Lib., Wadesboro, N.C.
Copyright 1986 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title. The best November Man book so far By Christopher Gwyn on April 3, 2006
Copyright 1986 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title. The best November Man book so far By Christopher Gwyn on April 3, 2006
Format: Hardcover
Bill Granger's November Man series in the 80's was the pinnacle of espionage fiction at that time. Having read all 7 of his books featuring R Section agent Deveroux, code name November, this one was the best yet. A tightly woven plot focusing on the forced institutionalization of Section Operations head Hanley draws November back into The Game which he thought he had successfully disappeared from in the last novel, "Hemingway's Notebook". Hanley's knowledge of NUTCRACKER, a spy exchange program has made him expendable to those in power. With a cryptic phone call to Deveroux, Hanley's strange message that "there are no spies" causes Deveroux's new life to unravel, forcing him to seek out old ally/nemesis, Denisov in order to find out what is going on. With beautiful Russian assassins and Traitors in his own government, November must rescue Hanley and put the pieces together in this puzzle of international intrigue. Once again Granger's concise characterizations carry the day as thia fast moving story reaches it's exciting conclusion. Also, there is a surprising twist at the very end involving one of Deveroux's most hated enemies. Spy fiction at it's best by the underappreciated but always dependable Bill Granger. His best.
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Format: Hardcover
Another installment of the November Man series, Bill Granger really holds his own in the spy genre. Borrowing from such literary styles as Trevanian, John Le Carre and William Goldman, Granger is able to entertain the reader with solid prose and visual description. This story begins in Switzerland as American agent Devereoux (code name November) has been retired from the spy game, only to be brought back by the game itself...(I think this is how most spy books begin, the main character is retired and forced into returning). The story carries an interesting government conspiracy and elements of suspense. And my favorite, a plot twist at the end that you won't see coming. An entertaining read, I strongly recommend this book just for the fun of it all.
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