Red gold - Alan Furst

The sequel to the acclaimed The World at Night -- reluctant spy Jean Casson returns in another haunting and atmospheric thriller set in the shadows of occupied Paris. Alan Furst has been widely praised for his novels set against a background of espionage and resistance in Europe during the 1930s and World War II. Combining the authenticity of historical novels, the intrigue of spy thrillers and the atmosphere of film noir, they draw regular comparisons with the works of Graham Greene, John le Carre and Eric Ambler. In The World at Night, he introduced the memorable character of film producer Jean Casson, whose civilised, upper-class life is thrown into turmoil by the German occupation of Paris. As the painful realities of life under Nazi domination hit home, he is reluctantly drawn into the world of espionage and double agents -- until he is forced to flee the country. In Red Gold, Jean Casson returns to Paris under a new identity, knowing that for him nothing will ever be the same.;As a fugitive from the Gestapo, he is no longer able to take his accustomed place among his well-to-do former associates, but must somehow struggle to survive in the shadows -- among the pimps and whores of Pigalle, among anarchists and thieves. This time, however, he is determined to stay clear of trouble. Yet, as the war drags on and he sees what is happening to his compatriots, Casson begins, inevitably, to drift back into the dangerous world of resistance and sabotage -- torn once again between honour, patriotism, love and survival. 'Nothing can be like watching Casablanca for the first time, but Furst comes closer than anyone has in years.' Time 'Ideally complex, intelligent, hugely intriguing -- in the world of the espionage thriller Furst is in a class of his own.' william boyd