This is a good WW2 spy novel, set mostly in 1940 Lisbon when Portugal was neutral and America had not yet entered the war. There's an exciting conclusion in Paris.
The frank portrayal of the Windsors is refreshing, especially that of Mrs. Simpson. It's slightly heavy-handed with their Nazi sympathies, but is likely accurate. ( )

A prequel to Gabbay's THE BERLIN CONSPIRACY, this is a terrific WWII-era thriller. One head-scratching plot point is the only flaw in this engaging read, which is very much like CASABLANCA set in Lisbon. In fact, where CASABLANCA is concerned, a number of subtle homages lead to one blatant one in the story's final pages. Lots of fun. If you're the type who'll never get your fill of Ilsa and Rick, you owe it to yourself to read this one. ( )

Nice try. The plot works hard playing the historical friendship of England's self-exiled ex-King and his maybe-buddy Hitler. (Remember, many home-grown Brit fascists dilly-dallied in the aristocracy) Characters: a too predictable Bernie Gunther/Phil Marlow lead, a Lili-Marlene Dietrich play-partner, a Prince of Wales two-stepper, and your basic, Nazi, SS, Gestapo badguy. Gabbay's writing covers its bases but nothing more. For example from page 1: "Tinseltown wasn't all it was cracked up to be, not by a long shot but it had given me a good run for my money..." Sounds like Gabbay copied the '30s detective mag's language all too well. Along with their gradeschool morality. I prefer my thrillers to have some sophistication--more Graham Green for me, less pulp fiction.

I like the idea; it could have been a champ of a book. ( )

Teeming with Nazis, spies, and ambiguous loyalties, the early days of World War II come alive with dark intrigue and heart-stopping action in this brilliant second tale from the author of the hit thriller The Berlin Conspiracy.

It's the summer of 1940 and Europe is in the grip of the Nazi war machine. Jack Teller arrives in neutral Lisbon on the arm of international screen legend Lili Sterne, to help her search for her childhood friend, Eva Lange. Having escaped Germany, staying one step ahead of the Nazi terror, Eva is believed to be hiding among the thousands of desperate refugees who have descended upon Lisbon. But Jack isn't the first on her trail. Top Hollywood detective Eddie Grimes had been on the case—until he turned up dead.

Instead of answers, Jack uncovers a series of lies that leads from Estoril's glittering nightclubs—rubbing elbows with the likes of Edward, Duke of Windsor, and his scheming wife, Wallis Simpson—into Lisbon's dank and dangerous backstreets. Along the way, Jack makes a shocking discovery that takes him from Portugal to the perilous boulevards of Nazi-occupied Paris, where his actions could change the course of the war. ( )

Written like a 50's noir novel ( )