XPD (1981)

A story where nothing major happens for most of the plot. This could have been better if given the plot, Deighton could have made it more intense.

Anyways, I read this quite a while ago and the only thing I remember about it is that I was bored most of the time while reading it. But as it was written by Len Deighton, I persisted. I wouldn't say I was happy with the book in the end, but it was not that bad either.

But read this only if you have more time on your hands. ( )

"XPD": n., also v., stands for "Expedient Demise". Happens to those who find out information that the intelligence community does not want them to know.

In this Len Deighton novel, the information that causes XPD orders to be issued is the existence of the so-called "Hitler Minutes" -- reports of a meeting between Churchill and Hitler in 1940 that involved peace negotiations of a nature that would be abhorrent to the Allies. The story follows MI6 agent Boyd Stuart as he works to prevent the documents from being published, and the efforts of the people who have the documents to publish them.

The story was all right but this is definitely not one of my favourite Deightons. It takes a while for the Hitler Minutes to even show up, so I was at a bit of a loss at first as to why I should care about the people being discussed, although I did find Sir Sydney Ryden, Boyd's father-in-law and also the Director-General, an amusing character. And the XPDs themselves, when they appear, are sudden and shocking, so full points for the emotional impact. Also full points for plausibility; I was 99% sure that these Hitler Minutes were fictional, but Deighton has a way of making that 1% uncertainty much more persuasive. A very convincing writer indeed.

I can already tell this is one I'm going to have to reread, so three stars for now. ( )

"June 11, 1940 - Where is Winston Churchill?
A private aircraft takes off from a small town in central France, while Adolph Hitler, the would-be conqueror of Europe, prepares for a clandestine meeting near the Belgian border.
For more than 40 years the events of this day have been Britain's most closely guarded secret. Anyone who learns of them must die - with their file stamped:
XPD - Expedient Demise"
action and suspense, good escape thriller. ( )