Sydney Horler (1888–1954)

Frankly, a pallid imitation of Bulldog Drummond, down to the fact that this was the start of a series. Son of nobleman? Check. Funny manservant? Check. Damsel in distress? Check. British Secret Service? Check. Scotland Yard? Check. Romance between hero and damsel in distress? Check. Upper class people gone wrong? Check. Villainous ethnic types? Check. Master Criminal briefly foiled, swears to come back for another round? Check. "Sapper" should have sued Horler.

War is a time when you need to know who your enemies are and who to trust. Author Sydney Horler weaves a tale of intrigue and espionage in England and Europe that begins just before the First World War. This story accurately reflects the historical period, has believable characters and intricate relationships. The surprising conclusion reveals the traitor to all. There was a tendency to overuse ellipsis and dashes throughout the book.

This is the first Sydney Horler I have attempted and the going is rough. I have read lots of books from this period but I find Mr. Horler's prose, and the way the story progresses, to be unusual. Mr. Horler's decision to disguise Hitler's Germany by using a fictitious country should have been explained in the introduction. As he is using England and France, why did he decide to cut our Germany?

I received a review copy of "The Traitor" by Sydney Horler (British Library/Poisoned Pen) through show more NetGalley.com. It was first published in 1936 by Little Brown and Company. show less

Yet another excellent book from the British Library catalogue brought to us by Poisoned Pen Press.
This is an intriguing story set in Paris during the closing of the first world war and then years later.
A tale of secrets and betrayal.
A great read!
I was given a digital copy of this novel by the publisher via Netgalley in return for an honest unbiased review.