Above Suspicion

The summer of 1939. Richard Myles, Oxford don, and his wife Frances receive a visit from Peter Galt. Peter, a friend that works in the Foreign Office, has returned from Bucharest and needs to lie low. He has a special request for them to determine if a fellow compatriot is present at his assigned location. Richard’s infallible memory is crucial to their success. Unlike a solo agent, the couple’s typical summer vacation gives them a natural and effective cover. They begin in Paris, and each subsequent connection will provide them with the following location.

"If you find your man, then wire, 'Arriving Monday', or 'Tuesday', or whatever day you actually saw him. If you don’t find him, wire ‘Cancel reservations'."

My high school show more librarian introduced me to the espionage novels by Helen MacInnes, nicknamed Queen of Suspense, in high school. However, I knew I had never read this title from the description. I was fascinated that the book was the author’s first novel, published in 1941. It is essential to realize that this mission is in the period before technology conveniences of cell phones, internet connections on portable devices, and social media, instead using their intelligence with creative spontaneity if any part of a plan goes awry as commitment is independent with no option for resources and permits no failure.

The well-written story builds page-turning drama and suspense. The descriptive writing immerses the reader in the period and setting, from the pleasures of a walk on a summer day to the twist of on the fly planning an escape route. show less

I originally discovered Helen MacInnes when I was about thirteen and I promptly devoured anything by her that I could get my hands on. I was very happy to see that some of her books have been issued for the Kindle and I chose to start my re-reading with her first book, Above Suspicion. This is the story of a normal English couple who just before they leave on vacation in the summer of 1939, are approached by an old friend who asks them to take on simple mission of locating an agent that has not been heard from for awhile.

Of course nothing is simple in Nazi Germany and eventually they find themselves on the run and, fortunately for them, relying on help from an American newspaper man, a British tourist and a few anti-Nazi Germans. The show more author allowed the story to unfold slowly as the couple wanders across France and Germany, sightseeing and hiking along the way. The mood darkens and the tension tightens as they enter Germany and continues to rise until the last few chapters in which the action is non-stop.

I enjoyed my re-introduction to this author. Having grown up on Enid Blyton and Agatha Christie, these characters felt familiar and very British. I am looking forward to re-reading more from Helen MacInnes. show less

I picked this book up in a Kindle sale back in 2013, and I finally got around to reading it thanks to another book - A World Gone Mad: The Diaries of Astrid Lindgren 1939-45. Lindgren made a habit of listing the books that they gave and received for holidays and birthdays, and Above Suspicion was one of them. Published in 1941, this is set in 1939, making it contemporary fiction of WWII. It's enjoyable despite the surplus of coincidences that the plot depends upon. She did a good job of building the tension and then escalating the pacing, especially for a first novel. I would call this cozy espionage - not as tight or as dark as say le Carré or Steinhauer and more character driven.

This is Helen MacInnes’ first book, an auspicious beginning from which she launched a highly successful career as a writer of espionage fiction. MacInnes was able to draw upon her husband’s experience as a British intelligence agent in penning her novels, and published 21 such books in a span of more than four decades.

Above Suspicion was published in 1942, and its setting is in 1939, just prior to the outbreak of World War II. Germany has taken over Czechoslovakia and is threatening Poland, as Europe is poised for war. Frances Myles and her husband Richard (a professor at Oxford University) travel to southern Germany on a spy mission, having been recruited because (as civilians) they should be "above suspicion." A chain of secret show more agents that had been used to pass messages from Germany back to England has been compromised. The Myles’ mission is to determine where the chain has been broken, tracing it backwards to figure out which agent has been exposed and captured. Once in Germany, they team up with a British student and an American journalist who assist them in their efforts. Along the way, they encounter Nazis, witness anti- Jewish actions, and participate in daring rescues.

This book was a thriller in its day. It has the atmosphere of a John Buchan novel, and reminded me somewhat of his classic 39 Steps. Notably, Frances is no shrinking violet; she has strong political views that she vocally articulates; and she plays a central role in the action, and early in the book, kills one of the Nazis herself. The level of excitement may not reach the levels of contemporary works, and I found the mission on which they are sent implausible. In addition, while the book is less than a work of propaganda, the political sentiments of the author are clear, and the German and British characters fit cultural stereotypes of the WW2 period as seen from England's partisan perspective. Nevertheless, as an old- school spy novel, this book is reasonably entertaining, and certainly ought to make the reading list of any reader interested in the history of the genre. show less

Set in 1939, Richard and Frances Myles are preparing for their annual European summer vacation. However, they are unexpectedly visited at Oxford College by Peter Galt, an old friend, who requests a favour… Their mission is to go to Paris and meet a man at a specific place who will give them details for the next meeting point. An ordinary holiday turns into an extraordinary tale where a pre-war Europe is suspicious of everyone and everything and Richard and Francis Myles quickly realises it as they are hunted down by people trying to find out what they know. Soon the couple is forced to race across Europe ans must use all of their ingenuity to outsmart the shadowy figures that always seem to be on their tail.

Above Suspicion by Helen show more MacInnes is a fun book to read, though there are of course a few things about it that may seem predictable. Written exceptionally well, Helen MacInnes have often been overlooked or forgotten, because her books are somewhat dated, yet there’s something wholesome about her writing. Spy novels are often cliché and most people prefer to read established writers in the genre, such as Ian Fleming and Tom Clancy. However, long before those writers came along, Helen MacInnes was already busy entertaining readers with tales of fantastic espionage and adventure.

Above Suspicion is a blast from the past with the central plot line surrounding World War II, where secrets, cigarettes and beer seems to be in abundance. That being said, when reading Above Suspicion one has to remember that it was written in a time when the world was very different. Women weren’t supposed to be heard, merely seen and as a result we have a very intelligent and strong female character who comes across as an underachiever. For feminists this might be a problem, but in a historical sense it’s quite an accurate portrayal.

All in all, I enjoyed Above Suspicion, because it reminded me that every genre has a beginning. I liked the writing and I enjoyed the storyline, but sometimes I did find it somewhat dreary. It’s alright though, because when you push through to the end, it’s all worth it.

(Originally posted on www.killeraphrodite.com ) show less

Above Suspicion is a spy novel published in 1941. Oxford professor Richard Myles and his wife Frances are approached by a mysterious friend and asked to do some amateur espionage work during their annual holiday in Germany and Austria. It is the mid 1930's and the couple are chosen because they would be "above suspicion," a normal young couple following their usual pattern of vacationing in the mountains. Also, Richard has an almost photographic memory and an uncanny eye for detali which could come in handy.

The book is almost a puzzle. The Myles' are supposed to follow a trail from agent to agent to see why the unnamed British intelligence agency has lost operatives and cannot contact their head man at the top of the chain. So off they show more go, first to a nightclub in Paris where an arranged meeting ends with Richard being slipped a guide to Southern Germany. After deciphering pin pricks on the maps and pencil dots in margins. he sees an itinerary of train stations, hotels, and villages emerge. Clues include hats with roses, snippets of song, chessmen. On their journey they link up with allies, meet old acquaintances who are now dangerous, and strangers who get them out of tight spots. Of course, in the end nothing goes as planned and instead of being mere observers they are embroiled in Nazi evil.

Above Suspicions is a fun read, another example of the good guys being more clever and braver than the bad guys who do some incredibly silly things. It is a romantic adventure not to be taken too seriously full of noble ideals flung in the faces of the not-too-bright enemy. show less

After a spate of reading historical novels set in World War II, it was interesting to read a novel that was contemporary to that period. I've read a lot of Helen MacInnes, but had never read this one. I appreciated the modern edition from Titan, but did spot quite a few scanning/OCR errors.

This is MacInnes's first novel, and it kind of shows. There are a lot of unbelievable coincidences--the way Richard and Frances keep running into the same two guys made me suspect for most of the book that those guys were actually spies who were following them, and everybody's competence at espionage was a little weird. And for them to run into their employee, who just happens to be in a relationship with someone else they meet, is even less show more believable. But her writing, as always, is just wonderful. Her writing never seems dated or out of touch (although her politics are generally on display, so sometimes the lens of history provides an interesting perspective). I wouldn't necessarily recommend this one if you've never read anything else she's written; I'd probably start with one of her better-known ones like The Salzburg Connection. But certainly this is an absorbing read and a fascinating look at Europe in 1939. show less