Jack of Spies

Betrayal. Fans of spy fiction and historical fiction set in the early twentieth century are those most likely to enjoy reading David Downing’s novel titled, Jack of Spies. The run up to World War I was an exciting time, and Downing’s plot moves protagonist Jack McColl from China across the US and on to Mexico, England and Ireland. McColl aspires to leave his job as a luxury car salesman and become a spy for the Royal Navy. I enjoyed both the well-developed characters and Downing’s presentation of the time period. Tension in the novel is less than in many spy novels, as betrayal is the basis for all spy work, and that’s what happens here. I had the sense that this is the beginning of a series, and Downing leaves us wanting to enter the war with McColl and see what might happen next. Rating: Four-star (I like it) Click here to purchase Jack of Spies from amazon.com.