A 5 Star Military Historical Espionage Thriller Reviewed By BookViral

"A must-read for fans of Military and Historical Fiction Espionage Thrillers!"

Recommend  for the coveted BookViral Crimson Quill. To make your recommendation simply click on the award badge below..…. 

  • ASIN: ‎ B09MCNGJJV
  • Publisher: ‎ 93 Waterloo Publishing Co.; 2nd edition (November 21, 2021)
  • Publication date: ‎ November 21, 2021
  • Language: ‎ English
  • Print length: ‎ 349 pages
  • Page numbers source ISBN: ‎ 1735797901
  • Genre: Military Historical Espionage Thriller

 

The BookViral Review:

A taut, exciting read that throws surprises at the reader on a regular basis Assignment Potsdam; Countdown To War proves a powerful debut for Charlie FitzGerald’s Colonel McDesmond Series and a must-read for fans of Military and Historical Fiction Espionage Thrillers.

Succeeding on almost all fronts FitzGerald delivers high octane adventure that is utterly absorbing, extremely smart and – considering its drably grey-green post-war East Berlin setting of obsessives, misdirection, disillusionment, self-delusion and treachery – quite beautifully executed as he brings those suspicion-fueled cold war days to vivid life.

It’s clear from the start that FitzGerald is reaching for an epic sweep with his series and another author might have become bogged down in clichéd drama and two-dimensional characters but Fitzgerald’s attention to detail makes his narrative authentically gripping. Avoiding the traps of dull, dutiful heritage fiction he brings fresh emotional weight to the genre whilst a keen ear for dialect and dialogue brings a level of immediacy which is sadly often lacking.

On this level, Fitzgerald deals with the gritty side of spycraft and does a splendid job of establishing mood and characters to have readers perching on the edge of their seats! Not knowing who is to be trusted and wondering how Mac and Engels will emerge emotionally and physically unscathed as converging plot lines come crashing together.

Some books become classics simply because they’re from a bygone era, others deserve to be called classics because, in addition to being of literary merit, they tell us something about a bygone era. Fitzgerald’s first book in his Colonel McDesmond Series is certainly one of the latter.

A powerful and incisive examination of Cold War ethics, rich in both contemporary resonance and elegiac melancholy Assignment Potsdam; Countdown To War is a five-star read for upmarket thriller audiences and is unreservedly recommended!

Recommended Book Reviews
In The BookViral Spotlight

True Crime Novels 2023

An extremely affecting reading experience, down to the very last page. True crime Fiction rarely gets better than Saint Bloodbath with Frederick Douglass Reynolds once again demonstrating a prodigious talent for writing in his chosen genre.

Read More »
History of Mexico Memoirs

History of Mexico Memoirs

In a blaze of colour imagery and a maze of ancient flashbacks, ‘Mexican Sunset’ shines its light on highly emotive and deep parts of human nature and dependency, following the emotional biographic adventure of Rick Jebb as he negotiates loss, love and the difficult business of growing up.

Read More »

Author Publishing Tips & Recommended Book Reviews

Why Do We Love To Be Frightened?
Author Blogs
Editorial Team

Why Do We Love To Be Frightened?

Dusk creeps upon you as you make your way home, bringing with it the stillness and dark of night. As one sense shutters another opens, magnifying each whisper of wind-every shuffle on the pavement behind you.

Read More »
Author Publishing Tips
Editorial Team

Authors and The Great Romantics

Have you ever come home to a hot bath strewn with rose petals and filled with bubbles, in a bathroom bedecked with scented candles and an ice cold glass of champagne fizzing invitingly on the side. If not you might be thinking poor me but you might want to think again!

Read More »

Book Reviews That Readers Trust.

From humble beginnings in 2002 as a book review club BookViral has grown to become the first choice in book reviews for authors around the world and one of the biggest book review sites on the web. BookViral reaches millions of potential readers through best practice SEO and a trusted social media presence ensuring readers get unbiased, critical recommendations they can trust. 

BookViral also offers a full suite of author services, including, book editing services for unpublished and self-published authors, website design and bespoke SEO that help authors get discovered by more potential readers as well as industry influencers, such as publishers, agents and film executives. 

© Copyright 2019 BookViral Reviews. All Rights Reserved.