FUNERAL IN BERLIN by Len Deighton

 Finihsed Su 11/17/24

This was one of my ancient paperbacks that I had never read. An enjoyable read and the writing was far superior than what I was expecting. Baldacci makes the plot more important than character development or tone, but Deighton's writing is just the opposite. I had a little trouble keeping track of the story, but the superior writing easily made up for the slight confusion.

My take on what happened: 

The 'hero' is tasked with getting a scientist out of East Berlin. He was to be smuggled out of the country in a casket, however another agent was in the coffin. He wanted to assume the identity of a dead Jew who was extremely wealthy, yet died in one of the camps. This man had phony ID and he was hoping to go to Switzerland, show the identification, and become a rich man.

From a blog on the internet:

"In this story, the nameless spy is sent to East Berlin to facilitate the defection of an East German scientist. He must work with the Russian security-chief Colonel Stok and Hallam of the British Home Office. An elaborate plan is set up to get the scientist out of East Berlin. This book was published only three years after the Berlin Wall was constructed; in the introduction, Deighton speaks of the time he spent in East Berlin shortly after the wall went up. The setting feels very authentic.

This book in the series had some interesting differences from the first two. There are over 50 chapters and  almost all of them start with a brief tidbit about a move or strategy in chess. For example: "Players who relish violence, aggression and movement often depend upon the Spanish Game." With no knowledge of chess, this meant nothing to me, but it was a nice touch anyway.

This story was not entirely told in first person. From what I remember, the first two books were told only from the nameless spy's point of view and in first person. In this book, there where chapters here and there that were in third person and focused on the story from various character's points of view. I liked that change, although the narration of the nameless spy is one of the best elements of the story.

There are lots of great characters in this story. The aforementioned Stok in East Berlin and Hallam in London are both memorable. Johnny Vulkan is a double agent that has helped the agency before. There is a discussion with the head of the agency regarding using Vulkan on this case:

'The point I'm making is, that the moment Vulkan feels we are putting him on ice he'll shop around for another job. Ross at the War Office or O'Brien at the P.O. will whip him into the Olympia Stadion and that's the last we will see of him...'

Dawlish touched his finger-tips together and looked at me sardonically. 

'You think I am too old for this job, don't you?'

I said nothing.

 'If we decide not to continue with Vulkan's contract there is no question of leaving him available for the highest bidder.' 

I didn't think old Dawlish could make me shiver.

Another element I like in these stories is the addition of footnotes. They are not extensive enough to break the flow of reading but do add bits of information which would not fit in the flow of conversation.

This book was made into a film, as was The Ipcress File. Michael Caine starred in both films. I had seen The Ipcress File film for the first time in May of this year. I enjoyed it; Caine was just wonderful in the role (called Harry Palmer in the films). However, it was only a bit less confusing than the book. I watched the film adaptation of Funeral in Berlin very shortly after finishing the book and I liked this film even better than the first one. Probably because I understood what was going on, plus my increased familiarity with the characters."

I borrowed the film from Hoopla and watched it on Tu 11/19/24 and the film was streamlined and I think it made more sense. The whole subplot about the 'science of enzymes' was dropped and how Broume was in the concentration camp and his rich family was barely mentioned. Harry Palmer is 'Edmund Dorf' and Johnny Vulcan was actually a Nazi prison guard who was trying to get Broume's paperwork so that he could claim Broume's two million dollars in a Swiss account. 

THE BOYS FROM BILOXI by John Grisham

 Finished Tu 11/12/24

This was a trade paperback that Janny loaned to me. 

It's a great (and well written) fictional tale about the 'Dixie Mafia'.

Two close friends; Keith Rudy & Hugh Malco.Keith was the 'good' boy who became a lawyer (with political aspirations- his father was the DA) and Hugh was the 'bad' boy who became a mafia chief within his father's organized crime family. 

A description of the book at Goodreads:

"For most of the last hundred years, Biloxi was known for its beaches, resorts, and seafood industry. But it had a darker side. It was also notorious for corruption and vice, everything from gambling, prostitution, bootleg liquor, and drugs to contract killings. The vice was controlled by a small cabal of mobsters, many of them rumored to be members of the Dixie Mafia.

Keith Rudy and Hugh Malco grew up in Biloxi in the sixties and were childhood friends, as well as Little League all-stars. But as teenagers, their lives took them in different directions. Keith’s father became a legendary prosecutor, determined to “clean up the Coast.” Hugh’s father became the “Boss” of Biloxi’s criminal underground. Keith went to law school and followed in his father’s footsteps. Hugh preferred the nightlife and worked in his father’s clubs. The two families were headed for a showdown, one that would happen in a courtroom.

Life itself hangs in the balance in The Boys from Biloxi, a sweeping saga rich with history and with a large cast of unforgettable characters."

Although this is novel, it reads just like a True Crime. The reviews were surprisingly luke warm, but I really liked the book. It's somewhat more than the usual 'beach read'. 

A link to a review of the novel:

https://charles-harris.co.uk/2023/08/the-boys-from-biloxi-has-grisham-taken-on-too-big-a-case/ 

A MINUTE TO MIDNIGHT by David Baldacci

 Finished Mo 11/4/24

This was a trad paperback that Janny loaned me. It's typical Baldacci. I loved it while I was reading it, but it's just a compelling storyline. 

This is part of his 'Atlee Pine' series. She is an MMA fighter, weight lifter, and an FBI agent; part of BAU- 'The Behavioral Analysis Unit'. 

Set in Andersonville, Georgia at the infamous Confederate Civil War prison. 

Two Storylines:

1) Atlee was a twin and when they were six years old, Mercy (her twin) was kidnapped and Atlee was physically attacked. In this novel she is trying to locate her sister because she might still be alive and she also wants to find her mother. This storyline is not resolved. 

2) A serial killer is operating in the area. People are murdered (a man and a woman) and dressed in wedding clothes. This storyline is resolved. The killer was a woman who was friends with her parents.