Quite by chance, I stopped by a usually unexciting paperback exchange and found a copy of "Midnight in Europe" by Alan Furst. Even though the book cover advertised that admirers of John Le Carre would love this author, I tried the book anyway. I have found you can't believe this tribute, since no writer can live up to it.
"Midnight.." is one of Furst's recent stories--his body of work seems to comprise a long discussion in the form of fictional adventures--of the efforts of individuals and groups to resist the Nazi and other Facist occupations of Europe in the late '30's and '40's of the last century.
Furst writes eloquently about the period, the culture, the general atmosphere, the ambiance, etc of the times and the places: Eastern Europe, Spain, France. Paris of the time comes alive under his hand.
There is suspense and a little bit of terror, but not too scary.
I have binge read nearly half a dozen of his titles--his earlier work seems more interesting than more recent. I'm on "The Polish Officer" currently. I can barely put it down.
A couple of updates: after reading all these books, I will add, love/sex scenes in these books are often like a trip to the GYN to get your PAP test!! Ick, sometimes! Seems a bit out of character for his handsome, worldly, sophisticated heroes. (Or I may not be a "target" audience member).
Furst is very good at depicting his chosen time setting: 1938-1942; (the time when Hitler was ascendant and many felt his victory in Europe forever was assured.) he is old enough to have known many people who knew this time well. His work is carefully researched from sources current at that time. He is also adapt at using weather to enhance his scenes; he always has a good European breed of dog somewhere in the story--entertaining.
Another novel I read (but have not mentioned) "The Velvet Hours" by Alyson Richman concerns Paris in exactly the same situation: the Nazi take-over of France. It is like two novels coiled into one.
First, a family story of a romance in the Belle Epoch which ultimately produced a young lady (our heroine) whose life evolves--second--into a daring escape of Jewish people with a romantic twist and a poignant reminder that sometimes life or death hinged on the tiniest events.
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