Content warning: this book contains a scene implying rape, as well as descriptions of Nazi atrocities during the Second World War.

West Berlin, the 1960s: Quiller is a spy for “The Bureau” whose main task is to unmask and take down neo-Nazis. During the war, he infiltrated concentration camps and liberated as many prisoners as he could. He is haunted by what he saw in the camps and single-minded in the pursuit of his work. He insists on working without cover from the Bureau, even if this means his death.

This is a grittier sort of thriller. It felt a bit more violent than le Carré or Deighton, but shared their disillusionment with the world at large. In that sense this book is definitely not like James Bond. It was certainly gripping (I read it in maybe 24 hours), but it’s not the sort of thing I’m routinely seeking out in my reading, mainly for the items in the content warning above. Also, there is only one female character in the whole book, sadly typical of a 1960s thriller.

Interesting fact: this book was written by Elleston “Flight of the Phoenix” Trevor under a pen name. So if you liked that book, you might like this one. And if you like this one there are 18 more books in the series to keep you busy. I’ll stop with this one, though. ( )

3.5 stars. It moves and I like the 60s world weary vibe. But it didn't rise much above that. The dated psychology lost me. ( )

Sort of a mixed effect clouds this novel. Adam Hall/Elleston Trevor certainly produces the unexpected. The book is built around a continual number of reveals. Each reveal, in turn, provides a separate level of truth--or, as it may be, self-deception. In many ways, it creates mystery through the notion of exploring "mystery" itself. Hall's truncated writing style contributes to this effect. Also the increasing descent into the minutiae of spycraft plays into the reveal, plot-wise as well as psychologically. So, at this level, The Berlin Memorandum, aka The Quiller Memorandum is quite an impressive piece of work.

But many times you come to a work with other expectations. A Cold War spy novel set in West Berlin is among the most expectation laden stories you can try to create. And I suppose I wanted to see atmosphere. But there is very little of it. Perhaps because to load the story with atmosphere would interfere with the psychological reveals mentioned above, it may have been impossible to carry this out. At any rate, the Cold War Berlin that I knew personally doesn't exist in this novel. It's hidden behind mists, clouds, and a clutter of streets--as Quiller engages, loses, and re-engages with his "tags." Just as a sidenote, the film version of the novel does impart enormous atmosphere into its production. But it does so at the cost of the layering of the reveals. The movie also tidies up the plot, too. Perhaps in a way the author would not have approved??? For confusion and clarity were never meant to be the end result of a spy game conducted between conspiring ex-Nazis and British secret service agents in an occupied city under the control of four different countries. ( )

A taut spy procedural in the head of a middle aged German working for Britain, trying to uncover a sizable Nazi enterprise. This works better as a book. ( )

Indeholder kapitlerne "1, Pol", "2. The hook", "3. Snow", "4. The wall", "5. Phönix", "6. Quota", "7. Red sector", "8, Inga", "9. The kill", "10. The needle", "11. Oktober", "12. Narcosis", "13. The bridge", "14. Libido", "15. Blackout", "16. Cipher", "17. Ferret", "18. Object 73", "19. The sepulcher", "20. The bunkerkinder", "21. Trap-shoot", "22. Corner", "23. Signal ends".

??? ( )