S. C. George (1898–1985)

This story of two spies, one German and one British, both searching for the missing half of a formula for a death ray, takes place in World War II but at no recognisable time therein. It sounds as if the Great War is being fought all over again with the Allied forces facing the Germans across trenches between the Maginot and Siegfried lines and the British missing out on a Dunkirk evacuation. Published, according to Worldcat, in 1948, it really seems as if the author had written the book some time in the 'Phoney War' and guessed how things would turn out. Wing Commander George produces a fairly mad Hitler and some stock nasty Prussians but is generally quite gentlemanly about the German army and nation.

The first spy we meet is a fresh faced, slight and rather feminine young graduate from Heidelberg: he excelled at female impersonation at university and has earned the slightly unfortunate nickname, "Mitzi". He is, in fact, made of stern stuff and soon earns himself a position in German Intelligence.

His British opposite number is an established intelligence officer in the Sandy Clanroyden mould. A well educated product of the upper-middle classes who "smiled easily and had a lean alert countenance", he was just the man to send on an impossible mission with little chance of coming back alive. In the first of a myriad of unlikely events it transpires that he also attended Heidelberg and just happened to be a bosom buddy of 'Mitzi'.

Their missions involve an infernal machine invented by a mad scientist - a ray that can destroy any matter in its path. It is offered to the Germans but they haggle over the price so the inventor, who has given them half of the formula, goes off in a huff to the British Air Ministry. They are shown the other half of the formula and are about to agree the inventor's terms when he is killed in a bombing raid. Our two intrepid heroes are sent by their respective services to the enemy country to retrieve the other half of the formula.

The parallel stories are loaded with impossible coincidences and serendipities which all go along to keep the action going at a great pace. The ending is, as you might expect, very creditable to the British Forces.


The two old chums end up retiring from spying and resuming their former relationship - whatever that may have been! … (altro)