An Officer and a Spy: A Novel

Superb historical dramatic action novel To call this a spy thriller is to diminish its quality.it is of course a spy thriller and a fascinating detective story but it is much more than that.I believe that it is Harris best and one of the few outstanding dramatic action historical novels of all timesIt is the narrative of the Grand Drama,political,military and human that took place in France between the late 19th and the early 20th Centuries,the Dreyfus affair.All main characters of the novel are real historical persons.The wrongly accused as a German spy Major Dreyfus a French Officer and an Alsatian Jew, a model of stoicism,a man of professiona. "Events so bizarre and unbelievable could only be fact" according to Lady Fancifull. I overheard Harris being interviewed on Radio Events so bizarre and unbelievable could only be fact Lady Fancifull I overheard Harris being interviewed on Radio 4, talking about this 'novel' - except to call it a novel implies that it must be fiction. As Harris and the interviewer concurred, if someone invented the Dreyfus affair as a fiction, the writer would be castigated for having stretched credulity too far.In fact, as Harris points out, all this is documented, and researched, and is a deeply shameful part of France's history. Except that what is even more worrying and shameful is that large scale cover-ups, the concept of obeying orders without question, systems protecting their own despite betraying principles o. , talking about this 'novel' - except to call it a novel implies that it must be fiction. As Harris and the interviewer concurred, if someone invented the Dreyfus affair as a fiction, the writer would be castigated for having stretched credulity too far.In fact, as Harris points out, all this is documented, and researched, and is a deeply shameful part of France's history. Except that what is even more worrying and shameful is that large scale cover-ups, the concept of obeying orders without question, systems protecting their own despite betraying principles o. "Excellent page turner" according to Jack Hicks. If you pick this book up and think you're going to put it down again, think again. A combination of spy, detective and court room genres, that actually concerns an actual historical event. It addresses the moral complexities of obeying orders, going along to benefit one's career versus taking the moral right course. In this respect the subjects explored here are timeless. What is courage even in the face of overwhelming bureaucratic and societal resistance? This novel explores these timeless, historical themes with actual historical characters that are expertly and believably fleshed out. If you've heard o

Bringing to life the scandal that mesmerized the world at the turn of the 20th century, Robert Harris tells a tale of uncanny timeliness - a witch hunt, secret tribunals, out-of-control intelligence agencies, the fate of a whistle-blower - richly dramatized with the singular storytelling mastery that has marked all of his internationally best-selling novels.. As evidence of the most malignant deceit mounts and spirals inexorably toward the uppermost levels of government, Picquart is compelled to question not only the case against Dreyfu