The Black Shrike / The Dark Crusader by Alistair MacLean

Am back to reading some of my old favourites. While I have not remembered anything of the plot and characters of this book from past readings, one phrase from here has stuck in my mind. The hero a spy tells, ‘You and me and the lights of London’, to the lady who is his partner in this story as a reassurance that when and not if they got home they would have a night out in London. Not sure why that line has always remained with me, could it be because some of my family lived there and that I subsequently went there myself?

This is a spy thriller where a bunch of world famous scientists (who were developing a new kind of rocket) and their wives have disappeared. Note that in the newer spy thrillers like those by Colin Forbes the scientists are of both genders. It says something about the times when these were written to indicate more of a male dominated society. So Benton from Her Majesty’s Secret Service is sent out with a female partner as scientist and wife team in response to an advertisement just like the earlier disappearances. They are of course kidnapped and seem to be doing well despite the adversities. They seem to be falling from frying pan into the fire as the plot progresses. They reach an island which is inhabited by famous archaeologist and his team but Benton thinks there is something fishy about the whole dig and sets to find out what they have got themselves into.

The discovery of what is happening on the other half of the island suddenly puts a completely different light to the crux of the plot. While the lady is a supportive of all the forays of investigation by Benton he soon realises that she is not a tough spy and that he had fallen in love with her. This is one story where everyone does not live happily ever after. Of course the hero wins and the baddies get their comeuppance. The epilogue is where the final twist is. This was something I am sure the reader did not anticipate while reading the book. It is this twist, that makes reading Alistair MacLean always a pleasure to read.