Bryan Edgar Wallace was the son of Edgar Wallace and was a moderately successful thriller writer in his own right. A lot of his books have been adapted in Germany as krimi films although the films bear little resemblance to the novels.
Cockston is a very successful crook, so successful that he has never been caught and although he has come to the attention of various European police forces no-one is certain of his real identity.
The Device begins with Cockston making a lucky discovery. He runs across a crazy old scientist doing bizarre experiments with mice. Cockston sees the potential for the device the scientist has invented. It could be the key to unlimited wealth and power. There are a number of organisation in various countries that might be very very interested in this device.
I’m not going to reveal the secrets of the Device but Cockston is very impressed by its effects on those mice.
Bill Tern (who also featured in Bryan Edgar Wallace’s previous novel) is a British counter-spy, presumably working for MI5. All he has to go on is a series of curious murders. Four people thrown from cars at high speed in circumstances that suggest that one person on his own could not have committed the crimes. The curious thing is that the murder method is identical in each case but there is absolutely no apparent link between the victims. On this case Tern has a partner - Inspector Quil of Scotland Yard.
And while there are suspects linked to each murder there are no obvious connections between the suspects. The only other clue is a pair of cuff-links but this clue makes the case more confused.
There are two women involved either of whom might turn out to be dangerous (you can’t have a spy thriller without dangerous women).
The bad guys test the Device and it exceeds all their expectations. Unlimited power is within their grasp.
It is now a race against time for Bill Tern and Inspector Quil. The British Government is keen to use the Army to solve the problem, against the strong advice of Tern and Quil. They fear that this could backfire very very badly.
There’s definitely an assumption that if it’s possible to handle a crisis with cynicism and ineptitude the government will handle it that way.
If Bill Tern has a weakness it is women. He finds it difficult to think the worst of a woman once he has become emotionally entangled and he gets emotionally entangled rather easily.
The only gadget in this spy story is the Device itself but it is a pretty formidable one.
The bad guys are a mix of straightforward crooks, home-grown political agitators and agents of a foreign power. This is certainly a Cold War spy thriller.
Bryan Edgar Wallace might not have been quite the writer his father was but The Device is a solid entertaining spy novel. Highly recommended.
I’ve also reviewed Bryan Edgar Wallace’s Death Packs a Suitcase.
If Bill Tern has a weakness it is women. He finds it difficult to think the worst of a woman once he has become emotionally entangled and he gets emotionally entangled rather easily.
The only gadget in this spy story is the Device itself but it is a pretty formidable one.
The bad guys are a mix of straightforward crooks, home-grown political agitators and agents of a foreign power. This is certainly a Cold War spy thriller.
Bryan Edgar Wallace might not have been quite the writer his father was but The Device is a solid entertaining spy novel. Highly recommended.
I’ve also reviewed Bryan Edgar Wallace’s Death Packs a Suitcase.
