Ken Follett is one of the top ten suspense authors. Before his epic historical novels like The Pillars of the Earth, his genre was spy thrillers. Eye of the Needle came out in 1978 (originally titled Storm Island) and remains exciting and intense. Instead of the global threats spy novels propose today, he keeps the story tight, with just a few characters locked in an emotional and hands on battle to outwit each other. In 1979 this was awarded the Edgar Award for best novel by the Mystery Writers of America.
1940: Germany has been sending undercover spies into England to report on upcoming attacks, mostly without success as the Germans fail to fit in, mostly getting themselves caught. One of the last and best is Henry Faber who goes by the alias die Nadel, for his trademark stiletto weapon. He has discovered the Allied plot to convince Germany the D-Day landings would occur at Calais, and not Normandy. Desperate to report this ruse to Hitler himself, he travels to the east coast of Scotland, eliminating anyone in his way, and steals a trawler to try and reach his contacts in a U-boat. He crashes and is washed up upon Storm Island.
Lucy and her husband, an ex-RAF pilot now wheelchair bound, and one other caretaker live on Storm Island. In a loveless marriage, Lucy brings Faber into their home, and gradually falls for the unknown stranger. Meanwhile, British Intelligence has been hot on his trail
Spies and counter-spies, British Intelligence and German military right up to Hitler, this has an encompassing story full of history and war-time machinations, but I can't think of better thriller - tightly paced, well-written characters, tight momentum that kept me on the edge of my seat, I couldn't put down. Finding out that Operation Fortitude, in which fake bases were outfitted with cardboard tanks and dummy soldiers was a real event, as well as the attempt to infiltrate England with undercover agents was completely interesting. Again, the history only serves as a backdrop for intense emotions, as Lucy becomes trapped on an inaccessible island with a ruthless killer she has falling in love with!
Thriller fans: this is one to seek out
Eye of the Needle was made into a terrific film starring Donald Sutherland and Kate Neligan in 1981.
1978 / Paperback / 445 pages
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