The Deceiver [Mass Market Paperback]

Frederick Forsyth (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 1, 1992

Appearing before a panel of his peers, long-time field agent Sam McCready, known for an independent style that often drives him beyond the rules, must defend his unorthodox exploits or face termination. Reprint. NYT. K.

Editorial Reviews

From Kirkus Reviews

Forsyth's stalwart tribute to the spies who came in from the cold: four thriller-novellas featuring the intrigues of British superagent Sam McCready. With the cold war over, the Foreign Office has decided to retire its veteran spies, beginning with McCready, the ``deceiver''--head of Britain's disinformation desk since 1983. McCready balks, demanding a hearing at which his assistant relates four of McCready's most daring exploits. The first and longest, ``Pride and Extreme Prejudice,'' is at once the most suspenseful and melancholic. Here, McCready, having ``turned'' a top Russian general, sends spy-pal Bruno Morenz into East Germany to accept the Russian's latest gift--the Soviet Army War Book; but, unknown to McCready, Morenz has just killed a cheating mistress and is cracking up. When the East Germans catch on to Morenz, who panics into hiding, McCready must sneak across the Iron Curtain, find Morenz, retrieve the book, and deal--irrevocably--with his friend. Also subtly shaded with the grays of spydom is ``The Price of the Bride,'' in which McCready learns from a pro-West Soviet source that the CIA's new prize, defecting KGB colonel Pyotr Orlov, is actually a double agent bent on falsely implicating a top CIA-man as a Soviet mole. It's a masterful spy-vs.-spy battle of wits as McCready sets out to unmask the Russian and save the marked Yank. Less enthralling but still offering solid action and brilliant local color are the two final tales, with McCready acting pivotal but minor roles as he displays his prowess against non-Soviet threats. In ``A Casualty of War,'' he foils an IRA-Qaddafi gun- running scheme, while in the semi-humorous ``A Little Bit of Sunshine,'' he foils a Cuban takeover of a Caribbean island. Not a sizzler like The Day of the Jackal or even The Negotiator (1989) but more resonant than either, with shades of le Carr‚ and Deighton: sophisticated, shrewd, roundly satisfying spy- stuff. (Book-of-the-Month Split Main Selection for November) -- Copyright ©1991, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 496 pages
• Publisher: Bantam (June 1, 1992)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0553297422
• ISBN-13: 978-0553297423
• Product Dimensions: 4.2 x 1 x 6.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (21 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #589,478 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Frederick Forsyth is the author of fifteen novels and short-story collections. He lives in England.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Interesting Book Structure, April 11, 2002

By 

John G. Hilliard (Toronto Canada) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Deceiver (Mass Market Paperback)

Not a bad little page-turner. First off the structure of the book is four stories that all have one character placed in each one. It was fun to explore how the author does it. I liked the different story lines; most of them have been done before, but not this well or with this type of structure. The book sneaks up on you and really sucks you in. You find your self almost hurrying to the next page because the suspense builds through to the end of each of the stories. Very good characters with competent development and well thought out roles within the story. I would have liked a bit more detail on the locations. Overall, this is a good old spy novel.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fabulous, January 25, 2001

By 

buddyhead (Taxachusetts) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Deceiver (Mass Market Paperback)

This book had everything- suspense, action, psychological thrills, and clever plot twists. And, to boot, there are four stories that each are independent of the other, yet are interwoven in that they trace career highlights of the Deceiver.

Forsyth's attention to detail is startling in light of the complexity of the stories he tells. He is one of the few espionage-slash-action writers I can stomach, because his style is so vivid and clean. This book is excellent and is every bit as good as Jackal and Odessa File.

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Worthwhile Book, May 17, 2001

By 

Antônio (São Paulo, SP Brazil) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Deceiver (Mass Market Paperback)

This book comprises four short stories featuring spymaster Sam McCready.

Story #1 is a masterpiece of action; your heartbeat will confirm this as you turn page after page avidly. The way McCready has to kill the very friend he is there to save is pure drama. One of the best compositions by Forsyth ever -- teachers should assign it for children to read at school.

Story #2 is the state-of-the-art of psychological twist. Until the last page you will not know who is telling the truth or lying. Thank you Fred.

Story #3 does not take after the two previous ones; it is good but not as gripping as those are. You will not let unnoticed the vast research job Forsyth has done to describe places and situations in such a detailed manner. ...

Story #4 -- Forsyth not in his best; he was actually having a bad day.

Because of its fluent prose and intricate plots, I can recommend “The Deceiver” -- a really worthwhile book.