Customer Reviews

The Kremlin letter

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Noel Behn was one of the greatest Cold War novelists focussing on espionage stories.

The Kremlin Letter is his best novel, following a young naval officer as he is mysteriously thrown out of the navy to be recruited by an ageing collection of mercenary spies.

The outdated group are hired by a collection of government agencies to try to find a mole in the Kremlin.

Set against the fall of Kruschev, the novel captures the attitudes of both the Americans and the Russians during this important time in history. Written just three years after the Cuban Missile Crisis, it is surprising to find an author unfazed by the idiotic governments around him.

The book is also a shock and a joy as it includes scenes of S&M, clear references to homosexuality and covers some of the brutal methods that information was gathered from prisoners. The book also shows both the Russians and Americans reduced to animals using depraved methods to gain the upper hand.

garethhardy39@hotmail.com

This forgotten Cold War blockbuster starts off kind of slow with long sections of puzzling ciphers laid out in choppy communiques. When things pick up the story's populated with a slate of characters with anonymous monikers like the Highwayman and Warlock, and they're a little hard to keep track of, plus the hero's kind of bland. When the espionage mission itself starts up, the proceedings are like a cross between Mission: Impossible and a Harold Robins' novel as there's lots of cold war sexual kinks thrown in. All told, the book's first half is interesting, but unremarkable and dated. Then at about the two thirds mark the action kicks into overdrive with shocking betrayals and reversals and lots of breakneck action that you'll barrel through. Great stuff, served with unsparing grit. A final brutal kicker is reserved for the novel's very last line.

Behn wrote a fantastic spy novel in "The Kremlin Letter." I became acquainted with the story when I saw the movie while in high school (1970). I ran accross the book 10 years later and it is even better--but it was one of those rare movie/book combos that are closely matched such as the original "Manchurian Candidate" and "Night of the Generals." I recommend it highly. The ending is exquisite.

There are many great spy novels. There are many authors with multiple great titles, such as John Le Carre.

This is my favorite. It's short, tense, packed. There's evil and traces of good. It's spy noir, if you will.

The style is unique, probably not for everyone. Its hard to imagine a sequel.

One wonders what the movie is like: Orson Wells, Max von Sydow, Richard Boone, George Sanders ... and a Supposed DVD that's unavailable everywhere.

I could not believe it was difficult to find. Amazon had a resource for me so I could purchase this book. Thanks

this older title hasn't lost its intrique with those who enjoy spy thrillers.it bring reality to the table that this probably happens everyday in our society.