The Lisbon Crossing [Mass Market Paperback]

Tom Gabbay (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 25, 2008

Summer 1940. With Europe in the iron grip of Hitler's war machine, stuntman Jack Teller arrives in neutral Lisbon on the arm of international screen legend Lili Sterne. The German-born actress has given Jack the job of finding her childhood friend, Eva Lange, who escaped Berlin one step ahead of the Nazi terror. But he's not the first to come looking for Eva. The man who preceded him—top Hollywood detective Eddie Grimes—ended up dead . . . on the night he found Eva.

Following leads that take him from the glittering nightclubs of the Estoril coast—where he rubs elbows with the likes of Edward, Duke of Windsor, and his scheming wife, Wallis Simpson—into Lisbon's dank and seedy backstreets, Jack searches for answers among the deceptions and lies of the dangerous city. A shattering discovery along the way takes him to the perilous boulevards of occupied Paris and propels him into the heart of a nightmare, where his actions could change the course of the war.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Gabbay's second historical thriller to feature Jack Teller falls short of the high standard set by his debut, The Berlin Conspiracy (2006). Teller, who in 1940 is working as a Hollywood stuntman, has to leave town fast after having an affair with the wife of studio head Charlie Wexler, who hires a hit man to deal with Teller. Lili Sterne, a German film star whose career is on the skids, asks Teller to accompany her to Lisbon, Portugal, to help her childhood friend, Eva Lange, who may be in danger from the Nazis. Teller and Sterne get into all kinds of trouble during their European travels, meeting the duke and duchess of Windsor as well as various spies and counterspies. Teller, who finds himself mixed up in a conspiracy to deliver England into Hitler's hands, must figure out how to save the British Empire while still avoiding the hit man. There's plenty of action, but a surfeit of dialogue, flat characters and skimpy geographic detail, especially given the exotic locations, undercut the energetic storytelling.
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Review

“You’ve got your spring vacation reading right here. . . . Raymond Chandler-esque.” (Forbes )

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Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 336 pages
• Publisher: Harper (March 25, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0061188441
• ISBN-13: 978-0061188442
• Product Dimensions: 6.8 x 4.2 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,139,951 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Tom Gabbay was born in 1953 in Bloomington, Indiana. After studying painting in London and Philadelphia, he began his career in New York, producing animated films for the well known children's program Sesame Street. In 1985 he joined NBC television in Los Angeles as Director of Children's programs. During his tenure at the network, he also served as a Director of Comedy Programs and Creative Director of NBC Europe. In addition to his novels, (The Berlin Conspiracy, The Lisbon Crossing, and The Tehran Conviction) he has written several screenplays and contributed political cartoons to the Philadelphia Daily News. www.tomgabbay.com

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Jack is back!, May 10, 2007

By 

Francie Gust (Laytonsville, MD USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Lisbon Crossing: A Novel (Hardcover)

When we last met Jack, we were in Berlin in 1963, 5 months before the assassination of President Kennedy in Dallas (cf. Berlin Conspiracy). We now find ourselves at another turning point in the 20th century -- Europe in 1940 -- and Jack will once again become a part of history. As with the author's first book, we know what happened eventually (in this case, the Allies saved Europe) but there is much we don't know. Gabbay succeeds brilliantly in weaving a tale that could have happened, and once again, we are on the edge of our seats as the tale unfolds. I'm eagerly looking for the third installment of a Jack Teller trilogy and wondering what pivotal moment in time will provide the backdrop for Jack's next adventure.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Thrilling Yes, Sophisticated Not As Much, May 30, 2007

By 

R. E. Rieder (Corrales NM) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Lisbon Crossing: A Novel (Hardcover)

There is something enticing about reading about life leading up to or during the second world war. We all know about the battles, the generals, the invasions and the bombs, but what about the people who didn't fight it, just tried to live through it. Alan Furst is the master of life in France and other parts of Europe during the conflict. His characters are the writers, the diplomats and some very bright women. Joseph Kanon is a bit closer to the dark side. Gabbay, on the other hand, writes as if he is producing a script for the movies. The women are beautiful and the male lead, an unemployed movie stunt man, is from the streets. He speaks like Sam Spade or Guy Noir would if they were around in 39-40 and even mentioned sex. There is not a lot of introspection or history here. The 2000 year history of Portugal is covered in one sentence. But there is an abundance of action, murder and intrigue. Its a page turner which is hard to put down because, unlike the war, the reader does not know how it is going to turn out. Don't read too many reviews, start at the beginning and don't peek at the end.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Truly Thrilling Read!, May 16, 2007

By 

Zara Light (Oak Park, California, USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Lisbon Crossing: A Novel (Hardcover)

What a fantastic novel! Tom Gabbay does not disappoint with his second effort. I found this prequel to be just as entertaining, fast paced, well written and exciting as the first, if not more so. This book was virtually unputdownable and the story stayed with me long after I reluctantly finished the last page. I would highly recommend this book.