Midnight in Europe

By: Alan Furst

Narrated by: Daniel Gerroll

Length: 8 hrs and 13 mins

Publisher's summary

Paris, 1938: As the shadow of war darkens Europe, democratic forces on the Continent struggle against fascism and communism, while in Spain the war has already begun. Alan Furst, whom Vince Flynn has called "the most talented espionage novelist of our generation", now gives us a taut, suspenseful, romantic, and richly rendered novel of spies and secret operatives in Paris and New York, in Warsaw and Odessa, on the eve of World War II.

Cristián Ferrar, a brilliant and handsome Spanish émigré, is a lawyer in the Paris office of a prestigious international law firm. Ferrar is approached by the embassy of the Spanish Republic and asked to help a clandestine agency trying desperately to supply weapons to the Republic’s beleaguered army - an effort that puts his life at risk in the battle against fascism.

Joining Ferrar in this mission is a group of unlikely men and women: idealists and gangsters, arms traders and aristocrats and spies. From shady Paris nightclubs to white-shoe New York law firms, from brothels in Istanbul to the dockyards of Poland, Ferrar and his allies battle the secret agents of Hitler and Franco. And what allies they are: There’s Max de Lyon, a former arms merchant now hunted by the Gestapo; the Marquesa Maria Cristina, a beautiful aristocrat with a taste for danger; and the Macedonian Stavros, who grew up "fighting Bulgarian bandits. After that, being a gangster was easy." Then there is Eileen Moore, the American woman Ferrar could never forget.

In Midnight in Europe, Alan Furst paints a spellbinding portrait of a continent marching into a nightmare - and the heroes and heroines who fought back against the darkness.

©2014 Alan Furst. All rights reserved. (P)2014 Simon & Schuster, Inc. All rights reserved.

Superb spy stuff _1938 Spain

What made the experience of listening to Midnight in Europe the most enjoyable?

The narrator had just the right speech pattern to tell the story so that it sounded as though one was right there whether in Paris or Spain.

What did you like best about this story?

I love reading (listening!) About the 1930's Europe..

What about Daniel Gerroll’s performance did you like?

Superb!

If you were to make a film of this book, what would the tag line be?

Romance and Treachery

Any additional comments?

Great read_Alan First is the best at this era.

WW II Thriller

Great novel. Enjoyed it and look forward to another Alan Furst novel. Highly recommend this book.

HEDONISTIC ABANDON

Alan Furst creates a sense of foreboding, isolation, and hedonistic abandon before WWII in "Midnight in Europe". It is 1938. The Spanish Civil War is raging. France and England are kowtowing to Hitler’s land-grabbing demands and false concessions. By the end of the year, the Franco/English appeasement agreement in Munich will be signed and Czechoslovakia will be ceded to the Nazis.

Spies lurk in Paris’ bars and crooks work on the fringes of clandestine arms’ and munitions’ deals. The spies are working for their governments. The crooks are lining their pockets at the expense of nationalist patriots.

There are several tales of derring-do in Furst’s book but this genre of fiction is overdone and nothing new about pre-war Europe seems revealed by Furst’s effort. Furst is a good writer but he needs a new story line.

Hypnotic Slow Burning Novel

Alan Furst is one of best known authors in the spy genre and Midnight in Europe definitely reflects that.

The dread, resignation, and basic humanity of the characters is gripping, although the plot and storyline is on a slow boil and more meanders than builds. It's the sort of novel that's perfect for an extended read to sink into and get through slowly, and Daniel Gerroll's deep and gentle narration was perfectly suited for it.

This style of writing is generally Frust's trademark, but I would recommend Furst's The Spies of Warsaw for a similar experience with slightly more drama.

A little bland

I didn't enjoy Alan Furst's style that much. His writing seemed choppy and somewhat dull. The audio performance was adequate.

A great read...

This was a really great story, well told and with plenty of historical information.
I think there is one more book in the series and I’ll be quite sad when it’s over.

Not quite as good

Very good but not quite as good as the previous book in this series. I can't pinpoint exactly what was wrong.

The narration was spot on!

I’m a fan of Alan Furst, but..,

I’ve listened to or read pretty much all of his work. This book was not his best work. Nor was the narration particularly good.

Arming Franco's Opponents on the Eve of World II

This is another great book from Alan Furst, loader with atmosphere and “you are there” feeling about it.

The central focus is a tale of spies and arms trading on the even of World War II. The Spanish Civil war is at its height. Franco is winning, but the Republican forces are struggling on. But they need weapons and other forms of aid.

The central figure in this book is Cristián Ferrar, a Spanish émigré, a lawyer in the Paris office of a prestigious international law firm. He gets involved with a mysterious figure of Max De Lyon who is an arms trader working for the Republican force.

The book is a serious of stories of arms trades which takes the duo from Warsaw to Odessa and Berlin in their business to secure supplies, illegally for the republican forces. On these trips they become involved with a series of mysterious, and shady characters who supply them with guns, oil, bullets etc. These people have little morals or scruples and for some it is all about the money – the cause is irrelevant so long as they get money. It is a dirty grubby business and Furst, like the consummate writer he is deftly brings to life this business and the cost in human lives and money and the cities they go to for their business – from Turkish Brothels to shoveling coal on a stolen Railway train there is the feel of Europe on the even of war.

It is a gripping story and if you are interested in the late 1930’s this is the book for you. Furst does not disappoint. The reader is excellent and adds to the story immeasurably. He gets the voice and tones just right

Another human story coming out of the pre-second world war…

This is another fantastic book from a fantastic author. I periodically read his book simply because too many at a time or two much. The human aspects and the development of character are just too real. I find myself identifying with each as they develop and move and change direction. It is much like life, not quite sure where it's going or exactly where it's coming from just knowing where the minute is… This is a beautiful book with beautiful characters. I would recommend it to absolutely anybody.

The author is as per usual true to the history, while building drama around events with known outcomes… The list, cast, of characters as the key players move through the book are wonderful, exciting, personable, and in all parts human The topic is tragic, and that we are dealing with some very serious outcomes of the pre-second world war era, but yet at the end I can truly say it is a beautiful book. This author never fails to please.