The German Agent Now Available in U.S.

My new thriller, The German Agent, is now available in the United States.

A quick blurb:

A ruthless German spy is torn between love and duty in this powerful espionage thriller

February, 1917. A lone German agent is dispatched to Washington to prevent the British delivering a telegram to President Woodrow Wilson – by any means possible. For this is the Zimmermann telegram: it contains a devastating piece of news which is sure to bring the USA into the war on the side of Britain and her allies.

Having fought in the trenches himself, Max Volkman knows that America’s involvement will only prolong the slaughter of innocents and is implacable in his determination to kill the British envoy carrying the telegram. But when his pursuit of the Englishman leads him to the home of American heiress Catherine Fitzgerald, wife to one of Washington’s most powerful politicians, he is presented with a terrible choice: loyalty to his comrades in the trenches or the loss of the one woman he has ever truly loved.

His decision will determine the outcome of the First World War.

Also see my earlier post re the inspiration and historical background of the novel. Also see a lengthy interview at The Big Thrill.

Here’s what some of the critics are saying about The German Agent:

“Jones is generous with his action sequences, most of which find Volkman barely escaping capture. He’s also dexterous at re-creating the sights and sounds of Wilson-era D.C. You can almost smell the cigar smoke and hear the sighs of hand-rubbed leather as this story transports you inside retreats of the privileged. And its street scenes—filled with the rattle of automobiles as they claim increasing dominance over roadways—and episodes in the city’s less-tony quarters show Jones to be a writer who can strike that careful balance between demonstrating his historical research and maintaining his tale’s momentum.” —Kirkus Reviews

“Beautifully written and the details of the period hold great interest … the agent is initially determined to carry out his role and there are some good chase sequences and the way in which he stalks the British man carrying the relevant information is fascinating.”–Thinking about Books

“This book is centred around one of the most intriguing diplomatic incidents of World War I – the Zimmermann Telegram.”–Crime Fiction Lover

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The German Agent–A World War One Thriller

It’s been a hundred years since the beginning of the ‘war to end all wars’, and there have been a spate of books published this year looking at all aspects of World War One. I add a fictional element with The German Agent, a thriller set in Washington, DC, in 1917. Though the war had raged in Europe, the Middle East, and even parts of Africa for three years, the U.S. did not join in hostilities until 1917. The German Agent provides background to how we got involved in the international stage and is also a good, old-fashioned thriller in the style of Ken Follett.

The German Agent is available in England at the end of  September, and coming to the U.S. market in January, 2015. First a quick blurb, and please read on for a post on the inspiration for the book:

A ruthless German spy is torn between love and duty in this powerful espionage thriller

February, 1917. A lone German agent is dispatched to Washington to prevent the British delivering a telegram to President Woodrow Wilson – by any means possible. For this is the Zimmermann telegram: it contains a devastating piece of news which is sure to bring the USA into the war on the side of Britain and her allies.

Having fought in the trenches himself, Max Volkman knows that America’s involvement will only prolong the slaughter of innocents and is implacable in his determination to kill the British envoy carrying the telegram. But when his pursuit of the Englishman leads him to the home of American heiress Catherine Fitzgerald, wife to one of Washington’s most powerful politicians, he is presented with a terrible choice: loyalty to his comrades in the trenches or the loss of the one woman he has ever truly loved.

His decision will determine the outcome of the First World War.

Read Full Post »