Frankie’s Letter

Set in 1915, this suspenseful tale of WWI espionage from Gordon-Smith (Trouble Brewing and five other Jack Haldean mysteries) introduces British spy Anthony Brooke, who’s posing as a doctor in Kiel, Germany. Brooke’s cover is blown after a fellow spy, Terence Cavanaugh, is mortally shot and leads the Germans to his door. Just before Cavanaugh expires, he warns Brooke of the need to stop a spy in England—a gentleman who “[s]eems to know everything”—and a plot to attack a large passenger ship. Brooke manages to escape to England, where his boss informs him that the Lusitania has been sunk with a huge loss of life. By chance, Brooke is able to make some sense of one of Cavanaugh’s clues, a reference to “star’s anger,” to get a lead on the person aiding the German cause. The revelation of that individual’s identity may be a letdown to some, but most readers will hope to see more of Brooke. (Feb.)