I first read this many years ago and it is just as good as I remember. The characters are well written and convincing. I particularly like the way Harry’s personality is revealed - partly through his actions, partly through the observations of others, and partly through his interior monologue that reveals the doubts and uncertainties that his outer confidence and skills hide from the world.

It is interesting to get a glimpse into the attitudes of the different groups - army, spies, Whitehall and politicians - and, whilst this was written a long time ago (pre mobile phones - what a difference that can make to a plot!) I doubt the fundamental attitudes have changed that much.

There is a certain amount of technical information, as the book concerns the hunt for a missing tank of revolutionary design, but not so much that it would be tedious for the reader whose knowledge of car maintenance is limited to knowing when to take it to a mechanic.

A very good read. Now I want to re-read the others in this series ( )