Spies of Jerusalem (Paperback) (ISBN-13: 9781790104116)

Palestine, 1917.

A land of conflict. And a land of spies.

As World War One rages on the killing fields of Flanders, another battle is playing out in the Holy Land.

British forces invade a stronghold of the Ottoman Empire, fighting German officers, Arab conscripts and Turkish troops.

But as the British armies advance, the Germans suspect they have a traitor within their ranks.

An agent - code-named Daniel - is transmitting messages to the British from the heart of the German headquarters.

If they can't stop him, the war will be lost.

But as the Germans dig deeper, they discover an espionage ring called Nili made up of Zionist Jews supporting the British.

They begin to close in on the ring.

But will they ever unearth the true identity of Daniel?

And what is the true purpose of the organisation known as Nili?

In this gripping novel, Colin Smith interweaves the stories of British Tommies, German officers and Jewish nationals.

In a tale of intrigue and espionage the hunt for Daniel turns into a race against time, as the British prepare to meet the Austrian troops on the brutal battlefield at Huj.

Spies of Jerusalem brilliantly blends fact with fiction in a novel that will appeal to fans of Alan Furst and and John Le Carre.

Praise for Colin Smith

'Excitingly told, moving and rather chilling' - The Sunday Times.

'A rumbustious thriller-spy-war story set in Palestine 1917, culminating in the cavalry charge by the Warwickshire and Worcestershire Yeomanry against Austrian artillery...his wide panorama is consistently interesting.' - The Financial Times.

'He has captured marvellously well the atmosphere as well as the reality of the Middle East in 1917...As for the description of the famous charge at Huj, I defy any reader to control a rapid beating of the heart.' - The Daily Telegraph.

'An excellently researched and well written saga...' - Yorkshire Evening Post.

'A work of fiction cleverly woven around a cast of real-life characters and historical events... a good read.' - Coventry Evening Telegraph

'Colin Smith brings two special talents to his recreation of Allenby's Palestine campaign: he was once a soldier and writes of the Other Ranks with insight and authenticity; and he spent much of his working life as The Observer's Middle East correspondent... more than an immensely readable tale, a vivid reminder that the countries of the Middle East have been formed in the crucible of treachery as well as battle.' - Esmond Wright. Contemporary Review.