First edition - 1966
The Venetian Affair started for Bill Fenner in Paris at the end of Summer in 1961; for John Craig it is Spring in the same city just over three years later. The Nazis and Communists are once again cast as the villains - in fact, the main threat belonged to the latter faith while for a short while pretending to be of the former. MacInnes format rarely deviates - innocent men/women have to die - in this case a Professor Sussman, a Jew who recognised the SS Colonel named Berg, who had actually been Insarov, a Communist agent all the time He is supported by Konstantin Makarov/Uncle Peter, another Russian; a French agent, Duclos, is amongst the fatalities. The scene switches to Athens and then to the Greek island of Mykonos. On the way, Craig is caught up in the complex power politics of the CIA, MI5 and the Deuxieme Bureau. Of course, there is the usual very pretty American girl, Veronica Clark - smooth black hair, pale fine skin, lips soft in colour and in shape, dark eyes perhaps blue or grey...below the coat, her legs were slender, excellently shaped... - and, slightly unusually an American double-agent, who had a security job in NATO. There is also a striking female communist agent, Maritta Maas/Erica - pale gold hair was perfect, slightly negligent, yet carefully in place; triangle of green shadow on each eyelid made the eyes look truly green.
Unlike many present thriller writers - Raymond Khoury, Chris Kuzneski, Scott Mariani - MacInnes uses quite different characters in each book. This time, however, there are personnel from previous stories. From The Venetian Affair: Frank Rosenfeld only figures in the first section of the book, staying in Paris with Michael Partridge taking over his role; but Chris Holland, now a half-colonel in the British Intelligence, is again an important part of the narrative. Moreover, gorgeous red head Mimi, first seen in a skimpy bikini on the Lido beach in Venice, is back with a much more important job in this tale. Finally, there is Elias, with his easy smile, brightly intelligent brown eyes, a thin dark moustache stretched over sensuous red lips, and gleaming white teeth, fresh from his exploits in Decision at Delphi.
America and Americans (well, nearly all) are the good guys: when we detain a Russian or satellite citizen in the United States, we have an honest case against him. We have real evidence. The communists are bad: The Russians invent evidence. I found it mildly amusing that the Communists tried on the same ruse that the Germans tried at the end of John Buchan's The Thirty-Nine Steps - seemingly playing an ordinary game of cards when the amateur walked in on them.
The Salzburg Connection (Collins, 1969), the second book is, obviously, mainly set in the Austria Alps, but also, briefly in New York and Zurich. This time the evil Nazis and evil Russian Communists are joined by the evil Chinese Communists. The Nazis are determined to keep their secrets safe in a lake; the Communists and others equally determined to find them. The Nazis are clear in their other aims: we don't give up, we don't compromise. And we have a cause. Universal peace through world domination. Why should we let the Communists have that plum? Against them are ranged the CIA, MI5 and the Austrians. The novel is occasionally too convoluted, but the usual fierce pro-Americanism comes through, as always supported by the determined amateurs: Bill Mathieson, a lawyer, and Lynn Conway - slender and long-legged, auburn-haired and blue-eyed. The link with a previous MacInnes novel this time is Johann Kronsteiner, who was a sixteen year-old working for the Tyrolese in Horizon.
First edition - 1969
Both Maritta Mass in The Double Image and Elissa/Eva/Elisabetha in The Salzburg Connection try it on with the hero; both blonde (although Elissa dyes it dark brown for Salzburg). This time the 'traitor' is Austrian not American. There are several heart-pulling deaths, before the evil ones get their deserved comeuppance. Essentially, the leitmotiv is, as always, a clarion call against totalitarianism
I must admit, MacInnes's endings are getting repetitive:
Decision at Delphi: He kissed her lips, her cheeks, her lips.
The Venetian Affair: He caught her, drawing her close to him. Their arms encircled each other, and held.
The Double Image: "We'll have plenty of other things to talk about." He kissed her once more.
The Salzburg Connection: Then his eyes looked into hers. 'And so are these.' He kissed them in turn. 'And so is this'. He kissed her mouth.
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