Portrait of the Spy as a Young Man

A fascinating fictional account of the French Resistance in World War II. It's told by William Catesby and is a sort of prequel to the 6 part series of books about Catesby and his work as a British spy. Now in his 90's, he is dictating his memoirs of his time in Occupied France to his granddaughter Leanna. We learn that he left Cambridge University in 1941 to join the army but ended up as an officer with the SOE (Special Operations Executive) an organisation set up by the British Government 1940 with the aim of conducting espionage, sabotage and reconnaissance in occupied Europe. There's a detailed account of Catesby's training before he is parachuted in to Occupied France to aid the Maquis with whom he shares the successes and failures in their battle against the German occupying forces and French collaborators. Although the author Edward Wilson stresses that this is a work of fiction, Catesby's memoirs provide an engrossing account of a British agent's experience fighting with the French Resistance. A wonderful blend of spy story, romance and the realities of war. Catesby's views are perfectly summed up when he tells Leanna: "That's why writing history is so difficult. Those in power drip feed the past - and edit what they pass on." Recommended for anyone with an interest in the real story of resistance in World War II, this is a worthy addition to the Catesby series.