REVIEW: A Dangerous Game by Mandy Robotham
London, 1952. Seven years after the chaotic aftermath of World War II, London has is coming alive again, with jazz clubs and flickering cinema awnings lighting up the night sky.
But for widowed Helen ‘Dexie’ Dexter, she’s still a woman in a man’s world. She longs to prove herself as an officer in the London Metropolitan Police, yet she’s stuck intervening in domestics and making tea for her male colleagues.
Then Harri Schroder arrives, seconded from Hamburg to the Met. Haunted by the loss of his wife and child, Harri is unlike any man Dexie has ever known. Compassionate and sharp-witted, he sees her not as a threat, but as an intelligent, canny officer full of potential.
And when Harri is tasked with hunting down a Nazi war criminal-turned-respected-businessman, with connections to the upper echelons of British society, it’s Dexie he turns to for help.
But as their bond deepens, a deadly fog engulfs London. Dexie and Harri must expose the fugitive before he vanishes, risking everything for justice – and each other…
CW/TW –
Spoiler: Show
Dear Ms. Robotham,
After meeting and coming to like and admire Hamburg detective Harri Schroder in “The Hidden Storeyteller,” I was delighted to see that he would be the MMC in another book. As there was no romance in that first book – since Georgie was (and remains) married – I went into this one just looking for a good historical fiction thriller.
Harri is a bit annoyed when his chief tells him that Harri is being seconded to the Met for a month. Harri loves England, speaks fluent English, and would enjoy a holiday but he’s got murder cases piling up and court appearances to attend. When he is told there’s no choice in the matter, he thinks that at least he might have the chance to refresh his threadbare wardrobe in London shops that have a bit more choice and quality than Hamburg. Arriving and having a week to see Georgie and her family – and get a new overcoat and yes! a trilby – makes him happy.
Of course the police station to which he’s sent has no clue about why he’s there but that finally gets straightened out and Harri is now faced with hunting an old acquaintance whom he once thought a friend before that man showed his true bullying colors after which he went on to rise among the SS during the war. Harri’s the only person who might be able to recognize the man. Oh, and this needs to be done in only days for Reasons.
But Harri knows who might help him. WPC Helen Dexter, aka Dexie, has impressed Harri with her street smarts, determination, and (almost) A-Z knowledge of London. Dexie jumps at the chance to get out of the horrible uniform shoes that torture her toes as well as prove her chops. Neither is expecting this to be easy and indeed they are forced to turn to a former eastern European resistance fighter and spy for some help.
British intelligence can’t just haul in the man they suspect did the financial bean counting which sent millions to their deaths because he’s got friends in high places and due to political sensitivities. Before they do, they need to Be Sure he’s the guy. Still I’d have thought that they could do a little bit more to help Harri and Dexie but okay. Right when they think they have a bead on him, the horrible smog of December 1952 drops on London and everyone is stumbling into lamp posts, choking on vile air, and lost in their own city. But of course as much as this might hinder the hunt for the villain, it will also hinder his hunt for them because of course the tables will be turned.
This was the scariest and most thrilling part of the book. Harri and Dexie are pretty much on their own and beginning to wonder just how much they can trust the people who are supposed to be on their side. Some are scary, some are emotionally or physically damaged, and one won’t look them in the eye as he dodges their questions. Can any spy ever be trusted? Our two also discover that there’s something they haven’t even been told. Meanwhile a ghastly sulfurous yellow smog coats everything including the back of their throats.
Along with tracking a Nazi and trying to also stay ahead of him and his goons, Harri and Dexie do some soul searching about past relationships and actions. These two are the type who agonize over this type of thing and coming clean helps them reconcile themselves to their past and then to their present lives. Harri is also still doing the balancing act of a postwar friend who used to be an enemy during the war. He is also appalled at how Dexie’s male colleagues treat her and gives his history about how he avoided being a male chauvinist: reason? a lot of strong women in his past. Yay.
I like that Harri and Dexie use their strengths to get themselves out of trouble. They think and also employ their training, instincts, and skills. They’ve also got a secret weapon on their side. I loved that aspect. Harri is impressed with Dexie as a police officer and she is at first astounded and then inspired by the fact that he trusts her as a colleague. And yet they’re both human and at times make mistakes and missteps which I think makes them seem more human.
As these two get to know each other, they forge a working relationship. The blurb hints at something which delighted me. Yes, Harri and Dexie both deserve this as well as what MI5 and the Met decide. This is a great follow up book for Harri, presents another strong female lead character in Dexie, and uses the Great Smog with excellent atmospheric tension. It also kept me up way past my usual bedtime just to read one chapter more. B+
~Jayne
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I had to go back and read your review of the first book, which I missed. Thanks, I love this time period.
@Darlynne: If you’ve watched “The Crown” you’ll remember the episode with The Smog. If I hadn’t have seen that show and how hard it was to see a foot in front of your face, I would have doubted that the event was real. It plays a major role in this book.
I’m a read-series-in-order person, but despite your positive review, I don’t think The Hidden Storyteller is for me. How “lost” might I be if I read A Dangerous Game without reading the author’s previous books set in this time period?
@LML: Not lost at all. If Storyteller isn’t for you, don’t worry at all about not reading it. I still haven’t read the first book in the series and did fine with Hidden Storyteller. This book takes place years later. Harri meets up with Georgie (FMC in Storyteller) while he’s in London in this book but her part is small.
@LML: And thank you for asking the question as I should have remembered to say something about this but didn’t.
@Jayne, thanks. Your review and the plot intrigue me so I’ll read it and who knows? Perhaps doing so will send me back to the author’s earlier books. There are a lot!
I really liked this book and I thank you for bringing it to my attention. I loved Helen and Harri and Mrs. P and Scooter. The book was full of things that I like best including wonderful characters and an exciting plot. I also thought that the moral questions it raised were important and worth thinking about. Thank you again for steering me towards another great read!
@MEB: I’m so glad to hear that you liked it! Scooter was wonderful. I admit there was one scene that had me worried for Scooter but yay he comes through. Robotham seems to enjoy morally challenging her characters.
The audiobook is excellent, too.
This is currently on sale at Amazon for 0.99 cents.