Winter In Madrid by C.J. Sansom

 

Harry Brett never expected to find himself back in Madrid.  He had gone there during the Spanish Civil War to try to find a childhood friend, Bernie.  Bernie was always a Communist and had gone to Spain to fight.  He was reported missing and suspected dead after a horrendous battle.  Harry met Bernie's lover, Barbara, and together they searched but had to admit defeat and the loss of Bernie.

Now it's 1940 and Harry has been taken out of the military due to injuries he sustained at Dunkirk.  But there are still ways to serve his country.  He is approached about returning to Madrid as a spy.  Another childhood friend, Sandy Forsyth, is there and the English government suspects that he has information about Spanish gold reserves that could make the English blockade of goods and food less effective.  Harry reluctantly agrees to go.

Sandy seems thrilled to see Harry again.  Harry is shocked to discover that Sandy is living as a married couple with Barbara.  There does seem to be a big gold project that Sandy is working on and he invites Harry to invest in it as well.  In the meantime, Barbara discovers that Bernie is still alive, secretly imprisoned in a Spanish prison camp and starts to make plans to help him escape.  How will this all work out?

C.J. Sansom is an English author who focuses on historical works and is best known for his historical mystery series set during Henry VIII's reign.  In this work, he focuses on the Spanish Civil War which is an area that will be new to many readers although most will be familiar with Franco who emerged victorious from that conflict to rule Spain for many years.  Harry is a decent English man who is at a loss as to what his life will be next.  He, Bernie and Sandy all attended one of the many English private boarding schools that make up many English males lifetime friends and network.  The privations and hardships of the Spanish population after the war are not well known by most readers and Sansom makes it real.  This book is recommended for historical fiction readers.