A Pure Double Cross - By John Knoerle - BOOK ONE of the American Spy Trilogy

Summary (Back Cover): Cleveland, 1945. OSS spy Hal Schroeder returns from two harrowing years behind German lines. The horrors of war have left him bitter and cynical.

He is recruited by the FBI to infiltrate the Cleveland mob, to conduct a series of escalating sting operations that target elusive crime boss Teddy Briggslavski, a.k.a. Mr. Big.

Hal signs on, planning to double cross the feds, pocket their front monmey and disappear. He strugglews to walk the double cross tightrope between the G-men and the mobsters until the FBI gives him the final sting, a huge payroll heist.

Hal Schroeder goes to his long-sought meet with Mr. Big, confident he can turn the heist plan to his advantage and make off with a bundle. but he gets a very unpleasant surprise. Three very unpleasant surprises.

My Review: I am a huge lover of spy stories. Combine a spy with organized crime, and my brain fills with images of deception and shady forms of adventure. I have also always been fond of 40s era books and film. John Knoerle definitely captures that era with his story.

It was nice walking the streets along with Schroeder and clearly visualizing every sound and almost feeling the chill in the air of Cleveland near Christmas time. Each locale whether a deli or a jazz lounge and dance parlor. These details really bring the reader into the story.

Schroeder is a man who has seen the dark side of the war and lost so much while serving his country as a spy. There are no accolades for spies and he has experienced loss that has pushed him to a decision to look out for number one. He is recruited by the FBI to infiltrate a mob, and he is going to do just that, but he is going to get his as well.

This story had so many ups and downs for Hal. I never knew myself what side he was on and what side the FBI was on. Where they really there to even support him in what they hired him to do? This definitely helped you move along the story with some knowledge of what Hal Schroeder was going through. I was kept wondering if he would follow through on his plan or would he be caught by the mob, FBI or both.

Pros - Great, solid characters, excellent plot, fabulous locations, and a good laugh here and there. I enjoyed the story very much.

Cons - It did take me a while to read, and that is not usually the case. At times there were some details that seemed to extend scenes longer than necessary.

All in all, I enjoyed reading A Pure Double Cross. It was a nice escape from the mysteries that I have read lately that have had a romantic component to them. Sometimes I just want to focus on the suspense.