Review: AN ENJOYABLE READ WITH IMPROBABLE DERRING-DO
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 05 25, 2014
Let’s review the premise of “Debut for a Spy” by Harry Currie.  We have a Sinatra wannabe Canadian lounge singer, David Baird (Michael Bublé?), with a military background as light as that of Elvis Presley.  There’s his wisecracking buddy, House Paynter, who has friends in secret places and who has a few secrets of his own.  Then there’s a Russian woman of Dutch descent, with the marvelous name of Marijke Templaars, who works for a Soviet cultural attaché at the Russian Embassy.  She is, of course, a ravishing beauty whom David lusts after, captures, and immediately finds reason to doubt the heartfelt emotion she professes in return.  Stir in a mixture of characters from Canada, Great Britain, Scotland, and Russia, some good and some bad, and that’s the cast.David gets recruited for a low level assignment as a Soviet observer, allegedly to keep an eye on suspected Russian spy activity concerning a secret VTOL aircraft.  His involvement escalates and he becomes a super hero, including flying the complicated aircraft with apparent ease and with the gratuitous sanction of those involved with its development.  He is immersed into a deep spy world, dueling with evil Russian agents and assassins, fighting and killing his way into their hearts where he sings for them on a cruise ship filled with Russian diplomats.  His Russian squeeze, who might be suspected as being somewhat duplicitous, turns out to be so connected to our hero by body and soul that she endangers her own life to cover up his activities.  Or does she?  I can’t go into much more detail other than to say that David is quite a guy.Sounds a little contrived, doesn’t it?  Well, it does border on being unbelievable.  But the author does a great job of making you forget all that.  I settled in for an entertaining read and marveled at Currie’s amazing writing ability.  I was transported to an almost comic book world of derring-do and amazing feats of strength, skill, and twisted subterfuge.  I had fun.I recommend this book for those who also want to have fun.  Don’t get too concerned about the implausibility of some of the action or dialogue.  Think about a lazy afternoon with your nose in a comic book, imagining yourself in the role of David Baird, singing old standards to an adoring audience before throwing a man out of a building.  Thank you, Harry Currie, for the refreshing read.Schuyler T WallaceAuthor of TIN LIZARD TALES