Review: Page-turning suspense for spy-fans!
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 11 25, 2012
A must-read for all fictional espionage fans, Desmond Cory's Secret Ministry centres on Johnny Fedora, professional killer for British Intelligence, whose assignment is to kill "Gestapo men, Army officers, quislings, traitors -  anybody that we consider[ed] better dead than alive."  It follows that the story is set in the post second-world war world, where discovering and eliminating undiscovered German agents is crucial.Fedora is, as his boss Squires relates, "twenty-six years old; five foot eleven; good looking; first class shot."  Although described as having "used a gun instead of a rattle" in his younger years, his character is multi-faceted, with his passion for music - he is a talented pianist - proving an escape from the everyday demands of being a secret assassin.At the centre of this story is the Three Diamonds, a nightclub where a number of interesting characters are introduced, including the sultry songstress, Davina, whom Fedora must uncover whether is with or against him.  Without spoiling the plot, Fedora must unlock the secrets behind the work of various secret German agents, intricately involved in the drug trade across borders, before they can wreak havoc on Britain.  At times, this is more detective novel than standard espionage.  None the less, it is page-gripping stuff, and will have readers hanging on till its very end, as Cory gives little away.Written by an ex-British Commando, Cory's plot is realistic, clever and exciting, with blood spilt from the very first chapter.  For fans of spy fiction, Secret Ministry is well worth the small cover price.  Bond fans, in particular, may be keen to explore the world of Johnny Fedora who, unbeknownst to many, came before the well-known James Bond character, and is a colourful but sensitive character in his own right.Favourably, Fedora features in over 15 novels, which allows the reader to develop a relationship with the character and his characteristic nuances.  Given that Secret Ministry is the first Fedora novel, it is the ideal starting point to entering his inevitable world of suspense, suspicion and survival.