Cox put the cases down on the bed. Achmed thought of the things he could tell: the crucial meeting in Beirut in 1938, his trip to Berlin, his great coup in Istanbul . Widely considered a classic, it is a psychological thriller about a young woman who becomes obsessed with her husband’s first wife. Then there had been the long train journey, wondering what his desert cousins would be like, and whether they would despise his pale body and his city ways. Without the camel he could not go far. Another great novel by Ken Follett. He smelled roast lamb. Where does your accent come from?”, The sudden question, unconnected with what had gone before, took Wolff by surprise. Hate to use the old cliches, but this is a page turner that is likely to keep you up late. Cox began to turn, saying: “What do you want with all that—” Wolff pulled the wicked curved Bedouin knife, and it glinted in his hand as his eyes met Cox’s, and Cox flinched and opened his mouth to shout; and then the razor-sharp blade sliced deep into the soft flesh of his throat, and his shout of fear came as a bloody gurgle and he died; and Wolff felt nothing, only disappointment. I love Ken Folleit. Please purchase only authorized electronic editions, and do not participate in or encourage electronic piracy of copyrighted materials. His calm was deserting him now. Ken Follett is generally a pretty good writer. It had surely been intended to, he thought: Captain Newman was a sharp-witted young man. Published by New American Library, a division of Penguin Group (USA) Inc. First New American Library Trade Paperback Printing, February 2002. The Key to Rebecca by Ken Follett, 1981, New American Library edition, in English Movie & TV guides. Cliff Robertson stars as a British major who is determined to capture an elusive German spy during World War II.The spy in question, played by David Soul, has disguised himself as a British subject and is squirreled away somewhere in Cairo. Bring your club to Amazon Book Clubs, start a new book club and invite your friends to join, or find a club that’s right for you for free. Not for him the hours of agony and encroaching madness—that would be undignified. After Jane Hoyt's journalist husband disappears, she arrives in Hong Kong determined to find him but instead meets shady shipping magnate Hank Lee. The code mentioned in the title is an intended throwback from Follett to Daphne du Maurier's famed suspense novel Rebecca. There was a problem loading your book clubs. His mind emptied of hopes and fears and he concentrated on the compass and the sand. Then you can start reading Kindle books on your smartphone, tablet, or computer - no Kindle device required. “I like to pay them surprise visits.”, They were entering Assyut. Nobody ever used the flaps, and the younger officers usually cut them off, they looked so ridiculous. He saw the case was full of money so the spy killed him. “I got a bit lost.”, “You’ve been out here all night?” The captain looked more closely at Wolff’s face. Perhaps it was just that he was staying awake late, reading detective stories under the sheet by the light of a flashlight. Small rocks moved in his path like scampering rats. Carefully, Achmed picked it up and put it back. He would be able to get rid of Cox in the lobby of the hotel, then get something to eat and drink while he was waiting, if he was quick. . “I’ll carry your bags upstairs.”, “Wouldn’t trust ’em, sir, if I were you.”. He would just have to make the best of it. You're listening to a sample of the Audible audio edition. His tranquillity was practiced. He would have to go into the place, for Newman would watch. The traveler understood that this was not, after all, an illusion; and he smiled faintly and collapsed. It also analyzes reviews to verify trustworthiness. “Well, thank you.”. Praise for Ken Follett and his bestselling novels, “Ken Follett can hold his own with the best.”, “Masterful. Reviewed in the United States on January 5, 2021. What reason was there for Intelligence to get involved? “The name Wolff is Dutch, originally; and I was christened Alex after the town where I was born.”, Newman seemed politely interested. The Key to Rebecca is, like most Follett novels, a treasure to be relished by any bookworm. Wolff’s mood darkened as he realized that his plan of slipping unobserved into Egypt might have failed. He ate some cold boiled rice while the unhurried work of the encampment went on around him. I own a house in Cairo. Was he sleeping badly? Ltd.), Penguin Books India Pvt. A researcher's life is in danger when she discovers a secret cloning operation. He picked it up, replaced the cap and threw the bottle into the wastebasket. In the evening he had realized that these people had no toilets, and he became desperately embarrassed. Deliberately he made himself calm. Well, as I said, I was expecting more from a Ken Follet novel. Unfortunately, his bankroll was counterfeit English currency, which was the start of all manner of trouble for both the spy and the stalwart English officer on his tail. And he was sure he was close to the well: by his reckoning he should have been there. Apart from one or two brief desert scenes (and one on a train) and occasional references to donkeys, the action could have taken place almost anywhere, rather than in Egypt. My papers are all genuine. He managed to forget the pain of his ravaged body and put one foot in front of the other automatically, without thought and therefore without effort. “Will you keep this for me?”, “Yes.” Ishmael took it. He thought about stopping. The only response was to say Inshallah: It is the will of God. “I can’t honestly say I’m panting to get back into the desert, but I’d like to be doing something a bit more positive than this, minding the shop hundreds of miles from the war. “It won’t take me—”. The scanning, uploading, and distribution of this book via the Internet or via any other means without the permission of the publisher is illegal and punishable by law. A brilliant and … The peasants, bent over their crops, wore galabiyas, simple shifts of striped cotton, instead of the cumbersome protective robes of the nomads. Now he had to admit he was not in good condition. You’d better have a lift with us.” He turned to the jeep. That's the wise rationale behind Follett's new WW II thriller, which recycles the same basic scenario—now in 1942 Cairo instead of 1944 England—that made Eye of the Needle such a winner. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental. When he tried to put on the shoes he discovered that his feet had swollen: it was agonizing to attempt to force them into the hard new leather. Look out for Ken's newest book, A Column of Fire, available now. He made the three cases into a bundle and tied the clothes, the food and the sextant on top, strapping the lot together with a length of cloth. The jeep screeched to a halt in a cloud of dust. Your support of the author’s rights is appreciated. Much like 'Eye of the … Edition Description. He considered what he would do. Prime members enjoy FREE Delivery and exclusive access to music, movies, TV shows, original audio series, and Kindle books. They climbed the leeward side of a small hill, man and camel planting big clumsy feet in the inconstant sand, and at the top they stopped. He was still not thinking hard enough or fast enough. Honestly, any other author, and I would have just read through and cared less. The story uses several historical figures as actual secondary characters rather than mentioned third parties--Rommel, Kesselring, Anwar Sadat--a historical fiction trope that was in fashion when it was written in 1980, though rarely used in more recent historical fiction. A man who had been walking all night would be only too glad to have someone take his luggage. He brushed the soap on and began to shave. It had always been like this: throughout the year the two boys had spent together in the desert, Ishmael had never failed to wake first in the morning. He had to forget all that now, and think instead of policemen and papers and locks and lies. The Desert War was a close-run thing, the brilliant Rommel won time after time until Monty stopped him at El Alamein, and this book takes you to the heat, smells and dirt of war-time Cairo with an exciting baddie v goodie tale with a bit of romance thrown in for good measure. To calculate the overall star rating and percentage breakdown by star, we don’t use a simple average. . There would be more camels, too. It’s a Ford. Achmed finished his breakfast and went back to his baggage. He is truly is one of my absolute favorite authors. He carried his bag into Ishmael’s tent and shooed out the women. Keep track of everything you watch; tell your friends. The Key to Rebecca is a novel by the British author Ken Follett. He wanted more: a hot bath, a haircut, cool soothing cream for his sores, a silk shirt, a gold bracelet, a cold bottle of champagne and a warm soft woman. Today, it remains one of the best espionage novels … A pity because one feels that Ken Follett could have made a better job of it, judging his undoubted talents from the evidence of his other novels, Reviewed in the United Kingdom on August 20, 2020. The jeep drove through the busy, narrow streets. He thought again of the camel he had left behind, and how it had sat on the hillock, with the tranquillity of exhaustion, waiting for death. The road was like a line drawn on the map by God, for on one side were the yellow, dusty, barren hills, and on the other were lush fields of cotton squared off with irrigation ditches. I grew up speaking Afrikaans and Arabic.” He hesitated, nervous of overplaying his hand by seeming too eager to explain. Your recently viewed items and featured recommendations, Select the department you want to search in. They looked ahead, seeing nothing but another hillock to climb, and after that a thousand more, and it was as if the camel despaired at the thought. Wolff asked him: “Seen any action?”, “Some.” Captain Newman touched his own knee. I think you could get back to work now.”, “No hurry, sir,” Cox said cheerfully. Breakfast is ready.”. Oct. 27, 1996; See the article in its original context from October 27, 1996, Section 7, Page 28 Buy Reprints. He took it without thanking her and drank it quickly. Again the central figure is a Nazi spy with secrets that could change history: Arab-German Achmed, a.k.a. He knew the answer. Billy came into the kitchen and said: “Good morning, Dad.”, Vandam smiled at his ten-year-old son. Instead, our system considers things like how recent a review is and if the reviewer bought the item on Amazon. He took off his desert robes and donned a white English shirt, a striped tie, gray socks and a brown checked suit. He followed the compass wherever it led, resisting the temptation to divert around the hills, for he was navigating by dead reckoning over the final miles, and a fractional error could take him a fatal few hundred yards astray. Look out for Ken's newest book, A Column of Fire, available now. 'The Key to Rebecca' is another unyielding, page-turner thriller set in the backdrop of WW2, involving the Axis-Allied struggle to control Egypt. Snatches from the Surahs of the Koran had run through his head, mixed with bits of the Creed which his mother still taught him secretly, in German. Cox was a short, dark man with some kind of British regional accent which Wolff could not identify. But he never allowed that fear to take hold of him, to panic him, to use up his nervous energy. “Good Lord, I believe you have. He could not spare the water for one nor the firewood for the other, and besides neither method had a great chance of success. Oh, by the way—I’m Captain Newman.” He stuck out his hand. Reviewed in the United States on December 30, 2016. Reading the other reviewers' comments it seems to me that there are two schools of Ken Follett books: on the one hand there are the heavier historical trilogies, which I must confess I haven't [yet] tried, and on the other there are the lighter fast-paced thrillers; and "The Key to Rebecca" falls very much into the latter category mixing fact and fiction against the backdrop of the Allies' defence of Egypt from Rommel and his Afrika Korps in a tale of deception, lust, loyalty and love. Full content visible, double tap to read brief content. He picked up his hat and hefted the two remaining cases—one heavy, one light. It came around a bend and into sight, and he recognized it as a military jeep. Achmed fetched a little water in a bowl. He outclasses his competitors.”, The Modigliani Scandal Paper Money Eye of the Needle Triple The Key to Rebecca The Man from St. Petersburg On Wings of Eagles Lie Down with Lions The Pillars of the Earth Night over Water A Dangerous Fortune A Place Called Freedom The Third Twin The Hammer of Eden Code to Zero Jackdaws, Published by New American Library, a division of Penguin Group (USA) Inc., 375 Hudson Street, New York, New York 10014, USA, Penguin Group (Canada), 90 Eglinton Avenue East, Suite 700; Toronto, Ontario M4P 2Y3, Canada (a division of Pearson Penguin Canada Inc.), Penguin Books Ltd., 80 Strand, London WC2R ORL, England, Penguin Ireland, 25 St. Stephen’s Green, Dublin 2, Ireland (a division of Penguin Books Ltd.), Penguin Group (Australia), 250 Camberwell Road, Camberwell, Victoria 3124, Australia (a division of Pearson Australia Group Pty. He knew the desert, but he was afraid of it—all intelligent men were, even the nomads who lived all their lives here. A flock of birds flew over his head, whistling noisily. Billy came back wearing his school cap, and Vandam put on his uniform cap. Ok, I understand the story has to continue, but let’s put a little more effort into the writing and make it even close to realistic. Notable cultural references Literature I wish I could pull myself together, he thought; it’s the damn desert, it’s slowed me down. A brilliant and ruthless Nazi master agent is on the loose in Cairo. . His body was full of small aches. he thought. . He sat cross-legged in the open end of the tent to make his tea. That he would never be, but he had a little dignity and he was honest, and Vandam had not found those qualities to be common among Egyptian house servants. Thank you for your patience. “You want to rent a beautiful automobile? We can leave right away. I have read many, many of his novels and look forward to reading more. And, unfortunately, this was only the first of several rush jobs to keep the story moving. If you like a thriller that doesn't embarrass you every other sentence with poor dialog, awkward word choices, and the like, Follett is usually your man. One of the women, silent and subservient, gave him tea. Wolff was about to ask to be dropped at the railway station when Newman saved him from that error. “Corporal, take the gentleman’s cases.”. Highly recommended. Someone was touching his shoulder and saying, “Wake up, Achmed,” in the tongue of the desert. A vivid page-turner." Ken Follett is one of the world’s best-loved authors, selling more than 160 million copies of his thirty books. Often it was the only time he was with Billy all day. A small boy was working on a cylinder block with a wrench, sitting on the ground outside the entrance. They were heading the same way as he was, which meant he was on the right track, but he knew they could fly fifty miles to water, so he could take little encouragement from them. “Our spy in Cairo is the greatest hero of them all.”, (Quoted by Anthony Cave Brown in Bodyguard of Lies). Sadly, Kindle version is riddled with typos. Great book. There were three small European suitcases, two heavy and one light, all important. Ltd., 11 Community Centre, Panchsheel Park, New Delhi - 110 017, India, Penguin Group (NZ), 67 Apollo Drive, Rosedale, North Shore 0632, New Zealand (a division of Pearson New Zealand Ltd.), Penguin Books (South Africa) (Pty.) The first paragraph of this book is particularly excellent. a cleverly crafted, easily read novel.”, “Follett’s great strength is his female characters—they are smart, strong, independent, and when they love a man, by golly, he knows the game is up.”, “An absolutely terrific thriller, so pulse pounding, so ingenious in its plotting, and so frighteningly realistic that you simply cannot stop reading.”, “Can Follett write. They wandered at night in search of foliage to eat, and although they were hobbled they sometimes went out of sight. He gnawed at some dates and watched the camel die while he waited for the sun to pass overhead. A man answering the hitchhiker’s description had bought a ticket to Cairo at the railway station, but by the time the body was found the train had arrived in Cairo and the killer had melted into the city. See details - The Key To Rebecca VHS 1985 David Soul Cliff Robertson Ken Follett Thriller VTG Watch Sold by pickelbrand71 ( 1891 ) 100.0% Positive feedback Contact seller He looked at his watch: he had fifteen minutes left. There was an error retrieving your Wish Lists. Achmed grinned. Wolff turned to Cox. The sight of his own face in the mirror shocked him. But then the unthinkable happens. As the jeep turned in the dusty road he said: “Have you got any water?”. It is thus obvious that in the denouement there will be no ambiguous twist, and this reduces the overall drama. Achmed dipped his fingers in the water and washed his eyes. Vandam is likeable, smart, and long-suffering with an inept superior office, though perhaps he is a touch bland for the role of hero. “You’ve been very kind.”, “I don’t like to dump you this way,” Newman continued. He had seen camels collapse like this on the outskirts of an oasis, surrounded by life-giving foliage which they ignored, lacking the energy to eat. To get the free app, enter your mobile phone number. Wolff took out his wallet: perhaps Cox expected a tip too. Videos may take a minute to begin playing. Awful typos in Kindle version. “Thank you, Corporal. The road was half blocked by an ancient truck and the remains of a cannibalized Fiat. “My car has broken down. Ken Follett’s The Key to Rebecca took readers and critics by storm when first published more than twenty years ago. A small team of detectives solve crimes of a varied nature in Southampton. In Cairo during World War II, a German Agent tries to infiltrate the British command to lay the groundwork for Erwin Rommel's conquest of Egypt. He closed the book, replaced it in the case, and closed the case. Walking north on the road, smelling the cool damp breeze off the nearby Nile, observing the increasing signs of urban civilization, Wolff began to feel human again. Its head came forward and its neck stretched out, but it would not get up. He put on his hat, picked up his cases and set off in the cool of the dawn to walk across the last few miles of desert to the town. In the end he slit the shoes with his curved knife and wore them loose. The familiar sights of an Egyptian town pleased Wolf: the gay cotton clothes, the women carrying bundles on their heads, the officious policemen, the sharp characters in sunglasses, the tiny shops spilling out into the rutted streets, the stalls, the battered cars and the overloaded asses. After breakfast Billy brushed his teeth while Gaafar got out Vandam’s motorcycle. He said: “But why?”, “One gang of Europeans fighting with another over who shall sit in Cairo—what does this matter to the sons of the desert?”. They are like the nomads—they are proud, and cruel, and strong. One of his better efforts but that’s not saying much. He looked up, shading his eyes with his hand, and recognized them as Lichtenstein’s sandgrouse, desert birds like brown pigeons that flocked to water every morning and evening. The very tissues of the animal’s body, starved of nourishment, had simply stopped working, like a machine that has run out of fuel. There was a moment of silence, then they all burst out laughing. Ishmael was standing at his shoulder. There's a problem loading this menu right now. The beasts had no names, but Ishmael knew each one individually, and its history. Reviewed in the United States on May 1, 2018. Ishmael went away. Enter your mobile number or email address below and we'll send you a link to download the free Kindle App. . Originally published more than twenty years ago, The Key to Rebecca is one of Ken Follett’s most famous espionage novels. He refused to think about how much water was left: he was drinking six pints a day, he had calculated, and he knew there was not enough for another day. He would say: “This is the bull my father gave to his brother Abdel in the year many women died, and the bull became lame so my father gave Abdel another and took this one back, and it still limps, see?” Achmed had come to know camels well, but he had never quite adopted the nomad attitude to them: he had not, he remembered, lit a fire underneath his dying white yesterday.
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