Agile Retrieval

Never gave this one a proper review because I hadn't read it for a while, but can after re-reading it. Sort of a change of pace, as Nile and O'Toole help a CIA agent hunt for Nazi gold in a divided Berlin. Neo-Nazi's also want Hitler's gold as the SOB's duo prowl around East Berlin for an ex-SS agent. Some pretty decent action, along with the usual amounts of gore for this series. The female Stapo agent is ice-cold and nasty with her razor-bladed nails. It all culminates in the "explosive" unearthing of Hitler's bunker and the reveal of the true nature of the gold...which was disappointingly on the inside cover of the book.

This episode takes place in mid-eighties Germany in the wall divided city of Berlin. Information has been discovered by various factions that a hidden cache of gold stolen by the Nazi regime is hidden somewhere in the city. The SOBs role in this is an unusual one to say the least, and thus begins the story. For this adventure Barrabas and O'toole are the featured members for much of the book, but a couple other do join them later. A lot of focus is also on an old friend of Barrabas, an agent named Brown. This was a good character, and his tie-in with the plot was interesting and was almost like an extra member of the team at times. Other factions after the gold included a group of young neo-Nazis, and these guys were as evil as you might expect. A rogue female East German Stapo officer, seemingly inspired by Freddy Krueger, was also after the gold. The action scenes involved along the way were good, and the final scenes in the underground tunnels ratcheted up the tension to an explosive ending. Although this book's setting is dated, it still is an excellent action thriller, and as enjoyable as the author's previous work. The impact of the reality of what was eventually discovered may have been a shock to some, but was not really all that unexpected if any knowledge of what went on in the concentration camps is already known, but an interesting twist at the end nevertheless. O'toole gets married in this book, the only time the whole team is together, but for the most part, this is Barrabas and O'tooles time in the spotlight, with Beck and Nanos getting a piece of the action at the end. Another fun read from Hardy, again recommended reading here.

The start of this title finds our hero Barrabas cooling his heels in an Amsterdam prison cell nursing a massive bump to the back of his head and a splitting headache after being arrested by the local coppers in the process of dismantling a dyke in a hotwired front end loader to drown the city. This monstrous out of character action is a result of being dropped by his missus and the consumption of massive amounts of alcohol where in the cold light of day he is thinking to himself well it sounded like a good idea at the time. Needed by the Fixer for a mission he is released from prison into the Fixer and the Mad Irishman's custody who has his own agenda having been recently married to the nymphomaniac he has been potting for the last six months and is considering leaving the SOB's. The mission this time is to locate a CIA operative in Berlin Germany (this is set prior to the wall coming down) who has been ordered home as his cover is blown and has refused to do so the obvious conclusion being he is either a double agent or has turned. Off we go with just Barrabas and the Irishman for most of the title where the CIA guy is located but has a very fanciful tale indeed of lost Nazi millions in gold and he thinks he knows where it can be located. Well the East Germans coupled with the Russians are not having a bar of this surprise surprise and in conjunction with a local Nazi group are all doing their best to stop the SOB's. Good action scenes especially approaching the later stages of the title and some good characters introduced maybe the standout the Blond who has a penchant for razor blades which fit nicely between her extremely long fingernails. Yet another good read in this series and recommended reading.