Huzzah for Flashie. This book is in two parts. Firstly his meeting a mysterious woman in London along with the sour Otto Von Bismarck. This meeting leads to Flashie organising some not so delicate facial work for Otto and starts a chain of events that will see a dramatic alteration in the geography of Europe (in the second part). Who would have though Harry Flashman had that in him. George MacDonald Fraser write in a style that pulls you in and then along at a franctic pace. This is a ripping yarn by a subpurb storyteller. Flashman as the anti-hero is fantastic (whilst being his self-serving self) as he goes from one scrape to the next. One of these days, he will learn that women will be the death of him. Then again, maybe he just wnt!

Flashie continues his way through 19th century history with the verve, style and low cunning as in his first adventure. As with that book the historical research is first class as is the story that is woven around it. There's a bit of royalty in this adventure and Flashie gives us his honest and cynical view of them all.

Flashie continues his way through 19th century history with the verve, style and low cunning as in his first adventure. As with that book the historical research is first class as is the story that is woven around it. There's a bit of royalty in this adventure and Flashie gives is his honest and cynical view of them all.