Sleepers Can Kill - New Zealand Cold War Story
Mar 26, 2022 0:13:00 GMT 12
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Post by Dave Homewood on Mar 26, 2022 0:13:00 GMT 12
I just happened upon this review of a book about Cold War communist spies in New Zealand. Sounds intriguing. From The Press on 8th of June 1968:
AMONG THE NEW THRILLERS
Sleepers Can Kill.
By Simon Jay. Collins. 256 pp.
The setting for Simon Jay’s entertaining and excellently written spy thriller is in Auckland and the surrounding countryside. The story begins in Italy just after the war when five Communists of varying nationalities are ordered to go to live in New Zealand, to establish unobtrusive cover personalities there and to wait for many years if necessary—until opportunity comes for them to be useful.
Twenty years later such opportunity comes when a scientist, working at the Engineering School of the University at Ardmore, perfects a weapon, based upon the laser principle, which will split an army tank in two with the ease of cutting butter with a hot knife. Just at the time when this invention causes the Communist spy cell to gird itself for action, a young New Zealander, Michael Connor, returns home, joins the New Zealand Security Branch, and sets out to track down the spies and protect the invention.
He is an insouciant chap but very good at his job. Soon the identities which the spies have separately built up over the years are torn apart by Connor and his associates and their means of communication—with headquarters at the Parnell baths —are discovered. Connor does not have roses, roses all the way and several times receives black eyes and other more serious contusions in the course of duty. Furthermore, the spies eventually get hold of information they seek and very exciting pursuits across familiar Auckland terrain follow.
Much of the action is set in the Auckland University, at Howick, at Kawau Island, at One Tree Hill and Mount Eden, at the Waterfront Road and Hobson Bay —and it all sounds thoroughly authentic and goes to show that “you never know.”
AMONG THE NEW THRILLERS
Sleepers Can Kill.
By Simon Jay. Collins. 256 pp.
The setting for Simon Jay’s entertaining and excellently written spy thriller is in Auckland and the surrounding countryside. The story begins in Italy just after the war when five Communists of varying nationalities are ordered to go to live in New Zealand, to establish unobtrusive cover personalities there and to wait for many years if necessary—until opportunity comes for them to be useful.
Twenty years later such opportunity comes when a scientist, working at the Engineering School of the University at Ardmore, perfects a weapon, based upon the laser principle, which will split an army tank in two with the ease of cutting butter with a hot knife. Just at the time when this invention causes the Communist spy cell to gird itself for action, a young New Zealander, Michael Connor, returns home, joins the New Zealand Security Branch, and sets out to track down the spies and protect the invention.
He is an insouciant chap but very good at his job. Soon the identities which the spies have separately built up over the years are torn apart by Connor and his associates and their means of communication—with headquarters at the Parnell baths —are discovered. Connor does not have roses, roses all the way and several times receives black eyes and other more serious contusions in the course of duty. Furthermore, the spies eventually get hold of information they seek and very exciting pursuits across familiar Auckland terrain follow.
Much of the action is set in the Auckland University, at Howick, at Kawau Island, at One Tree Hill and Mount Eden, at the Waterfront Road and Hobson Bay —and it all sounds thoroughly authentic and goes to show that “you never know.”
