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Pantheon

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Pantheon

By: Sam Bourne
Narrated by: Julian Rhind Tutt
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The darkest secrets of World War II… finally revealed. The number one bestseller returns with his most explosive book to date.

Europe is ablaze. America is undecided about joining the fight against Nazism. And James Zennor, a brilliant, troubled, young Oxford don is horrified. He returns one morning from rowing to discover that his wife has disappeared with their young son, leaving only a note declaring her continuing love.

A frantic search through wartime England leads James across the Atlantic and to one of America’s greatest universities, its elite clubs and secret societies – right to the heart of the American establishment. And in his hunt for his family, James unearths one of the darkest and deadliest secrets of a world at war…

 Action & Adventure Historical Mystery, Thriller & Suspense Thriller & Suspense Fiction War Military Suspense Mystery
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Critic reviews

***** ‘Shifting his focus from hi-tech present day conspiracies to a very dark chapter of the second world war, Bourne has proved he can more than rub shoulders with the likes of John Le Carre and Robert Harris.’ Mirror

‘Pantheon is a propulsive, satisfying novel which burns with moral indignation, earning Bourne his place at the thriller-writers' high table.’ Guardian

‘Ingeniously constructed … a page-turner which maintains the tension’ Observer

‘An intelligent thriller with a vividly drawn wartime atmosphere’ Independent

‘A compelling story that combines the personal traumas of war, its headline dramas and the tragic tension that can arise between them. A disturbing delight.’ A D Miller, author of SNOWDROPS
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Another terrific novel by Sam Bourne. I can't wait to read more of his books. This is on a par with The Final Reckoning which I just loved.

Fantastic read!!!

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I had imagined that it would be a "Nazis come to Britain" tale but was wrong. It was a thriller without too much blood! As another reviewer mentioned, I found the main character a bit of a self pitying whinger and thought this padded out the story too much. However, I enjoyed the book. I found the narrator - who I think is exceptionally good normally - a little bit too hammy at points. Sorry!

Very well written and atmospheric tale.

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This is the first book I've encountered by the author and will certainly be seeking out more. The story starts slowly as one gets to know the characters. I needed to concentrate as the early chapters switch back and forth between the Spanish Civil War and the early years of the Second World War to establish the back story of the main character Dr Zenna. As the story unfolds it becomes an extraordinary thriller that reminded me of Robert Goddard's books where a man is pitted against unknown malign forces in his search for the truth. The book really gathers pace once Dr Zenna begins his quest to find his wife who has mysteriously disappeared. I couldn't stop listening as I was eager to find out what would happen next.
I was fascinated to learn that the background to the story is based on facts that emerged after the War and the author has cleverly woven in a fictitious story to fit in with the facts.
The narrator is very good.

A thriller that gathers pace

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As a REAL Sam Bourne fan I was giddy with excitement when I started listening to this. The 'hero' of the part is somewhat of an anti-hero who has psychological issues that form an interesting side plot. Not S. Bourne's best yarn IMHO but that may be because of my lack of ability to delve into the story at the required depth. The basic premiss though is really fascinating and there is further reading suggested by the author, Well worth a read/listen.

Challenging

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Whilst the story is fictional it is cleverly based on a series of actual events which occurred during the early years of WW2. An arrangement between Yale and Oxford University meant that wives and children of the privileged classes were shipped to America for their protection when it was thought that Germany might invade England and America had not yet committed to helping the allies. Dr James Zennor arrives home early one morning to find his wife and child have disappeared and so begins the trail of intrigue. I found the characters interesting, the book extremely well written, well read by Julian Rhind Tutt and without giving anything away, I found the conclusion to be well crafted and satisfying. Will be dipping into another Sam Bourne book quite soon.

Highly recommended

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