Corpus: A gripping spy thriller

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Clements spins his wheels within wheels to enjoyable, if mind-boggling, effect. Pay attention if you don't want to get lost: it works for thrillers and American Presidents alike. * South China Morning Post * I was a huge fan of the John Shakespeare series and love every single book. Corpus was an enjoyable read... * Lis The Bookworm * Tom Wilde is asked to investigate on behalf of the Americans as the British are trying to hush up the situation and Roosevelt wants to know what is going on. This book sets off in the year 1939, after a short but intriguing prologue which is set in June 1931, in the month of August until November, with Europe on the brink of WWII, and the destruction, horror and the inevitable deaths that war will certainly bring. Not really, to be honest. And neither did the author, as it were- as the main plot regarding the murder/suicide/whatever is not even solved.

With his main plot line Clements subtly draws attention to the unsavory links of the British Royal Family to the Nazis. Edward was pro-Nazi, and Hitler most certainly would have installed him as a puppet Monarch had England been invaded, whilst Wallis Simpson was well known to be likewise minded and scandalous rumor of the time had her to be an old lover of Joachim Von Ribbentrop. How much of this is true and how much is suspicion due to Royal blood ties to the former Kaiser and German aristocracy who later became ardent Nazis remains a matter of historical speculation. Great new character, upbeat pace, low cunning plot, a fine read'. -- Jon Wise * The Sport newspaper *A suicidal overdose and the murder of upper class Cecil Langley and his wife are two events that may be unconnected. However this is England in 1936, a magnet for opposing forces and their first moves in preparation for the coming conflict, assisted or prevented by a royal crisis (depending on which side you're on). Cambridge history professor Tom Wilde may fall into the middle of this accidentally to begin with but his curiosity has been piqued enough to ensure he's not walking away. IT'S NOT SOLVED. We're left wandering as to what really happened, but again, by the time I finished the novel, I couldn't care less. For all I care, she overdosed by the heroin while hallucinating about floating on a spaceship, being used as test subject by aliens who wants to invade earth....

I heard about this book on the “Meet the Thriller Author” podcast. Great way to hear about writers in the genre that you don’t know. Listening to Rory Clements speak about his book he mentioned his protagonist, Tom Wilde, a professor and OSS agent. I thought it might be fun to read it on that basis as well as the germ of the idea for the book was borne from conspiracy. In WW2 the Duke of Kent died in a plane crash on a relatively clear day, with an experienced crew and no apparent mechanical problems. The fallout of war casts its long shadow on 1930’s England. While fragile teacups clink innocently against their saucers in houses up and down the country, the elements of conspiracy are frighteningly close and its darkening divide has the potential to alter the course of history as we know it. Yes indeed, Corpus is dominated by misdirection and kept me on my toes throughout.The novel is inspired by the real-life events surrounding the death of King George V’s brother, the Duke of Kent, in a plane crash in the far north of Scotland in August 1942. All but one of the occupants of the plane were killed, including the Duke. The author has used the continuing mystery surrounding the circumstances of the crash as the starting point for a story involving wartime atrocities, covert operations and a conspiracy at the heart of the British establishment.