FUNERAL IN BERLIN

Along with The IPCRESS File code 94978 this became a film starring Michael Caine, but the book is somewhat different in its chronically aching painful pace. 1963 and Berlin is dark and dangerous, and neither side of the wall is safe. Deighton's skilled, jaded anonymous hero of The IPCRESS File (Harry Palmer) is now set to arrange the defection, and the fake death, of a leading Soviet scientist. But behind the elaborate funeral and mock coffin, Palmer discovers this deception hides an even deadlier truth - the scientist may not be all he appears. The Russian Colonel Stok makes criticisms of Western capitalism, but from the other side there are side swipes against 'communism' - for example 'Capitalism is the exploitation of man by man. Yes? Well Socialism is exactly the reverse.' As with all in the series, excellent entertainment. 276pp, paperback.