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Captain Alfred Horn is the highly skilled pilot chosen to fulfil a top-secret assignment. Under the impression he is to test-fly for Messerschmitt, Horn puts up little resistance.However, he soon becomes aware that this assignment he has embarked upon is more than just test-flying a modified long-range Me110. Curiously, he is also put in the hands of a highly skilled tailor! What could a tailor possibly have to do with test-flying the Me110?On his first and only flight on the Me110, Horn is ordered to take the gunner’s seat rather than piloting. His role in this flight was clearly to be a navigator or instructor. Horn is shocked when he realises that the pilot is none other than Deputy Führer Rudolf Hess, second to Adolf Hitler in the German Reich.The mission soon becomes apparent to Horn. Shot down by a lone spitfire, Horn and Hess parachute from the Me110 over Scotland. Injured, Hess is captured; but not before he passes on his mission to Horn.In hospital, Hess gives his name as Horn but he is soon recognized and the British are gobsmacked that they have the second most powerful man in Nazi German in their country! So who is Horn? Does he exist? Is there a German flier on the run in Scotland? Soon a ruthless manhunt begins …Meanwhile, Horn takes the first step of the mission as directed by Hess. However, misinformed, he misses his contact and has to settle for Kay Thompson, his contact’s assistant. Fortunately she is clued up and harbours Horn until they realise there is no other alternative but to go America.Armed with the knowledge that could change the course of the war and alter the lives of millions, Horn continues his journey to deliver the information into the right hands … but to whom? Who can he trust? Can he prevent a World War III?
When Captain Alfred Horn is recruited for a clandestine flight, he discovers he is the unwilling accomplice to Rudolf Hess’s high-stakes defection to Scotland. Horn finds himself thrust into a dangerous game of survival after the mission goes awry, leaving him stranded in enemy territory with critical intelligence that could shift the balance of the war. As he navigates a landscape filled with suspicion and pursuit, he must rely on an unexpected ally to evade capture by British forces. The narrative unfolds through a high-tension lens, tracking Horn’s desperate attempt to deliver classified information while questioning the true nature of his own identity and the motives of those he encounters.
This novel utilizes a well-known historical anomaly to construct a speculative thriller that prioritizes momentum and suspense. The narrative relies on the tension inherent in the 'man on the run' trope, effectively placing the protagonist in a precarious position where every interaction carries the risk of exposure. By weaving fictional elements into the established history of the Second World War, the text creates a sense of urgency that propels the reader through the Scottish landscape. The focus remains squarely on the mechanics of the mission and the shifting alliances that define the protagonist's survival, resulting in a work that emphasizes plot development over character introspection.
Page Count:
279
Publication Date:
1978-01-01
Publisher:
Collins
ISBN-10:
000222237X
ISBN-13:
9780002222372
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