The Great Impersonation

Rating:
Summary: An absolutely thrilling story.
Review: I first read The Great Impersonation twenty-five years ago and the memory of that first reading still keeps me breathless each time I reread this masterful story. The characters are well drawn (although they are typical of the genre - Pre-WWI, English upper class, and "foreign" royalty), the pace is swift, and the plot is both simple and ingenious. Although I consider myself savvy when it comes to "thrillers", Oppenheim kept me in great suspense until the very last page. In subsequent years, I have read as many of Oppenheim's books and stories as I can get my hands on - about a dozen, obtained from used book stores - (he wrote hundreds - practically all of which are out of print), and these certainly vary in quality, but I can state, unequivocally, that The Great Impersonation is his best, and, in fact, one of the best stories of all time.

Rating:
Summary: Looking for a Jolly Good Read?
Review: This is storytelling at its peak. Although a rather just-state-the-facts author, Oppenheim created a delightful story by doing just that: weaving facts into a web that cannot be deciphered until the final chapter. He led the reader through a seemingly straightforward spy novel, only dropping hints at what was to come. This is a great read for anyone who likes their classics served with a twist.