The Contract - 1980

Summary
Discharged from the British Army in disgrace, Johnny Donoghue is eager to earn his redemption. His assignment is to slip into East Germany and arrange the defection of a top-flight scientist working on the Soviet missile systems. The British need him but cannot risk involving the Secret Intelligence Service.

No one warned Johnny, however, of the traps in store. No one reminded him how fickle politicians can be. No one really knew the horrific dangers of the East-West border.

And no one told him that the scientist's daughter was coming along too.

Extract
"Some do it," she whispered. "We see it on the television that comes over from the West..."
He shrugged, uncertain. "It is impossible."
"It has been done so it must be possible."
"If you saw it for yourself then you would not say that. There are automatic guns, there are mines, the wire is more than three meters high, there are dogs...vicious horrible things. If you saw the frontier you would not say that it is possible."

Reviews
"Hyper-successful escape thriller, not to be missed" GUARDIAN

"Tension alone would make The Contract an unusually satisfying thriller. In addition it has characters simply but deftly drawn...The writing is crisp and confident" DUBLIN SUNDAY INDEPENDENT

"Superior quality; taps more than just adrenaline and echoes" OBSERVER

"An unusually satisfying spy novel" PETER DRISCOLL