No Game For Amateurs
The Search for a Japanese Mole on the Eve of WW II
by
Book Cover & Preview Text
Once seated in front of the president’s desk the next afternoon, the president began with an unusual question. “Charles, are you a chess player?” “Yes, I started playing as a young boy and still enjoy a game when I have the time.” Charles was at a loss as to how chess could have anything to do with why he’d been asked to rush down to see the president. “Are you a good player?” “As a matter of fact, I am.” “Good. The task I have in mind for you requires the mental skills of a chess master. I have a secret to share and one that will require action by you.” Charles gave his full attention to the president. “We have a leak from someone in one of the intelligence organizations up in the “You mean someone is leaking secret information to journalists?” asked Charles. “No, it’s much more serious than that I’m afraid.” FDR hesitated a moment, deciding just how much to share with his young spy. “I’m going to tell you something that must not be shared with anyone, not even Vincent. “We’ve broken the Japanese diplomatic code and have been reading messages to and from their embassy here in “I understand, sir. You can count on my discretion.” “From reading their messages it is clear that the Japanese have recruited someone in one of our intelligence units and from the type of information being passed, it appears to be someone located in the “I’ll do my best, sir, but it’s going to be difficult to investigate military and government personnel. I’m not sure where to even begin,” replied Charles.
Formats Book Details As America moves ever closer to joining the World War, which is already raging in Europe and the Far East, President Franklin D. Roosevelt on occasion turns to his old friend, Vincent Astor, who happens to be the richest man in the country to carry out espionage missions. Astor has hired Charles Worthington, a recent Harvard Law graduate as his personal assistant, and it is to Charles that many of the espionage tasks fall. The initially reluctant Charles struggles with his own conscience as he is drawn ever deeper into this world of shadows, where murder and deception are commonplace and all is often not as it first appears. The breaking of the Japanese diplomatic code alerts President Roosevelt to the presence of a mole within U.S. Intelligence in New York and Charles is tasked with ferreting out this traitor. In his hunt, our amateur spy, who is not really what he himself claims to be, falls in love, encounters a fun-loving Japanese journalist, a sensuous, female Russian spy and gets an Italian mobster bodyguard. Charles’ life grows ever more complicated as he narrows his search to the most likely suspects and cleverly works to identify the mole as December 7th approaches. Mr. Coyle spent 30 years as a field operations officer in the CIA's Directorate of Operations, spending almost half of that time working abroad undercover; before his retirement in 2006. Returning to his alma mater, he now lectures at Indiana University. His first-hand knowledge of the murky world of espionage allows him to weave an intriguing fictional tale set in 1941;which is based on little-known, but true historical facts. His first espionage novel, The Dream Merchant of Lisbon, came out in 2004. He is a recipient of the CIA's Intelligence Medal of Merit.
About the Book
About the Author
