Derek Lambert (1) (1929–2001)

In this Cold War thriller a group of Russian-born radical Zionists plot to kidnap the Russian Premier and ransom him in exchange for exit visas for ten Jewish scientists.

Lambert style is crisp and direct, and he builds tension with both the constant presence of the KGB and the reminders that the train route takes them through the land of the gulag. He also does an excellent job at showing his characters as human beings with complex motivations.

Received via NetGalley.

Lambert's tale of two snipers hunting each other during the Battle of Stalingrad is a hell of a page turner. His lean, unadorned prose perfectly captures the feeling of the beleaguered city.

Received via NetGalley.

A comfortable book on life for an Englishman in Spain. Derek Lambert and his wife purchased a house in Spain, and this is a description of their first year there, and the problems of an ex-pat in a foreign land. Not to mention trying to bring an older house up to modern standards, and dealing with the local Spanish bureaucracy and work ethic. A good book for summer reading or for traveling, and for those who have visited or lived in Spain.