The Red Ribbon by H.B. Lyle, Book Review

For those who love historical fiction with a dash of intrigue, conspiracy and mystery thrown in, The Red Ribbon is just the ticket.

Set in 1910, a period when British society was in ferment: workers flirting with Communism, or at least seeking opportunity and change, the suffragettes wanting the vote, Britain’s growing political and economic power struggle with Germany, the establishment desperately clinging onto their power and privilege … Onto this vibrant and fast-changing world a working class man called Wiggins leaves his mark. As a boy, trained by Sherlock Holmes himself in the art of spy craft and investigation,  Wiggins had in fact been the leader of the Baker Street Irregulars.

Now, an adult, he is employed as Britain’s first professional spy you could say, as he is the only agent working for Captain Vernon Kell, head of the newly established Secret Intelligence Service. But his indubitable skills are not always appreciated by the establishment. The part where he had to travel to Germany to rescue some hapless upper class amateur agents make me chuckle and reminded me of a similar real life situation I’d encountered. I know of a talented and bright man who only about 35 years ago, upon graduation, applied to the Foreign Service. He was advised to seek opportunity with the Home Office as he didn’t hail from the right background or have the required accent for the diplomatic service. This particular man too eventually became a spy. (Now of course, regional accents are de rigueur and a must for many career choices.) I apologise for the digression - The Red Ribbon immerses us faultlessly in a variety of period settings, including the London slums, (without being too preachy) - social realism properly subservient to the plot, which is pacey and exciting.

For lovers of historic espionage and those who would like to experiment with something different, I can recommend H.B. Lyle’s The Red Ribbon – the worthy follow-on to the popular The Irregular: A Different Class of Spy. Published in hardback for £20.99 in 2018 by Hodder & Stoughton.