John Creasey was famous for his prolificness -- 600+ novels, 27 pseudonyms. Mostly crime / mystery but the Palfrey series was more spy thriller blending into scifi Bondian plots. You write that much by basically writing short linear plot-driven novels with lots of repeated tics. Palfrey is near invisible as a personality except that he twists his thin hair a lot. This novel is definite 1950's Red Scare. Understandable with Stalin in charge. Palfrey's mission is to sneak into Russia and find an Englishman is seems to be leading a Christian underground called the Fiery Cross. There's a submission to get someone but if that happened, it occurred off-stage and only mentioned in passing. The adventure part is on par with a television episode of the period. Many points taken off for the Christianity will save the day theme that reaches a peak with a supposed Communist memo stressing the importance of atheism to their cause. Also leaving a bad taste are two separate assaults on women - an attempted rape by drunken soldiers and a torture interrogation scene.

Can't recommend except as a document of the time. ( )