Conspiracy Thrillers

False Flag Review & John Altman Interview

September 13, 2021 by Matthew Legare Leave a Comment

A false flag is defined as an “operation is an act committed with the intent of disguising the actual source of responsibility and pinning blame on another party.” There are many such incidents throughout history — the Mukden Incident of 1931 and the Gleiwitz radio attack in 1939 are two of the best-known examples. Couched in conspiracy and intrigue, false flags are prime fodder for thriller fiction, such as False Flag by John Altman.

The Korean Woman Review & John Altman Interview

January 16, 2021 by Matthew Legare Leave a Comment

The geopolitical tension between America and North Korea offers fertile creative ground for spy fiction. Author John Altman uses this perfectly to craft his fast-paced action thriller The Korean Woman.

Babylon Berlin Season 3 Review

March 15, 2020 by Matthew Legare 16 Comments

Babylon Berlin returns for a third season, taking us back to the hectic and hedonistic days of 1929 Berlin. This season (or series as the Brits say; staffel fur die Deutschen) follows Detective Gereon Rath and his assistant/sidekick Charlotte Ritter as they investigate the strange murders on a movie set, committed by a mysterious and nightmarish Phantom. With them are enough side characters and subplots to give Deadwood a run for its money.

The Siberian Dilemma Book Review

February 15, 2020 by Matthew Legare Leave a Comment

Moscow Investigator Arkady Renko is back for his ninth and possibly last book, The Siberian Dilemma by Martin Cruz Smith. As with all Arkady Renko books, it’s filled with murder, intrigue, and wry Russian humor.

Goodbye Chairman Mao Review & Interview With Christopher New

March 21, 2018 by Matthew Legare Leave a Comment

Goodbye Chairman Mao by Christopher New deals with one of the most fascinating and least known events of modern times; the Lin Piao Incident. For those of you unfamiliar, in September 1971, Mao Tse-tung’s successor, Marshal Lin Piao fled China in route to the Soviet Union but never made it any farther than Mongolia. His plane crashed landed, killing him and everyone on board.