The latest novel from Graham Hurley, Prey which is the latest in the fine series " Spoils of War ".

Prey is featuring the war in the air from the winter of 1943 against the backdrop of Lancaster bombers night raids over the cities of Germany.
To combat this the Luftwaffe has developed a tactic of using the BF 110 night fighter squadrons in what they term schrage Musik . This tactic developed by a senior officer Merz capitalises on the Lancaster weakness of no protection from underneath the bomber.
Tam Moncrieff MI5 operative tries to influence Arthur Harris head of Bomber Command , to alter the bombers configuration to protect against these hug losses the RAF is having against these German night fighters.

While the main thrust of Prey is the air warfare, other peripheral influences on Tam Moncrieff are clouding his life such as the death of a soldier of a widow he has become fond of. His investigations into this death take him into areas that he would rather not go .

A really great read , I have always enjoyed Graham Hurley's novels . His style of writing is both exciting and refreshing leaving the reader always wanting more. Enjoy, nobody would be disappointed in Grahams' latest.

Graham Hurley has provided his many fans with another historical novel that draws from the rich seam of information available from all aspects of the Second World War. In Prey we are given access to Bomber Command aircraft involved in the bombing campaign over Nazi Germany and learn of the devastating attacks by nightfighters equipped with upward firing cannon that were able to exact a heavy toll on Lancasters, Halifaxes and Stirlings. Hurley cleverly wraps a story around an Avro designer concerned about the vulnerability of RAF heavy Bomber to aircraft attacking from below; a communist sympathiser in Leeds with whom the lead character forms a romantic relationship; the illegal killing of a soldier during the defence of the Dunkirk perimeter; and a Luftwaffe pilot who flies in one of the newly equipped nightfighters.

Hurley’s writing is as sharp as ever, with tension building as the plot develops and a good unfolding of the interaction between the different story arcs. Momentum is generally well maintained, although some readers may feel that rather too much is left unresolved at the end. Perhaps less convincing, too, is the effort to paint the various revelations about the attacks on RAF aircraft as evidence of a government or Bomber Command cover up of the sort that twenty first century authors would appear like to weave into their stories. The tragedy of the loss of so many brave aircrew over Germany and occupied Europe doesn’t need ‘bigging up’.

Overall, then, fans of Hurley are likely to be pleased with the author’s latest offering. There is much to enjoy and the historical ‘scaffolding’ does a good job in letting the reader peer more closely into the distant years of the Second World War. Recommended.

I was absolutely transfixed reading this novel. The tension, the suspense and the adrenaline rush are all at their most extreme pitch. This was the first book that I've read by the author in this series that he calls "The Spoils Of War" about World War Two and I have eight to read to bring me up to date!

1943. The war is turning against the Third Reich, but the Luftwaffe are eagerly exploiting a lethal blind spot in the RAF's Lancaster bombers with their innovative upward-firing cannon.

MI5's Tam Moncrieff lobbies ceaselessly for a solution in the face of officials' indifference. His quest sees him accompanying a bombing raid deep into Nazi Germany that will change the course of the war.

The target is the Nazis' flagship city of Nuremberg. With bright moonlight and clear visibility, the conditions are perfect… for the enemy. The Luftwaffe are jubilant as they take out plane after plane.

With so many men dead or captured, can RAF Bomber Command overcome their darkest hour, when the predators have become the prey?
This won't be the last book that I read in this series and I have read several of his Faraday and Winter series titles and I appreciate his great skills as a researcher and innovative author. Strongly recommended.
Many thanks to the Publisher and Netgalley for the review Copy.

Graham Hurley returns to the darkest days of World War II with Prey, the gripping eleventh instalment in his acclaimed Spoils of War collection. Masterfully blending the high-stakes tension of aerial combat with the shadowy world of wartime intelligence, Hurley delivers a historical thriller that is as meticulously researched as it is pulse-pounding. If you are looking for a visceral, grounded WWII narrative, Prey is for the most part an absolute must-read. However, the last few chapters tying up loose ends detracts from the earlier fast-paced momentum!

The Premise: Predators and Prey in the Night Sky
Set in 1943, the novel plunges readers into a terrifying reality for RAF Bomber Command. While the tide of the war is slowly turning against the Third Reich, the Luftwaffe has discovered a lethal blind spot in the RAF’s Lancaster bombers. Armed with innovative upward-firing cannons, German night fighters are tearing through the British squadrons with devastating, unchecked efficiency.

Against this backdrop of staggering losses, MI5’s Tam Moncrieff steps into the fray. Refusing to accept the mounting casualty rates and the stubborn indifference of military officials, Moncrieff relentlessly lobbies for a tactical solution. His quest culminates in him accompanying a terrifying bombing raid deep into Nazi Germany, targeting the flagship city of Nuremberg under the worst possible conditions: bright moonlight and perfectly clear visibility.

What Makes Prey Stand Out
Breathtaking Aerial Combat: Hurley excels at putting the reader directly inside the freezing, claustrophobic fuselage of a Lancaster bomber. The action sequences are not just exciting; they are authentically terrifying, capturing the profound vulnerability of the bomber crews as they are hunted in the dark skies.
A Multi-Layered Protagonist: Tam Moncrieff serves as a brilliant anchor for the story. As an MI5 agent, he bridges the gap between the calculated, often cynical world of intelligence and the brutal reality faced by the airmen. His bureaucratic battle against the apathy of his superiors is just as compelling as his fight against the Luftwaffe.
Historical Accuracy: Hurley is widely respected for his deep historical dives, and Prey is no exception. The technical details of the aircraft, the strategic nuances of the bombing campaigns, and the grim geopolitical realities of 1943 Europe are woven seamlessly into the narrative without ever slowing down the momentum.

Even though it sits within the Spoils of War framework, Prey works brilliantly as a standalone novel. Readers can easily pick this up and be immediately swept into the action without needing prior knowledge of the series.

Prey is historical thriller writing of the highest order. It pays profound respect to the bravery of the RAF bomber crews while delivering a taut, tightly plotted espionage narrative. The pacing is relentless, leading to a climax over Nuremberg that will leave you on the edge of your seat.

Graham Hurley is such a versatile and gifted writer and has received far less acclaim than he deserves.

The Faraday/Winter Portsmouth police procedurals were a magnificent achievement that I still return to and this is the eleventh in the ongoing Spoils of War series which has enthralled me from the beginning.

This is an excellent addition and is a brilliantly paced and researched account of the dog fights over Germany and a fatal weakness and flaw in design that led to many unnecessary deaths amongst the crews of Lancaster bombers and the struggle to rectify it.

An absorbing read that I thoroughly enjoyed.