This is my first book by this author and I will definitely read more. I enjoyed it and it kept me gripped all the way throigh. Well written and good character development

Not quite what I was expecting but it is a good story with pretty good writing/dialogue that kept me interested. The ending is a letdown and I am not sure why...but enough off that I am going to read a bunch of other books in my queue before coming back.

Plot: Antoine was a former leader in the French army. But after being left for dead in the trenches, he now risks everything to fight the extremist power that tries to overtake the Republic.

My thoughts: What I like the most about this book is the authors knowledge of the period. The amount of research and a heart for the history of France. The plot is intriguing and together with the colorful descriptions of the environment, it almost feels like you’re in the different countries you get to visit while reading this.

Conclusion: Nice research and an interesting topic, together with a nice plot, equals some good reading.

Wow, just wow. This book brought to mind the film 'The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare,' which loosely covered the origins of the elite SAS. However, this narrative focuses instead on the emergence of a new intelligence force.

If you're into history, military action, and sharp espionage thrillers with a little dash of romance sprinkled into the plotting and scheming, you absolutely need to pick up ‘The Hooded Man.’ This book is a great take at how espionage came into existence at least around that time on the verge of war and communist Bolshevik occupation.

The story centres on Antoine, a former leader in the French army whose life takes a sharp, tragic turn after a betrayal leaves him for dead in the trenches. He tries to settle into a normal civilian life, even becoming a successful factory head of security, but his heart still belongs to his duty and the battlefield.

Antoine's accidental epic journey begins with a business trip to Saigon. On the ship, he meets an incredibly unforgetable group, including the head of the Police Spéciale, which pulls him right back into the world of military intelligence, but also the widow, Marguerite, who immediately intrigues and captures his attention (and ultimately his affection).

The dialogue is so sharp and realistic, I felt like I was right there in the room with the characters. There's fantastic synergy and dynamic between everyone, even the smallest side characters made me feel something.

And oh, how I fell for our protagonist, Antoine. He's a patriot and deeply believes in duty, often keeping quiet and composed, which hints at a very smart, keen mind. He is, however, a morally grey character. While you might not agree with all of his choices, these complicated facets only added to his personality and development. Though the story is tragic in many ways, especially seeing where life brings him, the ending definitely leaves a little spark of hope for a better future, or at the very least, exciting.

The romance between Antoine and Marguerite is also a highlight for me, it felt pivotal in Antoine’s journey as it all started with her acquaintance and the things she taught him. Their relationship is adorable and so refreshing to watch evolve. The yearning on both sides, her guilt while mourning her husband and his sweet anxiousness and desire for an older, real woman like her, was genuinely heartwarming. It was very sad when Marguerite’s business suffered, forcing her to return to France.

Things get really wild when Antoine starts playing a double agent, spying on his employer (the Rodins brothers) for a different party (the Sûreté/Police Spéciale) in exchange for finding out where Marguerite is (who felt betrayed by Antoine while in Saigon when her business got ruined). This leads him right into the formation of La Cagoule (The Hood), a name chosen by the enemy who drew their inspiration from the KKK organization, and so Antoine ends up becoming the titular ‘Hooded Man’ while secretly working against them.

Personally, the introduction of Carmel later in the story as a romantic interest felt a bit forced, simply because she clearly was there for the plot (involving her into the whole spying endeavors) and because Antoine was still hooked up on Marguerite which evidently made me, as a reader, root up for the original couple. That final meeting between them at the end of the book? Heartbreaking. I’m a sucker for those bittersweet moments, but this one was just pure, painful sadness, especially when he helps Marguerite escape to England alongside her friend Den Hieu.

The end is somehow expected and it leaves space for the next books, which I'm very happy for, because I need to know what happens next for Antoine.

Many, many thanks to Charles Searle, The Book Guild and NetGalley for the ARC. This is a voluntary review, reflecting solely my opinion.

This was a wonderfully done historical fiction novel, it had that feel that I was looking for and was engaged with the France, 1937 element that I was looking for. The characters had that feel that I was looking for and worked in this story and enjoyed the overall element to this. Charles Searle has a strong writing style and was glad I read this.