Gerry Burke’s Double is a tongue-in-cheek espionage thriller
that combines two novellas to deliver a rollicking ride for fans of the genre. Sunbeams
from Siberia begins with the brutal murder of Delia Deschamps in the quaint
English village of Omelette. What appears to be a simple countryside homicide
unravels into an elaborate Russian plot to detonate a bomb at Oxford
University. But who is Delia, and would anyone murder her? Her murder connects to a conspiracy
involving smuggled plutonium, a Russian nuclear scientist posing as “Miss
Potato Patch” and later as a Miss World contestant, and multiple moles embedded
in British society. Can anything stop Putin from unleashing chaos? The Hitman
from Honolulu is a tale about an assassination plot on two people that
involves the CIA and the White House. And you will meet some of the characters
from Sunbeams from Siberia.
Gerry Burke is a great storyteller who creates remarkable
characters, delivering a cast that is both eccentric and engaging. I was
invested in these characters, from the vodka-drinking Irish assassin “The
Iceman” to the potato-obsessed villagers, all rendered with satirical flair.
The novel's greatest strength lies in its absurdist humor, adeptly juxtaposed
with genuine Cold War tension: a village named Omelette, characters with punny
names —Sandy Beech, Don Armstrong— and ridiculous scenarios like the dead fish
smuggling plutonium. These absurdities coexist with authentic spycraft, and
that makes the read even more enjoyable. Burke employs rapid-fire chapter
transitions, mock-serious narration, and playful footnotes to sustain momentum.
The pastoral English setting is ingeniously rendered. While the plot
occasionally strains credibility—this is clearly intentional—the author winks
at readers who appreciate genre parody. Double will appeal to fans of Get
Smart, early John le Carré with a comedic twist, and readers who
enjoy mysteries that don't take themselves too seriously. Burke delivers both
entertainment and subtle commentary on how absurd real-world espionage can be,
proving that sometimes the most dangerous weapons aren't plutonium—but
potatoes. This one kept me awake the whole night, thanks to the humor, the fluid prose, and the elaborately written characters.
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