Winter in Madrid
Encyclopedia
Winter in Madrid is a spy novel written by C. J. Sansom
. The setting is just after the Spanish Civil War
in 1940. The main character is a wounded veteran, Harry Brett. He received his wounds during the Dunkirk withdrawal
.
The book is purposefully set in Madrid
, where Francisco Franco
resided, in contrast to most other books on the Spanish Civil War
focusing on Barcelona
. The historical setting, Madrid in the Franco era, is well described and almost a "character" according to various reviews. The book contains a historical section at the end to explain what part of the book is based on facts and what is fiction. Critical notes concern the (non-rich) language and a shortage of "thrills" throughout the whole book.
based
British businessman and a former schoolfriend. Harry's cover is as an interpreter in the British embassy in Madrid. He arrives in Spain
in October 1940. He finds the Spanish people suffering terribly from political repression, food shortages, poverty and the destruction brought by the Spanish civil war
. Through Brett's work at the embassy, we meet the ambassador Sir Samuel Hoare, an arrogant bully and Alan Hillgarth
, the clever cunning chief of intelligence. In a twist of fate, Sandy Forsyth's girlfriend Barbara Clare is a former lover of another school friend of Brett's, Bernie Piper, a communist member of the International Brigades
MIA
since the Battle of Jarama
in 1937. Harry Brett meets Forsyth, who claims to have found large gold deposits in central Spain. Meanwhile, Barbara meets Luis, an unemployed Nationalist Spain veteran, who tells her that Bernie is still alive and is being held in a brutal Military Prison
near Cuenca
. He tells her that he could organise Bernie's escape through his brother, who is a guard at the camp, in return for money. Harry starts a relationship with Sofia Roque Casas, a feisty Spanish working class woman. Towards the end of the story, Forsyth's claims of discovering gold are proved to be a false, but, in doing so, he offends powerful people within the Francisco Franco
circle. Bernie Piper escapes the labour camp, and Barbara, Harry and Sofia travel to Cuenca to aid his escape. But its proven to be an elaborate trap set by General Maestre as a means of embarrassing Sandy Forsyth. Although they manage to escape, Sofia is killed by a member of the Guardia Civil and Bernie shot in the leg by Maestre. They manage to get back to Britain. Forsyth vanishes.
The epilogue plays in May 1947. Harry Brett is working as French teacher in a Grammar School
. Barbara Clare is a translator on her way to meet some South American businessmen. Both are nursing private heartache over losing their one true loves: Harry over Sofia and Barbara over Bernie who died during the Normandy Landings.
C. J. Sansom
Christopher John "C.J." Sansom is a British writer of crime novels. He was born in 1952 in Edinburgh, Scotland, and was educated at the University of Birmingham, where he took a BA and then a PhD in history. After working in a variety of jobs, he decided to retrain as a solicitor...
. The setting is just after the Spanish Civil War
Spanish Civil War
The Spanish Civil WarAlso known as The Crusade among Nationalists, the Fourth Carlist War among Carlists, and The Rebellion or Uprising among Republicans. was a major conflict fought in Spain from 17 July 1936 to 1 April 1939...
in 1940. The main character is a wounded veteran, Harry Brett. He received his wounds during the Dunkirk withdrawal
Battle of Dunkirk
The Battle of Dunkirk was a battle in the Second World War between the Allies and Germany. A part of the Battle of France on the Western Front, the Battle of Dunkirk was the defence and evacuation of British and allied forces in Europe from 26 May–4 June 1940.After the Phoney War, the Battle of...
.
The book is purposefully set in Madrid
Madrid
Madrid is the capital and largest city of Spain. The population of the city is roughly 3.3 million and the entire population of the Madrid metropolitan area is calculated to be 6.271 million. It is the third largest city in the European Union, after London and Berlin, and its metropolitan...
, where Francisco Franco
Francisco Franco
Francisco Franco y Bahamonde was a Spanish general, dictator and head of state of Spain from October 1936 , and de facto regent of the nominally restored Kingdom of Spain from 1947 until his death in November, 1975...
resided, in contrast to most other books on the Spanish Civil War
Spanish Civil War
The Spanish Civil WarAlso known as The Crusade among Nationalists, the Fourth Carlist War among Carlists, and The Rebellion or Uprising among Republicans. was a major conflict fought in Spain from 17 July 1936 to 1 April 1939...
focusing on Barcelona
Barcelona
Barcelona is the second largest city in Spain after Madrid, and the capital of Catalonia, with a population of 1,621,537 within its administrative limits on a land area of...
. The historical setting, Madrid in the Franco era, is well described and almost a "character" according to various reviews. The book contains a historical section at the end to explain what part of the book is based on facts and what is fiction. Critical notes concern the (non-rich) language and a shortage of "thrills" throughout the whole book.
Plot and storyline
Following his recovery, civil war veteran Harry Brett is recruited by the British Secret Service to make contact with Sandy Forsyth, a shady MadridMadrid
Madrid is the capital and largest city of Spain. The population of the city is roughly 3.3 million and the entire population of the Madrid metropolitan area is calculated to be 6.271 million. It is the third largest city in the European Union, after London and Berlin, and its metropolitan...
based
British businessman and a former schoolfriend. Harry's cover is as an interpreter in the British embassy in Madrid. He arrives in Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
in October 1940. He finds the Spanish people suffering terribly from political repression, food shortages, poverty and the destruction brought by the Spanish civil war
Spanish Civil War
The Spanish Civil WarAlso known as The Crusade among Nationalists, the Fourth Carlist War among Carlists, and The Rebellion or Uprising among Republicans. was a major conflict fought in Spain from 17 July 1936 to 1 April 1939...
. Through Brett's work at the embassy, we meet the ambassador Sir Samuel Hoare, an arrogant bully and Alan Hillgarth
Alan Hillgarth
Captain Sir Alan Hugh Hillgarth Bt, OBE was a British adventure novelist and member of the intelligence services, perhaps best known for his activities in Spain during and following the Spanish Civil War. Hillgarth appears as one the actual historical figures in C. J...
, the clever cunning chief of intelligence. In a twist of fate, Sandy Forsyth's girlfriend Barbara Clare is a former lover of another school friend of Brett's, Bernie Piper, a communist member of the International Brigades
International Brigades
The International Brigades were military units made up of volunteers from different countries, who traveled to Spain to defend the Second Spanish Republic in the Spanish Civil War between 1936 and 1939....
MIA
Missing in action
Missing in action is a casualty Category assigned under the Status of Missing to armed services personnel who are reported missing during active service. They may have been killed, wounded, become a prisoner of war, or deserted. If deceased, neither their remains nor grave can be positively...
since the Battle of Jarama
Battle of Jarama
The Battle of Jarama was an attempt by General Franco's Nationalists to dislodge the Republican lines along the river Jarama, just east of Madrid, during the Spanish Civil War...
in 1937. Harry Brett meets Forsyth, who claims to have found large gold deposits in central Spain. Meanwhile, Barbara meets Luis, an unemployed Nationalist Spain veteran, who tells her that Bernie is still alive and is being held in a brutal Military Prison
Military prison
A military prison is a prison operated by the military. Military prisons are used variously to house prisoners of war, enemy combatants, those whose freedom is deemed a national security risk by the military or national authorities, and members of the military found guilty of a serious crime...
near Cuenca
Cuenca, Spain
-History:When the Iberian peninsula was part of the Roman Empire there were several important settlements in the province, such as Segóbriga, Ercávica and Gran Valeria...
. He tells her that he could organise Bernie's escape through his brother, who is a guard at the camp, in return for money. Harry starts a relationship with Sofia Roque Casas, a feisty Spanish working class woman. Towards the end of the story, Forsyth's claims of discovering gold are proved to be a false, but, in doing so, he offends powerful people within the Francisco Franco
Francisco Franco
Francisco Franco y Bahamonde was a Spanish general, dictator and head of state of Spain from October 1936 , and de facto regent of the nominally restored Kingdom of Spain from 1947 until his death in November, 1975...
circle. Bernie Piper escapes the labour camp, and Barbara, Harry and Sofia travel to Cuenca to aid his escape. But its proven to be an elaborate trap set by General Maestre as a means of embarrassing Sandy Forsyth. Although they manage to escape, Sofia is killed by a member of the Guardia Civil and Bernie shot in the leg by Maestre. They manage to get back to Britain. Forsyth vanishes.
The epilogue plays in May 1947. Harry Brett is working as French teacher in a Grammar School
Grammar school
A grammar school is one of several different types of school in the history of education in the United Kingdom and some other English-speaking countries, originally a school teaching classical languages but more recently an academically-oriented secondary school.The original purpose of mediaeval...
. Barbara Clare is a translator on her way to meet some South American businessmen. Both are nursing private heartache over losing their one true loves: Harry over Sofia and Barbara over Bernie who died during the Normandy Landings.