Jackdaws
Encyclopedia
Jackdaws is a World War II
spy thriller written by British
novelist Ken Follett
. It was published in hardcover format in 2001 by the Macmillan
. It was reissued as a paperback book by Signet Books in 2002.
. Felicity "Flick" Clairet, British S.O.E.
agent, and Michel Clairet, local Resistance leader, launch an attack on a telephone exchange, one vitally important for German military communication throughout the region. The defenders prove to be too much for the Resistance fighters; though Flick and Michel escape, the bulk of the Resistance circuit is either killed or captured. Despondent, she returns to her superiors in England. Given her past successes and the importance of the telephone exchange, she is given another chance. She airdrops into France one week before D-day, with the same objective, but this time leading an unprecedented all-female team - the "Jackdaws."
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
spy thriller written by British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
novelist Ken Follett
Ken Follett
Ken Follett is a Welsh author of thrillers and historical novels. He has sold more than 100 million copies of his works. Four of his books have reached the number 1 ranking on the New York Times best-seller list: The Key to Rebecca, Lie Down with Lions, Triple, and World Without End.-Early...
. It was published in hardcover format in 2001 by the Macmillan
Macmillan Publishers
Macmillan Publishers Ltd, also known as The Macmillan Group, is a privately held international publishing company owned by Georg von Holtzbrinck Publishing Group. It has offices in 41 countries worldwide and operates in more than thirty others.-History:...
. It was reissued as a paperback book by Signet Books in 2002.
Plot teaser
Follett wastes no time in getting the action started in Jackdaws, his return to the time period that made him famous with Eye of the NeedleEye of the Needle
Eye of the Needle is a spy thriller novel written by British author Ken Follett. It was originally published in 1978 by the Penguin Group titled Storm Island. This novel was Follett's first successful, bestselling effort as a novelist, and it earned him the 1979 Edgar Award for Best Novel from the...
. Felicity "Flick" Clairet, British S.O.E.
Special Operations Executive
The Special Operations Executive was a World War II organisation of the United Kingdom. It was officially formed by Prime Minister Winston Churchill and Minister of Economic Warfare Hugh Dalton on 22 July 1940, to conduct guerrilla warfare against the Axis powers and to instruct and aid local...
agent, and Michel Clairet, local Resistance leader, launch an attack on a telephone exchange, one vitally important for German military communication throughout the region. The defenders prove to be too much for the Resistance fighters; though Flick and Michel escape, the bulk of the Resistance circuit is either killed or captured. Despondent, she returns to her superiors in England. Given her past successes and the importance of the telephone exchange, she is given another chance. She airdrops into France one week before D-day, with the same objective, but this time leading an unprecedented all-female team - the "Jackdaws."
List of Characters
- Felicity "Flick" Clairet - S.O.E.Special Operations ExecutiveThe Special Operations Executive was a World War II organisation of the United Kingdom. It was officially formed by Prime Minister Winston Churchill and Minister of Economic Warfare Hugh Dalton on 22 July 1940, to conduct guerrilla warfare against the Axis powers and to instruct and aid local...
agent - Dieter Franck - NaziNazismNazism, the common short form name of National Socialism was the ideology and practice of the Nazi Party and of Nazi Germany...
Intelligence officer - Hans Hesse - Franck's right hand man.
- Willi Weber - GestapoGestapoThe Gestapo was the official secret police of Nazi Germany. Beginning on 20 April 1934, it was under the administration of the SS leader Heinrich Himmler in his position as Chief of German Police...
officer, Dieter's former colleague in the German police force - Paul Chancellor - U.S. Army officer; aide to Gen. Bernard Montgomery
- Michel Clairet - French ResistanceFrench ResistanceThe French Resistance is the name used to denote the collection of French resistance movements that fought against the Nazi German occupation of France and against the collaborationist Vichy régime during World War II...
leader, Flick's French husband - Mademoiselle Lemas - French Resistance sympathizer
- Flick's team, the Jackdaws
- Ruby Romain
- Diana Colefield, daughter of Flick's mother's employer
- Maude Valentine
- Lady Denise Bowyer
- Geraldine "Jelly" Knight - explosives expert
- Greta Garbo - a crossdressed telephone engineer
- Percy Thwaite - Senior S.O.E. agent