The Janus Man
Encyclopedia
The Janus Man is a 1987
thriller novel by British novelist Raymond Harold Sawkins, written under the pseudonym
of Colin Forbes
. The book is set in the period it was written, and concerns Soviet infiltration into the Secret Intelligence Service
during the Cold War
. The book is the fourth of twenty-four books written by Sawkins under Colin Forbes in the "Tweed and Co." series. Forbes published one edition of the "Tweed and Co." series each year from 1982 until his death in 2006.
The story concerns treason and the rooting out of a traitor and double agent among members of the Secret Intelligence Service, also known as the SIS or MI6. The protagonist is a man known as Tweed, and the book follows his efforts to investigate the clumsily disguised murder of colleague Ian Fergusson, dubbed an "accident" by authorities, whilst in Hamburg
, Germany, and the reasons for his killing. Circumstances lead him to believe that the only way the enemy (the Soviet Union) could have intercepted Ferguson on his mission would have been to have a double agent stationed within the SIS. As he attempts to discover the identity of "The Janus
Man who faces both East and West", he tracks sources of information in Moscow, Lübeck
, Copenhagen
and Oslo
to hunt down the killer of Ferguson.
The book confronts several issues facing both Britain and the Soviet Union at the time, such as treason and the inability to trust even friends in times of uncertainty and war. People living at the time were also mentioned in the book, such as former U.S. President Ronald Reagan
and Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev
.
It was well-received by critics, and was praised by publications such as the Sunday Mirror.
1987 in literature
The year 1987 in literature involved some significant events and new books.-Events:*Tom Wolfe was paid $5 million for the film rights to his novel, The Bonfire of the Vanities, the most ever earned by an author, at the time.-Fiction:...
thriller novel by British novelist Raymond Harold Sawkins, written under the pseudonym
Pseudonym
A pseudonym is a name that a person assumes for a particular purpose and that differs from his or her original orthonym...
of Colin Forbes
Colin Forbes (novelist)
Raymond Harold Sawkins was a British novelist, who mainly published under the pseudonym Colin Forbes, but also as Richard Raine, Jay Bernard and Harold English. He only published three of his first books under his own name.Sawkins wrote over 40 books, mostly as Colin Forbes...
. The book is set in the period it was written, and concerns Soviet infiltration into the Secret Intelligence Service
Secret Intelligence Service
The Secret Intelligence Service is responsible for supplying the British Government with foreign intelligence. Alongside the internal Security Service , the Government Communications Headquarters and the Defence Intelligence , it operates under the formal direction of the Joint Intelligence...
during the Cold War
Cold War
The Cold War was the continuing state from roughly 1946 to 1991 of political conflict, military tension, proxy wars, and economic competition between the Communist World—primarily the Soviet Union and its satellite states and allies—and the powers of the Western world, primarily the United States...
. The book is the fourth of twenty-four books written by Sawkins under Colin Forbes in the "Tweed and Co." series. Forbes published one edition of the "Tweed and Co." series each year from 1982 until his death in 2006.
The story concerns treason and the rooting out of a traitor and double agent among members of the Secret Intelligence Service, also known as the SIS or MI6. The protagonist is a man known as Tweed, and the book follows his efforts to investigate the clumsily disguised murder of colleague Ian Fergusson, dubbed an "accident" by authorities, whilst in Hamburg
Hamburg
-History:The first historic name for the city was, according to Claudius Ptolemy's reports, Treva.But the city takes its modern name, Hamburg, from the first permanent building on the site, a castle whose construction was ordered by the Emperor Charlemagne in AD 808...
, Germany, and the reasons for his killing. Circumstances lead him to believe that the only way the enemy (the Soviet Union) could have intercepted Ferguson on his mission would have been to have a double agent stationed within the SIS. As he attempts to discover the identity of "The Janus
Janus (mythology)
In ancient Roman religion and mythology, Janus is the god of beginnings and transitions, thence also of gates, doors, doorways, endings and time. He is usually a two-faced god since he looks to the future and the past...
Man who faces both East and West", he tracks sources of information in Moscow, Lübeck
Lübeck
The Hanseatic City of Lübeck is the second-largest city in Schleswig-Holstein, in northern Germany, and one of the major ports of Germany. It was for several centuries the "capital" of the Hanseatic League and, because of its Brick Gothic architectural heritage, is listed by UNESCO as a World...
, Copenhagen
Copenhagen
Copenhagen is the capital and largest city of Denmark, with an urban population of 1,199,224 and a metropolitan population of 1,930,260 . With the completion of the transnational Øresund Bridge in 2000, Copenhagen has become the centre of the increasingly integrating Øresund Region...
and Oslo
Oslo
Oslo is a municipality, as well as the capital and most populous city in Norway. As a municipality , it was established on 1 January 1838. Founded around 1048 by King Harald III of Norway, the city was largely destroyed by fire in 1624. The city was moved under the reign of Denmark–Norway's King...
to hunt down the killer of Ferguson.
The book confronts several issues facing both Britain and the Soviet Union at the time, such as treason and the inability to trust even friends in times of uncertainty and war. People living at the time were also mentioned in the book, such as former U.S. President Ronald Reagan
Ronald Reagan
Ronald Wilson Reagan was the 40th President of the United States , the 33rd Governor of California and, prior to that, a radio, film and television actor....
and Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev
Mikhail Gorbachev
Mikhail Sergeyevich Gorbachev is a former Soviet statesman, having served as General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union from 1985 until 1991, and as the last head of state of the USSR, having served from 1988 until its dissolution in 1991...
.
It was well-received by critics, and was praised by publications such as the Sunday Mirror.