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  • Smoke and Embers: An Inspector Troy Novel
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Smoke and Embers: An Inspector Troy Novel Hardcover – May 23 2025

by John Lawton (Author)
4.5 out of 5 stars 262 ratings
4.3 on Goodreads
179 ratings

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From “one of the best authors of espionage fiction” (Wall Street Journal), a book of deception and money to be made amid the rubble of World War II

From an author whose books have been described as “one of the great pleasures of modern spy fiction” by Slow Horses author Mick Herron and compared to the works of Alan Furst, Phillip Kerr, and Joseph Kanon, in Smoke and Embers John Lawton turns to the murky days, weeks and years following the end of World War II in Germany, Britain, and beyond.

Smoke and Embers is the ninth installment of the beloved Inspector Troy series, and opens in 1950, when Scotland Yard Chief Inspector Troy learns that his sergeant has been conducting an affair with the known mistress of infamous London racketeer Otto Ohnherz. Troy is immediately intrigued by the mysterious origins of Ohnherz’s second-in-command, Jay Fabian, who is a major contributor to all three British political parties and claims to have survived the concentration camps—yet he lacks proof beyond his word. So begins a novel of duplicity and reinvention in the aftermath of World War II and the Holocaust, with each chapter adding a new layer of intrigue.

With a twisting plotline, crackling dialogue, characteristic humor, and the return of beloved characters, Smoke and Embers is an exciting new addition to John Lawton’s masterful canon.

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  1. Book 9 of 9
    Inspector Troy
  2. Print length
    416 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Publisher
    Atlantic Monthly Press
  5. Publication date
    May 23 2025
  6. Dimensions
    16.51 x 3.18 x 23.5 cm
  7. ISBN-10
    0802164897
  8. ISBN-13
    978-0802164896
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Review

Praise for Smoke and Embers:

“Intricate . . . Short chapters and snappy dialogue help speed the kaleidoscopic narrative along, though not at the expense of character development or emotional power. Lawton remains a force to be reckoned with.”—Publishers Weekly

Praise for John Lawton:

“Lawton’s ongoing recreation of Cold War chicanery is one of the great pleasures of modern spy fiction.”—Mick Herron

“Meticulously researched, tautly plotted, historical thrillers in the mold of World War II and Cold War fiction by novelists like Alan Furst, Philip Kerr, Eric Ambler, David Downing and Joseph Kanon.”—Wall Street Journal

“Wickedly seductive entertainment . . . John Lawton is creating some of our finest, and some of our most enjoyably ambiguous historical fiction.”—Washington Post

“Lawton’s gift for memorable atmosphere and characters, intelligent plotting and wry prose put him solidly at the top of anyone’s A-list of contemporary spy novelists.”—Seattle Times

“Lawton is a master of the genre, and his writing is not only historically accurate, but also rich, ribald, cynical, informed, inventive, and hilarious.”—Christian Science Monitor

“[Lawton] is a master of creating a feeling of time and place, of amalgamating true-life events into his imaginative plot, of bringing every character, real or fictitious, major or minor, vividly to life.”—Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

“Intricate plotting, colorful characters, and a brilliant prose style put Lawton in the front rank of historical thriller writers.”—Publishers Weekly

“Constantly entertaining . . . The spying is well mixed with humor.”—Times (UK)

“Lawton’s books contain such a wealth of period detail, character depiction, and background information that they are lifted out of any category. Every word is enriched by the author’s sophistication and irreverent intelligence, by his meticulous research and his wit.”—Literary Review

About the Author

JOHN LAWTON has written eight previous Inspector Troy thrillers, four Joe Wilderness novels, a standalone novel, and a volume of history. His Inspector Troy novels have been named best books of the year by the New York Times, Los Angeles Times, and New York Times Book Review.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Atlantic Monthly Press
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ May 23 2025
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 416 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0802164897
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0802164896
  • Item weight ‏ : ‎ 544 g
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 16.51 x 3.18 x 23.5 cm
  • Book 9 of 9 ‏ : ‎ Inspector Troy
  • 鶹 Rank: #7,977 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.5 out of 5 stars 262 ratings

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John Lawton

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4.5 out of 5 stars
262 global ratings

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Top reviews from Canada

  • Andrew Durnford
    2.0 out of 5 stars Dull read
    Reviewed in Canada on August 6, 2025
    Verified Purchase
    The beginning was good but it dragged after that. It was confusing. Disappointing read.
    Helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

  • Luis Gouveia
    5.0 out of 5 stars Moebius strip in writing?
    Reviewed in the United States on May 28, 2025
    Verified Purchase
    I'd like to thank NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read an advance copy of this book. I’m currently in the process of rereading the entire series (which I’ve done a few times already). As I mentioned in a review, on 鶹, for another book, rereading a book allows me to notice subtle details that I might have missed during the first read, or that may have been forgotten over time. Additionally, knowing the entire series lets me see this book not just as a standalone installment, but as part of a larger narrative. What might seem like minor appearances or details in a single book become much more significant when viewed in the context of the entire series.

    The story kicks off with a typical Troy-style investigation, where an acquaintance brings attention to a shady character, which leads to another investigation. A significant portion of the book focuses on the lives of three main characters, with a focus on the final years of WWII, each of whom plays a role in the investigations mentioned earlier. We get a closer look at a Jewish Brit, an Auschwitz survivor, and a former German soldier.

    The scenes describing one character's journey from Auschwitz to Berlin, alongside elements of the Russian Army, are particularly captivating. There’s also an interesting description of what took place in Hitler’s bunker, as well as glimpses into the lives of people living in Berlin just after the war ended, which adds richness to the narrative. As always with this author, the dialogues between the main characters are one of the book's highlights, making it even more engaging.

    One of the most fascinating aspects of the book, which I call the "magic trick," comes in the longest section of the story. Here, the reader knows that one of the main characters, let's call him A, is actually person B. But as the story returns to Troy's investigation of a murder, we, the readers, realize that A, whom we thought was B, is actually neither A nor B. The way this identity twist is executed is both clever and mind-blowing

    This brought to mind a sci-fi story I once read, where the main theme was about matching narrative styles to geometric shapes. The moment when we discover who person B truly is, is like returning to the beginning of the story, but with the identities completely flipped. It felt almost like reading a book
    that matches a Moebius strip (look it up on Google if you’re not familiar). The structure of the book mirrors this, with identities twisting and turning in a way that keeps you guessing.

    The final section of the book could probably stand on its own as a separate story, and again, we encounter another "Moebius strip" moment—another identity switch. As is often the case with Lawton's endings, this one leaves us wanting for a sequel.

    Perhaps the characters introduced here will make important appearances in future books; only time will tell.

    I mentioned earlier that rereading a book allows me to catch details that were overlooked on the first read. In this case, the book would definitely benefit from a second reading, and I’ll likely revisit it soon since the book had been recently published.

    While this may not be the most immediately appealing book by J. Lawton, it might just be his best yet.
    Report
  • MagOne
    5.0 out of 5 stars A masterpiece of literary espionage
    Reviewed in Australia on June 10, 2025
    Verified Purchase
    Set in 1950, Smoke and Embers sits chronologically between John Lawton’s Blackout and A Lily of the Field (both ending around 1948) and Old Flames (1956). It marks the return to the author’s oeuvre of Scotland Yard’s Inspector Alex Troy, a “tearaway toff” who is equally at home with metaphysical poets and a glass of claret. We are also reacquainted with familiar figures from the series: Troy’s Murder Squad boss, the gruff Chief Superintendent Onions (only briefly), his loyal sidekick Jack Wildeve, and Troy’s politically entrenched older brother, Rod, now an MP.
    The heart of the plot turns on the murky wartime and postwar activities of alleged pre-war racketeer Otto Ohnherz who during the war worked with a BBC intelligence unit. His close associate and majordomo, Jay Fabian, is a supposed Auschwitz survivor, and the enigmatic Miss Bryce Bettancourt adds to the tangle of intrigue. These shadowy figures are central to the story Lawton spins, in which the wartime exploits of Fabian and two others—a former German soldier and an English Jew—are in the mesh.
    The backstory experiences of the three men during the final months of war are the book’s core, their treks to ‘freedom’ involving perilous ‘escapes’ from both German and Russian forces. Lawton has constructed a defined triptych that is in part character study, part reimagined depiction of events, for example glimpses into Hitler’s bunker, the wastelands of Berlin. His ingenious, looping narrative hinges on identity: shifting, hiding, and reconstructing it. The true selves of these “victims” are gradually revealed as the plot loops back within itself. Lawton is playing within his comfort zones of WW2, holding a mirror to the egregious human costs of conflict and racial persecution, and the destruction of nations and borders through which identity becomes tradeable.
    Layered deceptions abound in a mesmerizing tale that demands a second—if not third—reading to fully appreciate its sleights and nuances as the narrative returns to Troy and London for its resolution. It’s a masterpiece of storytelling, spun dexterously in the finest style of literary espionage and psychological mystery, where nothing is quite as it seems and every detail matters.
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  • Credit Man
    5.0 out of 5 stars Superb John Lawton book. Troy has a minor part but the new characters (not
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on June 11, 2025
    Verified Purchase
    Superb book. After 8 previous Troy stories, there is a risk the author runs out of ideas; although he has not done so to date. This story is not mainly about Troy or murder in England; although Troy and some previous characters appear.

    Rather it is John Lawton’s fictional portrayal of life in Nazi Germany in 1945 - in a word an inhumane desert. It includes aspects of the Final Solution. In a short author’s PS explains his wish that we remember it and understand it could be repeated, whether the demonised is Jew, Moslem or Christian. It reinforces understanding of the state of Israel - ‘Never forget’ and ‘Never again’.

    The 2 principal characters and their journies are described well. Their eventual interaction is slightly contrived, but that matters not.

    A magnificent book. As soon as paperbacks are available I shall buy copies for friends.
    Report
  • PJS
    3.0 out of 5 stars What number is halfway between 1 and 5?
    Reviewed in Australia on June 18, 2025
    Verified Purchase
    Deeply layered, complex and ultimately hard to fathom. Lots of very believable description of place, time, people, poverty, war and survival, just. But it lost me and even when I re-read the final few chapters it was still clouded. Was it even a Troy story? Not really, though there were deep messages (perhaps anti-Israel?) in it about people and the lengths some go to in survival mode.
    Report
  • S. Lucas
    5.0 out of 5 stars One of the best writers around
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on July 13, 2025
    Verified Purchase
    The usual from John Lawton. Well written, good plot and plenty of action. He’s always one of the best writers around. I love the way he captures the atmosphere of the time. I’ve read most of his books 2 or 3 times
    Report