The Great Impersonation

By E. Phillips Oppenheim and Edward Phillips Oppenheim

Book Overview

Spy thriller fiction written in the Golden Age of Murder

"Espionage, a ghostly presence, an evil crone, a woman scorned, and secret documents on which the future of Europe depend are just a few of the melodramatic elements that enrich this fun, far-fetched tale." --Publishers Weekly

East Africa, 1913. The disgraced English aristocrat Everard Dominey stumbles out of the bush, and comes face to face with his lookalike--the German Baron von Ragastein.

Months later, Dominey returns to London and resumes his glittering social life. But is it really Dominey who has come back--or a German secret agent seeking to infiltrate English high society? As international tension mounts and the great powers of Europe move closer to war, Dominey finds himself entangled in a story of suspicion and intrigue. He must try to evade his insane and murderous wife as well as escape the attentions of the passionate Princess Eiderstrom--and will eventually uncover the secret of the ghost that haunts his ancestral home.

This classic thriller was hugely popular when it was first published in 1920, selling over one million copies in that year alone, and was filmed three times. It was selected by the Guardian as one of 1000 novels everyone must read.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1464206554
• ISBN13: 9781464206559
• Release Date: November 2016
• Publisher: Poisoned Pen Press
• Length: 288 Pages
• Weight: 0.64 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.9" x 5.2" x 7.9"

Customer Reviews

An unforgettable novel

Through the years there are always certain books that one never forgets, for whatever reason,and often through the last sixty years I remember "The Great Impersonation" which I read at the age of 15. Not a difficult read, yet it holds its reader until the last page. The intrigue and the characters all fit so well that I feel, though not a classic per se, it is a skillful story not to be ignored by any reader. In fact, I am buying a couple of copies for the newer generation so it can be enjoyed for years to come.

Pre WWI -spy thriller

Terrific book, exciting, suspenseful, and I couldn't tell that it was written at that time. I read a lot of vintage mysteries -- many are good, but obviously done in a style not suited to today's reader. This could easily have been written today, it is suspenseful without being overly melodramatic. I read it straight through, it was that exciting. And it's free. I'm going to download a lot of his other books as well.

the great impersonation

one of the best books ever done on spys, the prose is quaint and interesting considering the date written (1925). Wonderful plot and even a love story. One of my all time favorites.

Looking for a Jolly Good Read?

This is storytelling at its peak. Although a rather just-state-the-facts author, Oppenheim created a delightful story by doing just that: weaving facts into a web that cannot be deciphered until the final chapter. He led the reader through a seemingly straightforward spy novel, only dropping hints at what was to come. This is a great read for anyone who likes their classics served with a twist.