OPERATION MINCEMEAT How a Dead Man and a Bizarre Plan Fooled the Nazis and Assured an Allied Victory

“Mincemeat” was one of the supreme intelligence deceptions of WWII, or any war. The body of a supposed British officer with faked papers indicating impending invasions of Sardinia and Greece (the real target was Sicily) was dropped off the coast of neutral Spain, and as expected, the Nazis got hold of the papers and believed them. John Lee’s reading is energetic, fast paced, clear, and very British—clipped and precise. He gives the many quotes from non-British sources in the appropriate accent (German, Spanish, Russian, etc.), which helps the listener keep clear who’s speaking. The accents, including the American ones, are good. This is a great espionage tale, a fascinating look at wartime Spain and German military intelligence, in a spirited, likable reading. W.M. © AudioFile 2010, Portland, Maine [Published: SEPTEMBER 2010]