1: What are the titles of your books?
I have 2 novels published – Get Lenin,
Zinnman, and in the process of completing the third installment of the series
titled ‘A finger of night’
2: Where did the idea come from for the book?
About 15 years ago, I read a review of
book titled ‘Lenin’s Embalmers’ by Ilya Zbarsky and read further about the
history on Germany’s invasion of Russia in 1941. Lenin’s mausoleum was shipped in
its entirety 1000 miles to the Urals. I thought it’d make a great premise for a
novel about a crack German unit sent in to steal it and bring it back to
Berlin. For Zinnman, I came across an article in the Daily Mail about Edward,
Duke of Windsor plotting to re-take the English throne and his admiration for
Hitler. Hitler had gone on record that the only person in England he’d deal
with was Edward.
3: What genre does your book come under?
Thriller, historical fiction,
action-adventure, espionage.
4: Which actors would you choose to play your characters in a
movie rendition?
Eva Molenaar: Marion Cotillard, Deborah Ann Woll
or Olga Kurylenko. (Though Deborah’s nearer the right age.)
Henry Chainbridge: Liam Neeson or
Kenneth Brannagh.
Peter de Witte: Pierce
Brosnan, Guy Pearce
Thor Schenker: Jonathan Rhys
Meyers.
Nick Brandt: Alexander Skarsgard, Michael Fassbender.
5: What is the one-sentence synopsis of your book?
Get
Lenin
Eva Molenaar: Ingenue, muse, model,
assassin – she’s uncovered a plot and she’s the only one who can stop it.
Zinnman:
1941 – The Duke of Windsor wants his
throne back and he may just get his wish…
6: Is your book self-published, published by an independent
publisher, or represented by an agency?
Both novels are published by Taylor
Street, a small press, but growing rapidly.
7: How long did it take you to write the first draft of your
manuscript?
Get Lenin’s first draft took a year, in
the end it took about 5 years to write, pitch and get published. Zinnman flowed
a bit more quickly and the first draft took about 5 months.
8: What other books would you compare this story to within your
genre?
The Eagle has landed, Charlotte Gray, Fatherland,
The little drummer girl, Where Eagles dare.
9: Who or what inspired you to write this book?
I think it was the birth of my son Liam
that started me on the path. I had turned 40 and decided that I’d like to write
a book – more of a tick on the box of the bucket list. I wanted him when he
grew up to have a laugh about it one day – or read it and enjoy it.
10: What else about your book might pique the reader’s interest?
Get Lenin is plotted from May 1933-41
and covers the rise of Nazism across Germany through the eyes of Eva Molenaar,
she witnesses first-hand the brutality of the new order and her journey takes
her across Europe to 1938 when she undertakes her first mission as a spy.
There’s plenty of action from the middle part onwards – a bit like a roller
coaster. Zinnman is a break-neck read and follows
6 months on from the end of Get Lenin.
Reader
comments
Get Lenin
‘’ Having read several world war two
espionage books over the years, I found this to be a moreish and addictive
read.Starting with Hitler’s inception into power in the nineteen thirties before war. Get Lenin tells of a young Polish woman called Eva who works as a secret agent and uncovers a plot by the Germans to steal the body of Lenin in order to undermine the morale of the Soviet Union during the invasion.
While employed as an agent she rubs noses with several well known people notably Oswald Mosley as well as Himmlers pet favourite the sinister Thor Shenker of the SS.
This book is a tale of love,war and conpiracy and is recommended to anyone who likes spy stories. without an over complicated plot.
A great read by Robert Craven and a deserved 9\10’’
Zinnman:
‘‘Robert Craven's
sequel to his ground-breaking "Get Lenin" thriller kept me focused
from the first page to the very last word. Romance, intrigue, danger, rousing
adventure and pulse-pounding battles set in Europe during World War Two make
for one of the best reads I've had in recent months. This is a book I've been
waiting for since I read his "Get Lenin". The story ends with a
pretty clear hint that there'll be a third book forthcoming. I hope I'm right about
that. Robert Craven is a fine writer who hopefully will be around for a long
time to come.’’
Other writing by Mr. Craven
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