Reviews for A Very Private War
Review - A Very Private War
I enjoyed it. I didn't believe all of it was possible, but I enjoyed it.
Reviewed by Roger on 2026-02-20 10:52:14
A Very Private Warby Jon Cleary | |
| Category: |
"Fiction - Adventure" |
|---|---|
| Pages: | 276 |
| Year of Publication: | 1980 |
| Date Added: | 01/18/2025 |
| Date Read: | 02/20/2026 |
| Notes: | Con Mullane is an ex-MLB player, then coach of a team in Japan before WWII. He's talked into doing some spying, which resulted in the arrest and death of his Japanese wife. Angry with life, Con bought a plantation on New Britain. When the war stated, he became a Coastwatcher with an Australian naval officer named Vokes. They are tasked with gathering information on Japanese patrols and bases and sending it by radio to Australia. Along the way, they pick up Ruth, a half-caste nurse, Sheer, a German priest, and General Nara, a Japanese prisoner who survived a plan crash. Con manages to get everyone to the coast, but Nara is killed when he grabs a gun. Sheer gives himself up to the Japanese and asks to be sent back to Germany. Con sends Ruth, with whom he is in love, back to Australia in a submarine. Con and Vokes make their way to Reboul and see the preparations the Japanese are making to attack Guadalcanal. He sends Vokes off to send the radio message. He is caught, but pretends to be a German priest. Sheer is called to vouch for him and does, having decided finally to cast his lot with the Allies and not the Nazis. Con discovers a camouflaged airfield and, with a native guide, manages to set it on fire so the Allied bombers can destroy it. He also manages to get a sniper rifle and kill the Japanese security officer who had killed his wife. He and Sheer make it to safety and get a leave to go to Australia so he can see Ruth. |
| My Rating: | 7 |