High Jinx

By William F. Buckley, Jr.
Doubleday, 261 pp, 1986

Though this is the seventh Blackford Oakes novel, chronologically, it takes place after the second one, Stained Glass. 

Our hero Oakes is in London. He helps prepare a team of British and American commandoes to "liberate" communist Albania and install the deposed (and democratically elected) leader as head of the country.

Problem is, Albanian forces, commanded by the KGB, ambush every one of the five landing parties. All are arrested and executed. The Soviets knew they were coming.

So Oakes and his friends Rufus and Anthony Trust swing into action. They must find out how the Soviets learned of their plot and who the mole is. And why are all communications from Washington to the U.S. Embassy in London being intercepted by the Soviets? Another problem.

Add to this high-level skullduggery in the Soviet Politburo, and you've got yet another fine spy novel from Buckley. Cameo appearances by President Eisenhower, the Dulles brothers, and Queen Caroline top off the adventure.