Bretherton: Khaki or Field-Grey?

8vo, br. ed. 378pp. Towards the end of the war as the Germans are in their final retreat in November 1918, a British raiding party stumbles across a strange and eerie scene in a ruined chateau, under fire. Following the strains of a familiar tune, and understandably perplexed as to who would be playing the piano in the midst of shellfire, they discover a German officer lying dead at the keys, next to a beautiful woman in full evening dress, also deceased. But the officer is the spitting image of G B Bretherton, a British officer missing in actionÖ.So follows a tale of mystery and identity, first published in 1930, which is not only an authentic account of conditions at the Front, but also a remarkable thriller, with a highly unusual plot, which won Bretherton comparisons to John Buchan and the best of the espionage writers.John Squire, the influential editor of the London Mercury said ëof the English war-books, undoubtedly the best is Bretherton.í The Morning Post thought it ëone of the best of the English war novels. I do not expect anything much better.í The Sunday Times pinpointed its dual attraction: it was both ëa mystery as exciting as a good detective story and an extraordinarily vivid account of trench-warfareí.