Last Call for Blackford Oakes, William F. Buckley Jr.
Last Call for Blackford Oakes, William F. Buckley Jr.
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Last Call for Blackford Oakes
A Blackford Oakes Mystery

Author: William F. Buckley Jr.

Narrator: John Lescault

Unabridged: 9 hr 7 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Published: 08/23/2016

Synopsis

Over twenty years ago, William F. Buckley Jr. launched the dashing character of Blackford Oakes like a missile over the literary landscape. This newly minted CIA agent—brainy, bold, and complex—began his career by saving the queen of England and quickly took his place in the pantheon of master spies drawn up by Somerset Maugham, Graham Greene, and John le Carré.Against the backdrop of Cold War intrigue, in this his eleventh outing, Oakes crosses swords with Kim Philby, perhaps the highest-ranking in the parade of defectors to the Soviet Union. Oakes is now himself a master spy, this time working outside the ambit of the director and around agency rules. His romance with an able and worldly Soviet doctor is consolation for the death of his beloved Sally. But after his return to Washington, he receives dismaying news. It is inevitable that the great Soviet spy and the renowned American agent will meet again—this time with deadly consequences.

About William F. Buckley Jr.

William F. Buckley Jr. (1925–2008) was the founder of National Review and the host of one of television’s longest-running public affairs programs, Firing Line. The author of more than fifteen novels, many of them New York Times bestsellers, he won the National Book Award for Stained Glass, the second in the series featuring Blackford Oakes.

About John Lescault

Patrick Cullen (a.k.a. John Lescault), a native of Massachusetts, is a graduate of the Catholic University of America. He lives in Washington, DC, where he works in theater.

Reviews

Goodreads review by John on April 01, 2008

Buckley's explanation of the "basic assumption" behind his bestselling Blackford Oakes spy novels: "that the survival of everything we cherish depends on the survival of the culture of liberty; and that this hangs on our willingness to defend this extraordinary country of ours, so awfully mixed up, s......more

Goodreads review by Endre on April 02, 2011

William F Buckley,Jr. wrote a great page turner about the time of President Ronald Reagan and Soviet Premier M. Gorbachev. It is not just a spy thriller, it is a love story. It brought back a lot of memories. This is the second book I read by WFB,Jr. he is a great read if you like cold war spy stori......more

Goodreads review by Dixon on September 29, 2008

William F. Buckley died recently. This was probably the last of his books to be published while he was still living. It is a farewell fiction for a well developed character of several Buckley novels. It was also perhaps a farewell fiction for the author. It is a quick, exciting, romp through a part o......more

Goodreads review by Karen on August 19, 2017

Enjoyable spy novel Not Great Literature nor was it intended to be. But it is an entertaining story, complete with romance, loss, revenge and a happy/sad ending. And, of course, well-written. Nice interplay of actual events and people that were contemporary to the book's setting.......more

Goodreads review by Susan on July 14, 2011

I was a bit disappointed in the ending. It turned out to be rather predicable. I am sure it "had to end that way", but I thought after *all that* it was a bit unimaginative. Buckley must have been bored with the character or just too tired to be as inventive and cagey as he was inthe first several b......more

Quotes

“[An] engaging piece of espionage cloak-and-daggitude that roams ruefully across the near-terminal days of the Cold War.” New York Times Book Review

“As always, Buckley imparts erudite sidebars about American history, literature, and his famous acquaintances as he spins a lively, entertaining tale.” Publishers Weekly

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