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Rob Ryan
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Early One Morning: A Novel (The Secret War Trilogy) Kindle Edition

by Robert Ryan (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.3 4.3 out of 5 stars 196 ratings
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A “damn near irresistible” novel of friendship, fast cars, and spying for the Resistance in occupied France—based on a true story (Time Out London).
 On a crisp autumn night in the twenty-first century, a car is pulled from the depths of an Austrian lake. A skeleton grips the wheel. Finally, an answer: William Grover-Williams, the premier English race-car driver of his generation and a hero of the French Resistance, met his end at the bottom of a mountain lake.
Or did he?
In the Roaring Twenties, Grover-Williams and Frenchman Robert Benoist were teammates and rivals on the Bugatti racing team. Locked in a fierce competition for the world championship, they also raced to win the heart of the gorgeous Eve Aubicq. Then the war changed everything—and nothing. As members of the British Special Operations Executive, Grover-Williams and Benoist dashed across France in support of the Resistance, but it wasn’t just the Nazis they had to watch out for. Double agents were everywhere, and friendship—or love, for that matter—was no guarantee of loyalty. Every morning, Will, Robert, and Eve had to look in the mirror and ask: Whom can I trust today? The wrong answer might just have spelled their doom.

Early One Morning is the 1st book in the Secret War Trilogy, which also includes Blue Noon and Night Crossing.
  
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  1. Book 1 of 3
    The Secret War Trilogy
  2. Print length
    356 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Sticky notes
    On Kindle Scribe
  5. Publisher
    Open Road Media
  6. Publication date
    March 25, 2014
  7. File size
    2051 KB
  8. Page Flip
    Enabled
  9. Word Wise
    Enabled
  10. Enhanced typesetting
    Enabled
  11. See all details
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Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B00ITBXT82
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Open Road Media (March 25, 2014)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ March 25, 2014
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 2051 KB
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ On Kindle Scribe
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 356 pages
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.3 4.3 out of 5 stars 196 ratings

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Rob Ryan

Rob Ryan

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Customer reviews

4.3 out of 5 stars
4.3 out of 5
196 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

john maroulis
5.0 out of 5 stars A must read.
Reviewed in the United States on November 8, 2015
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Simply, this is one of my all time favourite books. I think someone should make a movie out of it. I have the hard cover and have read it over ten times!! This book has everything. A beautiful woman,art, two dashing racing car mates from the thirties, and other great characters, wonderful cars, particularly the rare Bugatti Atlantic 5C. It has a great love story. The fact that it is based on a true story gives it more empathy and credibility.It has mateship and camaraderie and loyalty and intrigue and history. As a former sports car racing driver over ten years, I can testify to the accuracy of the racing scenes and the mental state of the drivers and their loved ones who attended the races. The French resistance scenes were heart in the mouth stuff and makes me appreciate and applaud what my Dad's sister Penelope must have gone through when she was in the Greek resistance.
One person found this helpful
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jcopeland
4.0 out of 5 stars This novel became a must read after one page
Reviewed in the United States on January 13, 2017
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The story grabbed me by the scruff of my neck and I had a tough time putting the book down for any length of time. Ranging from 1920's Ireland, to the continental racing circuit of the 1930's, to the secret war in France in the 1940's, you encounter several unforgettable characters and a fine love affair, not to mention deceit, bravery, violence and honor.
Based on actual events and people, the story propels the reader to figure out what happens next; and, who knows, maybe much of it did.
3 people found this helpful
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BETHENE CAMPBELL
5.0 out of 5 stars Great Read!
Reviewed in the United States on July 14, 2015
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The first and best of the series, Early One Morning is based on several true stories. This first in a trio is about the beginning of WWII, the French Resistance, the British SOE and how early auto racing enthusiasts worked against the Nazis. Several harrowing tales are recounted. Author Robert Ryan is a stellar researcher and gives wonderful recountings of events too crazy to make up. For fans of Foyle's War experiencing withdrawal this book series is fabulous. There is much common source material between the two so several characters will bring sparks of recognition. Other titles in the series are Last Sunrise and Dying Day.
6 people found this helpful
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Dan Smith, Author
4.0 out of 5 stars Good read
Reviewed in the United States on February 25, 2018
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Enjoyed the blend of detailed fact with enough fiction to make the book roar past like the legendary Bugatti Atlantic. The French don't come off well in this resistance tale, which surprises-- and educates-- me. Fine work.
One person found this helpful
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Kindle Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars This is one of the best novels that I have read
Reviewed in the United States on July 25, 2016
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This is one of the best novels that I have read.The characters are developed and you can actually feel that you can see and identify with them,I wish that people that read this novel can see how many millions have died because of the hate and ignorance of misguided people .There have been many books written about the holacoust,this book shows how it people dealt with it ,not only the victims but but the perpatrators,History will forgive but not forget hopefully what happened not too long ago.
One person found this helpful
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Alabama Anglophile
5.0 out of 5 stars "(F)rozen in eternal youthful sepia."
Reviewed in the United States on November 11, 2017
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This is a gritty World War I I "fiction with a bedrock of actual events," to further quote the author with enough car talk to interest the racing car enthusiast, sufficient sexual encounters for the romantic, and a generous bibliography for the historian, as well as notes on the departures of fiction from fact--for those of us who still appreciate the difference.
2 people found this helpful
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Amanda
4.0 out of 5 stars Entertaining and interesting!
Reviewed in the United States on April 3, 2014
Some of the things that real people accomplish in their lives so far surpass what we can imagine. William Grover-Williams went from rich kid to chauffeur to British spy-what a life he had!

We first meet William Grover-Williams as a young man trying to get out from under his parents thumb and getting into some trouble doing it. When we meet him again he’s working as a chauffeur for the famous portrait artist William Orpen; and he meets his mistress, the beautiful Eve. I would have liked more about Eve. According to Ryan’s story she became Orpen’s lover as a teenager and he alludes to the trauma she went through due to the Germans, but never really goes back to it. I think I would have enjoyed Eve even more throughout the book if she had been a more developed character.

That being said I did enjoy how Ryan wrote Grover-Williams and his friend/rival/mentor Robert Benoist. I enjoyed the tension that was between them as drivers as much as the admiration and the friendship. It was hard to become emotionally invested in these characters when the book begins with the car being pulled out of a lake, because I felt there was this looming tragedy coming but it was so worth it in the end. Obviously not everyone has a happy ending in any war story, but this was a really good story of friendship, love and hope. I was definitely caught up in the drama as they began working with the British Special Operations and the French Resistance.

For me, Ryan was a bit too technical with the details of the racing cars, however if this is something you’re into the detail might have been perfect. It was enough for me to imagine the beautiful old cars racing in Monte Carlo-I don’t care about the engines! The story moved a lot faster to me when we were past the racing. It was quite a contrast to read the life Williams and Eve were living with the glamour of working for Bugatti and then the harsh differences after the Nazis moved into Paris.

I actually found the afterword to be extremely interesting as well. I really like knowing who based on a real person and what kind of detail was true.

Definitely recommended for historical fiction and spy novel fans!

4 Stars!
3 people found this helpful
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Elizabeth Nall
5.0 out of 5 stars Burgotti in the War
Reviewed in the United States on August 21, 2016
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This is a story of resistance fighters during WWII. One of the protagonists was hung by the nazis. The other escaped somehow and lived to a ripe old age. The protagonists were race car drivers.
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Top reviews from other countries

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Sergio
5.0 out of 5 stars Aventura pura
Reviewed in Brazil on June 4, 2023
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Muito bom. Obrigatório para qualquer fã de automobilismo dos anos 30. Junto com uma história extraordinária.
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Amazon Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars One of the best books I have read
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on November 27, 2020
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I purchased this book because it referenced Robert Benoist and SOE. I was a bit sceptical when I first started reading this book, but I was pleasantly surprised. I never knew about William Grover-Williams (won the inaugural Monaco GP) until reading this book, but the more I read about him, and Robert Benoist, the more my respect and admiration grew for them both. Similarly for Grover-Williams' wife, Yvonne Aupicq. This book is one of the best books I have ever read. I know I will read it again because it is intriguing and exciting.
2 people found this helpful
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DixeyWilts
4.0 out of 5 stars Engaging tale
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on August 27, 2015
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Book arrived in good condition and in good time. Story is well told, an easy read with a few implausable sections. Not too many characterisations and depth of plot but an engaging tale.
One person found this helpful
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Liz Davies
5.0 out of 5 stars Gripping Read
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on October 18, 2020
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Having read a number of autobiographies and biographies about SOE WWII agents I had heard of Grover-Williams and Benoist but that was as far as it went. I found this an exciting and convincing account of their activities in war time France. I was so intrigued by the story I immediately bought a factual version of the same story published later than this book.
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Cfwb
4.0 out of 5 stars Four Stars
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on August 30, 2017
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A great story for any race car and WW11 enthusiast. An introduction to the early Bugatti raceing car.
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