Alan Furst, who has often been compared to Graham Greene and Eric Ambler, is widely recognised as a master of the atmospheric spy thriller. It was a journalistic asssignment, for 'Esquire' magazine, that inspired him to write 'Night Soldiers', the first of his highly original novels about espionage in eastern and western Europe before and during World War II. Since then he has published 'Dark Star', 'The Polish Officer', 'The World at Night' and 'Red Gold', all to outstanding critical acclaim.