Samiksha Jaiswal (Editor)

The Secret Servant (Lyall novel)

Updated on
Edit
Like
Comment
Share on FacebookTweet on TwitterShare on LinkedInShare on Reddit
7.8
/
10
1
Votes
Alchetron
7.8
1 Ratings
100
90
80
71
60
50
40
30
20
10
Rate This

Rate This

Language
  
English

Publication date
  
1980

ISBN
  
0-340-25385-1

Author
  
Gavin Lyall

Country
  
United Kingdom

3.9/5
Goodreads

Series
  
Harry Maxim

Pages
  
224 pp

Originally published
  
1980

Publisher
  
Hodder & Stoughton

Genres
  
Thriller, Spy fiction

The Secret Servant (Lyall novel) t1gstaticcomimagesqtbnANd9GcSP7R1z7e4sWLCmB0

Media type
  
Print (hardcover and paperback)

Followed by
  
The Conduct of Major Maxim

Similar
  
The Conduct of Major Ma, The Crocus List, Uncle Target, Judas Country, The Wrong Side of the Sky

The Secret Servant is a third person narrative novel by English author Gavin Lyall, first published in 1980, and the first of his series of novels with the character “Harry Maxim” as the protagonist.

Contents

Plot introduction

Former SAS Major Harry Maxim is assigned to Number 10 Downing Street as a special assistant to George Harbinger, private secretary to the Prime Minister, following the suicide of his predecessor with the British Secret Service. Maxim is assigned to protect Professor John White Tyler, Britain's premier military strategist on nuclear weapons policy and famed war hero (as well as an insatiable lecher). Tyler’s many enemies, including local pacifists, leftists, and radical students, as well as the KGB will do anything, perhaps even murder, to keep Tyler from addressing a NATO summit in Luxembourg. However, are various events surrounding Tyler related? Such as a hand grenade thrown through the door to the Prime Minister's residence, or the death of a Czech defector? Assisted by MI5 liaison officer Agnes Algar, Maxim must uncover a horrific secret from Tyler's wartime past in order to prevent a massive foreign relations disaster, as well as keeping Tyler alive.

Film, TV or theatrical adaptations

Lyall originally wrote The Secret Servant as the pilot episode of a proposed BBC TV series. The series was directed by Alistair Reid, with screenplay by Brian Clemens. The role of Harry Maxim was played by Charles Dance, with Jill Meager as Agnes Algar and Harvey Ashby as George Harbinger.

References

The Secret Servant (Lyall novel) Wikipedia