“A gorgeous reminder that London during the Blitz was the most heroic, most romantic, most dramatic moment of the unhappy 20th century. [Bluffing Mr. Churchill] is above all else Lawton’s tribute to the courage of his countryman when they stood alone against Hitler. . . . If you haven’t discovered Lawton, this is the ideal starting point. . . . [Lawton’s] books should not be missed by anyone who seeks superior popular entertainment.” —Patrick Anderson, The Washington Post Book World

“[A] superior espionage tale. . . . As always, Lawton’s characters are morally complex, his plots intelligent and his sense of atmospherics acute. You can almost hear the buzz bombs and smell the acrid odor of the underground shelters.” —Adam Woog, The Seattle Times

“Lawton returns to the World War II London Blitz setting of Black Out. . .with equal skill and energy, producing an intriguing, stimulating, all-too-plausible story. . . . The blend of Lawton’s fictional creations with real characters like Winston Churchill. . . produces a rich and juicy montage that throbs with life.” —Dick Adler, The Chicago Tribune

“A spy novel tightly wrapped into a murder mystery. . . . The Troy series establishes Lawton in the first rank of British popular fiction. The stories are at once deeply personal and globally important. Bluffing Mr. Churchill offers keen insights into the development of the character that will delight fans of his other books and serve as a valuable introduction to readers just discovering them. It is also a gripping and gritty sojourn through an already-dangerous London demimonde, made all the more treacherous by the brutalities of war. That it is equally successful as an espionage thriller and a detective story is proof that John Lawton is a potent storyteller.” —L.D. Meagher, CNN.com

“Another absorbing blend of espionage and detection. . . . The book is enlivened by bits of humor and by the larger-than-life presence of Walter Stilton.” —Tom and Enid Schantz, The Denver Post

“Bluffing Mr. Churchill is as much about the politics of war and the myopia of world leaders as it is a thriller. . . . You can’t help but think you are eavesdropping in John Lawton’s exquisitely scripted novel. . . . The slang, the food, the lifestyles, the Cockney characters—all are so perfectly captured that form frequently eclipses function in this splendid thriller.” —Ann Hellmuth, Orlando Sentinel

“Filled with double dealing and duplicity at every level, Bluffing Mr. Churchill is a tightly plotted and atmospheric tale of intrigue. It also captures as well as anything I’ve read the wartime atmosphere of London during the Blitz.” —Rick Sullivan, Grand Rapids Press

“The narrative shifts from the spy, his Nazi pursuers, his American handlers and assorted British players real and fictitious to create a suspenseful historical novel of the first order.” —Ft. Meyers News-Press

“Lawton’s rich detail establishes the story right away. . . . Besides Troy and the irascible police pathologist, Ladislaw Kolankiewicz, fans can expect a wealth of engaging new characters.” —Adam Dunn, CNN.com

“Using real historical figures, groups, and events to add authenticity, Bluffing Mr. Churchill is a great historical suspense thriller that readers will cherish.” —Harriet Klausner, Allreaders.com

“The gritty realism of the bombed city, the make-do food supplies, the endless pots of tea, the makeshift air raid shelters, and the ubiquitous pubs provide a fascinating backdrop for this top-notch espionage mystery.” —Carol Howell, I Love A Mystery

“Stimulating. . . . Lawton meshes comedy and suspense with skill and energy, and seamlessly mixes fictional creations with real characters. . .producing a distinctive, vigorous novel of wartime suspense. ” —Publishers Weekly (starred review)

“In the third escapade of aristocrat copper Freddie Troy to reach U.S. shores, it is spring 1941, and while Britain hunkers down under sporadic bombing and the daily privations of war, America and Russia look idly on with ill-fated apathy. . . . There’s a war on, mate! Or, as Stilton’s oft-employed Dickensian tagline puts it, ‘Wot Larx!’” —David Wright, Booklist

“[A] striking new suspense novel. . . . [Lawton] brings other historical figures to life, and grants memorable cameos to a number of famous men and women who personified the times. . . . All of the characters are vividly sketched. . . .Bluffing Mr. Churchill is a historically fascinating story that is masterfully told.” —Martin Kich, Bookpage

“Lawton evokes wartime London with an infectiously jaunty panache.” —Donna Leon, Sunday Times (UK)

“Troy is a character of real depth and subtlety. His brooding presence at the heart of the novel, at once enigmatic and vulnerable, makes Bluffing Mr. Churchill not only a satisfying read, but . . . [a thriller] with a strong moral heartbeat.” —Independent (UK)

“The sense of London during the Blitz is strong and the story, with its mix of real history and believable invention, is fast-paced, twisting and tense.” —The Observer (UK)

John Lawton has worked as a producer/director in television, spending much of his time interpreting the USA to the English, and occasionally vice versa. He has worked with Gore Vidal, Neil Simon, Scott Turow, Noam Chomsky, Fay Weldon, Harold Pinter and Kathy Acker.