Peter Cheyney wrote seven Dark Novels about espionage during and after the Second World War. The stories all concerned the activities of various espionage agents on both sides of the war. Written in an even more than usually fast paced and dramatic manner, the stories were instant hits; the quality of the plotting and the originality of the plots clearly contributed to the popularity of the series. This was also aided by a brilliant cast of colorful operatives, painted without caricature, who staffed the series. The Dark Series was so named, as the word "Dark" was included in each title. They were translated into several languages.
Peter Quayle is the father figure of the series, who is head of the top secret intelligence network in MI6. In his early 50's, he has been in intelligence work for England since the First World War. He is a brilliant strategist, matching wits and moves against his German Spymaster adversary. He is totally unpredictable, as his actions are never what they seem. It is said that he never lets his right hand know what his left hand is doing, as he sends his Agents on their dangerous missions.
Shaun Aloysius O'Mara is a man bigger than life. He is a man of many talents, speaks several languages and dialects of English. He can charm you, eat and drink with you, converse with you, play cards with you, win money off you, take your girl off you, swear unfailing loyalty to you and if necessary kill you. He will go to any lengths to achieve his objectives, and is Quayle's star Operative.
Ernest Guelvada is a richly entertaining and amusing character, and also a highly original one. Of Belgian extraction, Ernie is a dazzlingly accomplished secret agent, who can speak seven languages fluently, endlessly confident and quick with his stiletto knife. He is an amusing raconteur, and speaks an endearing mixture of highly pedantic English laced with cheap Americanisms picked up from gangster films. He is irresistible to women and his major weakness is that he finds it hard to resist them.
If these are the main characters in the series, we must not forget the rich supporting cast of men and women secret agents that live and die in the series. They are all convincing characters, and the world of espionage they inhabit makes for literally edge of the seat excitement. This series was considered the forerunner of the James Bond series, but with much more believable people involved in a life and death struggle during and after World War Two.
The seven Dark Series novels are: DARK DUET, THE STARS ARE DARK (aka DARK DAYS), THE DARK STREET (aka DARK STREETS), DARK HERO, DARK INTERLUDE, DARK WANTON, and DARK BAHAMA.
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DARK DAYS
SYNOPSIS
(AKA THE STARS ARE DARK)
COPYRIGHT 2002 TOM T. MOORE
The time is 1940, and the darkest time for England and its people. At Prime Minister Chamberlain's desperate attempt to avert war with Germany, British Agents are sent to meet with German Generals at Venlo, Holland who are supposed to be plotting the overthrow of Hitler. It is a trap, set by the German Spymaster Walter Schieken, and results in the capture and interrogation of the British Agents, and the destruction of their spy network on the Continent.
Peter Quayle, the head of MI6 Agents, begins to pick up the pieces. His men capture two agents, interrogate them, and learn where they entered the country and the time for the next agents to arrive. He sends four of his operatives to meet them at a remote beach on the coast, the Germans see it is a trap and in the shootout that follows all of the Germans are killed, along with one British Agent.
In Morocco, a seaman named Foden escapes from a Vichy Internment Camp and makes his way to Suera, where he approaches a nightclub and bordello owner, Mrs. Ferry, to get him to England. He tells her he wishes to sell information on German spies to MI6. Mrs. Ferry is a British Operative and passes his information along. With her assistance he makes his way to an English port, where Quayle has his star Agent, Shaun O'Mara, take over. He plays the part of a munitions driver who meets Foden in a pub at the port, and convinces him that his sister can connect Foden with the right people.
In London, O'Mara introduces Foden to his "sister" Zilla, who plays the part of a smart secretary for MI6. Foden goes to Zilla's apartment, and soon afterwards the sirens sound, signaling another bombing of London. Later, Foden calls O'Mara and claims that Zilla was killed when a wall collapsed in a bomb blast. Did she accidentally die, or did Foden kill her for some reason?
Quayle thinks he knows, so he brings in a deep cover double agent, Fells, that he set up with a fake Army court martial, and had worked as a German Agent for three years. It is a very dangerous move that may result in the death or kidnapping of another one of his best agents. If Foden is a German Agent, Fells will be forced to return to Germany and continue his role, but he will have to divulge valuable information about MI6 operations, or he will be killed. Quayle has deduced that the German Spymaster Schlieken is involved in an elaborate operation to further compromise British espionage operations.
He will find out soon, and a number of lives will be at risk.
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DARK STREETS
SYNOPSIS
(AKA THE DARK STREET)
COPYRIGHT 2002 TOM T. MOORE
It's 1941 and wartime in Europe. In occupied Paris, two British Agents make their way to a wine shop where they meet with a fat, dirty Frenchman named Fours, who informs them that the Gestapo has captured a French female operative. Michaelson and Duborg know the Gestapo, after torturing the woman, will soon be coming for them, so they attempt to leave Paris, but are too late. After a chase through the streets of Paris, they are shot and killed.
Peter Quayle, head of British Agents at MI6, is furious when he hears the news. The information leading to the French agent could only have come from one source in England, a German agent by the name of Lelley, whom she knew. He calls one of his Operatives, Cordover, and has him contact Ricky Kerr, a very capable Agent on several previous foreign operations. Cordover finds Kerr at a London party with his wife and several other women with whom he has had affairs. Kerr drives to Lelley's manor house in the country and with Cordover, arranges an "accident" where Lelley's car crashes into a quarry after being hit by Cordover's lorry (truck).
Kerr drives back to London, and unbeknownst to him picks up a tail. He meets with Quayle to report on his mission, and Quayle gives him a list of Agents he is sending into France to replace those he has had to pull out or had lost as a result of the Paris incident. Kerr has been drinking too much lately and instead of heading home, goes to a pub, where he meets one of the most beautiful women he has ever seen. The next morning, he discovers she has taken the list hidden in his coat. He is devastated, but curiously, Quayle is nonplused.
Quayle is two steps ahead in his espionage chess game, and had given Kerr a fake list, as he had deduced that someone at the party Kerr had attended was a German operative. Quayle now brings in his star Agent, Shaun O'Mara, to handle the operation. O'Mara first disposes of a German Agent who tries to tail him. Then he concentrates on two suspects from the party-a Spanish diplomat, Miguales, who has convinced Ricky Kerr's wife, Sandra, to leave Ricky, and Therese Martyr, a British Socialite and one of Ricky's previous conquests.
There will be more
deaths as O'Mara weaves his own web to catch the German Agent and other traitors
involved in the plot. His life and those of other British Agents will be put
in harm's way, as he attempts to outwit his adversaries.
COPYRIGHT 2002 TOM T. MOORE
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FILMOGRAPHY
NEIL HOLLANDER
Ph.D. University of Washington
WRITER/PRODUCER/DIRECTOR:
RIDING THE RAILS
A full-length feature film about the fate of the "new poor" in America
Production company: ADVENTURE FILM PRODUCTIONS
AWARDS: MENTION SPECIALE DU PUBLIC - Deauville Festival of American Films,
France.
PLAQUE D'ARGENT - International Festival of Cinema Figueira da Foz, Portugal.
GRAND PRIX DES MEDIAS - Journées Cinématographiques d'Orléans,
France.
SILVER AWARD - Houston International Film Festival, USA.
WRITER/PRODUCER/DIRECTOR:
TRAMPS
A full-length, action/adventure feature film starring STACY KEACH. A ship
full of refugees seeks their place in the sun.
Production companies: ADVENTURE FILM PRODUCTIONS,
LES FILMS DU TRIANGLE (France), WDR (Germany),
FRANCE 3, & FIRST PREFERRED COMMUNICATIONS (Philippines)
WRITER/PRODUCER/DIRECTOR:
BIRDS OF PASSAGE
A full-length, action/adventure feature film starring STACY KEACH. 109
unwanted little girls flee from China's "One-Child" policy,
Production companies: ADVENTURE FILM PRODUCTIONS,
WDR (Germany), LES FILMS DU TRIANGLE (France),
FRANCE 2 & FIRST PREFERRED COMMUNICATIONS (Philippines)
WRITER/DIRECTOR: THE
LAST SAILORS
Three 52 minutes documentaries about the final days of working sail.
Shot in 15 countries and narrated by ORSON WELLES.
Production company: ADVENTURE FILM PRODUCTIONS
AWARDS: FIRST PRIZE - International Segel-Film Festival 1985, Friedrichshafen,
Germany.
1er PRIX - VOILES INSOLITE - Festival International du Film de Voile 1985,
La Rochelle, France.
GRAND PRIX DU PUBLIC - Festival International du Film de Voile 1985, La Rochelle,
France.
WRITER/DIRECTOR:
FIRST FLIGHTS
Thirteen half-hour documentaries about the history of aviation
hosted by NEIL ARMSTRONG
Production company: PMT (Holland & USA)
PRODUCER/CO-DIRECTOR:
NOBEL VOICES
An exhibition for the SMITHSONIAN MUSEUM and the DEUTSCHES
MUSEUM and a streaming video documentary series celebrating 100
years of the Nobel Prizes. Based on original interviews with 34 Nobel Laureates.
Production companies: ADVENTURE FILM PRODUCTIONS, THE SMITHSONIAN MUSEUM &
THE DEUTSCHES MUSEUM BONN
WRITER/DIRECTOR: GOLDLUST
A 52-minute documentary about the gold rush in the Amazon.
Narrated by ORSON WELLES.
PRODUCER: TOUCHIA
A full-length feature film focusing on the problem of women in the
Moslem world.
Production companies: ADVENTURE FILM PRODUCTIONS,
LES FILMS SINGULIERS (France), L'ENPA (Algeria)
& CAAIC (Algeria)
WRITER/PRODUCER: THE
LOW RIDERS
A 45-minute documentary about Chicano car culture in the American
Southwest.
Production companies: ADVENTURE FILM PRODUCTIONS
& ARGUS FILMS (Germany)
This is an abbreviated Filmography of Mr. Hollander. A full Filmography is available upon request.
A complete resume
for Tom T Moore is available on request.
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