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Hold Fast

A Novel
3.91 goodreads logo

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( 813 ratings, 95 reviews)
Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
In Hold Fast by J. H. Gelernter, the story unfolds in the world of espionage during the Napoleonic Wars. It follows Captain Thomas Grey, who has been tasked with a high-stakes mission involving coded messages and dangerous adversaries. Set against a backdrop of political intrigue and daring action, the novel delivers a thrilling ride as Grey navigates the complexities of loyalty and survival.
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Format: Paperback / softback
$3199
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Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

This book may appeal to you if you enjoy historical espionage mysteries with a strong nautical theme. It's set in the early 19th century and features heart-pounding adventure, complex characters, and intricate political intrigue on the high seas. Perfect for fans of maritime thrillers with a twist of crime.

Book Hero thinking about your next read

A desperate sea battle, a fortune risked on the turn of a card and a duel at dawn with the loser…Patrick O’Brian meets James Bond

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

It's 1803. The Napoleonic Wars are raging, Britain is on her heels, and His Majesty's Secret Service has just lost its best agent, Thomas Grey. Deeply depressed by his wife's untimely death, Grey resigns from the service and accepts an offer to join a lumber firm in Boston.

But when a sea battle with a privateer forces the ship carrying him west to make port in neutral Portugal, Grey is approached with a counteroffer: become a wealthy man by selling out Britain's spy network to France. The French take Grey for a disgruntled ex–naval officer, blithely unaware that Grey had lost his wife to an unlucky shot from a French cannon.

Now, after many years serving King and Country, Grey seizes the opportunity to fight a covert war of his own. He travels to Paris, andβ€”playing the part of the invaluable turncoat the French believe him to beβ€”proceeds to infiltrate the highest levels of Napoleon's government. If he can outwit his handlers, outmatch his French counterparts, and outrun Napoleon's secret police, Grey may just avenge his wife's death and turn the tide of war in England's favour.

Bursting with action and intrigue, Hold Fast sends readers headlong into an unrelenting spy thriller.

Series: A Thomas Grey Novel

View all
  • Captain Grey's Gambit
    December 1803: A French invasion fleet is poised to cross the Channel and storm the beaches of southern England. A member of Napoleon's inner circleβ€”disaffected by Napoleon's creeping tyrannyβ€”contacts the British naval intelligence service in hopes of defecting to London. His escape plan calls for a rendezvous at an international chess tournament in Frankfurtβ€”a rare opportunity for him to travel...
    Paperback
    $3399
    Available
    Ships in 3-4 weeks
  • Hold Fast
    It's 1803. The Napoleonic Wars are raging, Britain is on her heels, and His Majesty's Secret Service has just lost its best agent, Thomas Grey. Deeply depressed by his wife's untimely death, Grey resigns from the service and accepts an offer to join a lumber firm in Boston. But when a sea battle with a privateer forces the ship carrying...
    Paperback
    $3199
    Available
    Ships in 3-4 weeks
  • The Montevideo Brief
    Viennaβ€”June 1804. At the glittering debut of Beethoven's Third Symphony, a Spanish diplomat meets with Captain Thomas Grey, agent of His Majesty's Secret Service. In exchange for a gigantic bribe, the Spaniard discloses Spain's darkest secret: the actual terms of the Treaty of San Ildefonso with France. Spain's neutrality in Napoleon's war on Britain is only a ruse to keep...
    Hardback
    $5299
    Available
    Ships in 3-4 weeks
  • The Montevideo Brief
    Viennaβ€”June 1804. At the glittering debut of Beethoven's Third Symphony, a Spanish diplomat meets with Captain Thomas Grey, agent of His Majesty's Secret Service. In exchange for a gigantic bribe, the Spaniard discloses Spain's darkest secret: the actual terms of the Treaty of San Ildefonso with France. Spain's neutrality in Napoleon's war on Britain is only a ruse to keep...
    Paperback
    $3199
    Available
    Ships in 3-4 weeks
  • Captain Grey's Gambit
    December 1803: A French invasion fleet is poised to cross the Channel and storm the beaches of southern England. A member of Napoleon's inner circleβ€”disaffected by Napoleon's creeping tyrannyβ€”contacts the British naval intelligence service in hopes of defecting to London. His escape plan calls for a rendezvous at an international chess tournament in Frankfurtβ€”a rare opportunity for him to travel...
    Hardback
    Sold Out

Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?

Hold Fast by J. H. Gelernter is praised as a captivating adventure set during the Napoleonic Wars. The novel features Thomas Grey, a charming and skilled protagonist who navigates a vividly depicted 19th-century world filled with suspense and action. With Grey's adventures offering thrilling naval and land encounters, readers are likely to enjoy a dynamic and compelling tale reminiscent of the Royal Navy's golden age.

Book Hero reading reviews

Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9780393882476

Publisher: WW Norton & Co

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 08 March 2022

Country: United States

Imprint: WW Norton & Co

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 18.0mm

Width: 140.0mm

Height: 211.0mm

Weight: 207g

Pages: 256

About the Author

J. H. Gelernter is the author of the Thomas Grey novels: The Montevideo Brief, Hold Fast, and Captain Grey’s Gambit.

Also by J. H. Gelernter

View all
  • Captain Grey's Gambit
    December 1803: A French invasion fleet is poised to cross the Channel and storm the beaches of southern England. A member of Napoleon's inner circleβ€”disaffected by Napoleon's creeping tyrannyβ€”contacts the British naval intelligence service in hopes of defecting to London. His escape plan calls for a rendezvous at an international chess tournament in Frankfurtβ€”a rare opportunity for him to travel...
    Paperback
    $3399
    Available
    Ships in 3-4 weeks
  • The Montevideo Brief
    Viennaβ€”June 1804. At the glittering debut of Beethoven's Third Symphony, a Spanish diplomat meets with Captain Thomas Grey, agent of His Majesty's Secret Service. In exchange for a gigantic bribe, the Spaniard discloses Spain's darkest secret: the actual terms of the Treaty of San Ildefonso with France. Spain's neutrality in Napoleon's war on Britain is only a ruse to keep...
    Hardback
    $5299
    Available
    Ships in 3-4 weeks
  • The Montevideo Brief
    Viennaβ€”June 1804. At the glittering debut of Beethoven's Third Symphony, a Spanish diplomat meets with Captain Thomas Grey, agent of His Majesty's Secret Service. In exchange for a gigantic bribe, the Spaniard discloses Spain's darkest secret: the actual terms of the Treaty of San Ildefonso with France. Spain's neutrality in Napoleon's war on Britain is only a ruse to keep...
    Paperback
    $3199
    Available
    Ships in 3-4 weeks
  • Captain Grey's Gambit
    December 1803: A French invasion fleet is poised to cross the Channel and storm the beaches of southern England. A member of Napoleon's inner circleβ€”disaffected by Napoleon's creeping tyrannyβ€”contacts the British naval intelligence service in hopes of defecting to London. His escape plan calls for a rendezvous at an international chess tournament in Frankfurtβ€”a rare opportunity for him to travel...
    Hardback
    Sold Out

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