Other Novels
The first of these non-spy novels was the basis for a movie. It
remained unavailable in the US for nearly twenty years.
- Only When I Larf [Michael Joseph / Sphere Books, London,
April 1968]. Issued in the USA as Only When I Laugh [The
Mysterious Press, New York, March 1987].
This was followed by what many regard as Len Deighton's masterpiece;
which drew on his knowledge of military history, and of the RAF in
particular. It made his reputation as a serious novelist.
- Bomber [Jonathan Cape, London, September 1970 /
Harper & Row, New York, Septemeber 1970].
Not a novel at all, but a collection of short stories, the following
fits better into this section than any of the others.
- Declarations of War [Jonathan Cape, London, October 1971].
Issued in the USA as Eleven Declarations of War [Harcourt Brace
Jovanovich, New York, March 1975].
LD's next novel was a new departure into the world of the theatre
and Hollywood:
- Close-Up [Jonathan Cape, London, June 1972 /
Atheneum, New York, June 1972].
The next three non-spy novels were World War II related:
- SS-GB [Jonathan Cape, London, August 1978 /
Alfred A. Knopf, New York, February 1979].
- XPD [Hutchinson, London, March 1981 /
Alfred A. Knopf, New York, April 1981].
- Goodbye, Mickey Mouse [Hutchinson, London, September 1982 /
Alfred A. Knopf, New York, September 1982].
Following the first Bernard Samson ("Game, Set and Match") spy trilogy,
LD wrote an elaborate "prequel". This allowed him to fill in
background material, obliquely foreshadow future Samson novels, and
of course, write a historical novel:
- Winter [Hutchinson, London, September 1987 /
Alfred A. Knopf, New York, 1987].
Once again, LD devoted himself to a spy trilogy,
("Hook, Line and Sinker") which ended in
some disarray when reality intervened with the end of
the cold war. His next three novels were all removed from his
characteristic spy genre. The first of them seems to be a
resurrection of a novel abandoned (according to Milward-Oliver)
in the sixties. The second is again WWII-related and the third
is in his best Raymond Chandler style.
- MAMista [Harper Collins , New York, 1991].
- City of Gold [Harper Collins , New York, 1992].
- Violent Ward [Harper Collins , New York, 1993].
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