The Hour Of The Donkey

History has a habit of leaving behind awkward questions. One of the most enduring is this: why did Hitler order his advancing Panzer divisions to halt in May 1940, allowing hundreds of thousands of Allied troops to escape from Dunkirk? Historians have debated it for decades. Anthony Price looked at the mystery and, being a novelist, decided that the most entertaining solution was to write a thriller around it. The Hour of the Donkey is the result, blending espionage, military history and nail-biting suspense into one remarkably convincing tale.

Set during the chaos of the German invasion of France, the novel follows two young and inexperienced British officers who find themselves stranded behind enemy lines. Their predicament rapidly becomes even more dangerous when they witness what appears to be a senior British officer in suspicious company with the advancing Germans. From that extraordinary moment, survival becomes only half the problem. The other half is deciding whether what they have seen is treachery, deception or part of a game so complex that they are hopelessly out of their depth.

Price was one of Britain’s finest espionage writers, and unlike many thrillers where explosions politely fill the gaps between conversations, his novels thrive on intelligence in every sense of the word. Information is more dangerous than bullets, secrets weigh more heavily than rifles and every seemingly insignificant detail threatens to alter the course of history. The tension comes not merely from enemy patrols but from the uncomfortable possibility that nobody can be trusted, especially those wearing the correct uniform.

There is a delicious irony running throughout the novel. The fate of nations, armies and perhaps the entire war appears to rest upon two men who are scarcely prepared for the task before them. They are frightened, inexperienced and frequently confused, which makes them feel all the more believable. Heroism, Price quietly suggests, often consists not of fearless action but of carrying on despite having absolutely no idea what is happening.

Unlike many wartime adventures, The Hour of the Donkey refuses to romanticise combat. The confusion, exhaustion and sheer uncertainty of the 1940 campaign are brought vividly to life, creating a story that is as much about ordinary men caught in extraordinary circumstances as it is about spies and conspiracies. It is both a gripping thriller and an imaginative exploration of one of the Second World War’s most intriguing historical puzzles.

This 1983 Futura edition is in Good condition. It has clearly been enjoyed by a previous reader but remains clean, solid and thoroughly readable, making it an excellent copy for anyone wishing to discover why Anthony Price earned such admiration among fans of intelligent espionage fiction.

Perfect for readers of military history, Cold War and Second World War espionage, classic thrillers and anyone who enjoys novels that reward careful attention rather than simply rapid page-turning. Add it to your collection today and discover a masterclass in historical suspense, where one unanswered question from 1940 becomes the engine for an unforgettable adventure. As always from Crappy Old Books—where history, mystery and wonderfully dog-eared paperbacks continue to conspire in the very best possible way.

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