James Hayward Libri

In the whole course of the war,’ conceded Britain’s chief press censor, ‘there was no story which gave me so much trouble as that of the attempted German invasion, flaming oil on the water and 30,000 burned Germans.’ Sparked by the Directorate of Military Intelligence and MI6, rumours that Britain had set fire to the English Channel to defeat a German invasion in 1940 quickly spread around the world. Highly popular in America, the incendiary ‘Big Lie’ became Britain’s first significant propaganda victory of the Second World War.Yet the unlikely deception was founded in fact. Dead German soldiers were washed ashore on British beaches, a secret Petroleum Warfare Department tested lethal flame barrages on land and sea, and fire ships were hastily dispatched to enemy ports as part of Operation Lucid. British intelligence agencies even managed to plant the burning sea story on their opposite numbers in Nazi Germany.Burn the Sea is the definitive account of the origin, circulation and astonishing longevity of the myth of the ‘invasion that failed’ in 1940, as well as its remarkable revival in 1992.

During the First World War, a rich crop of legends sprouted from the battlefields and grew with such ferocity that many still excite controversy today.

Originally published as Double Agent Snow, this paperback edition recounts the story of Arthur Owens, codenamed SNOW, who is appointed Hitler's chief spy in Britain on the eve of World War II. Shortly after, he finds himself imprisoned in Wandsworth, betrayed by his wife, and coerced into sending false wireless messages for MI5 to secure his freedom. A vain and cunning anti-hero, Owens is driven by a desire for status, money, and women, often blurring the lines between patriotism and self-interest. While he sometimes portrayed himself as a loyal patriot undertaking dangerous missions, at other times he reveled in his role as a rogue agent, outsmarting British Intelligence. In a twist of fate, during the D-Day invasion in 1944, Owens played a crucial role in deceiving Hitler, leading him to misjudge the Allied attack location. Despite his flaws, Agent Snow emerged as the traitor who ultimately aided his country. Based on newly declassified MI5 files and unpublished sources, this narrative explores a covert Battle of Britain, featuring a love triangle between Owens, his wife Irene, and his mistress Lily Funnell, set against a backdrop of colorful characters and thrilling espionage.

The thrilling narrative promises to engage readers with a fast-paced plot that maintains suspense until the very last page. Expect unexpected twists and an exhilarating journey that keeps you on the edge of your seat throughout.