The Algonquin Project

The Algonquin Project (1974) by Frederick Nolan

This book is a fine novel that I came across quite by accident (searching for books by Nolan, who was one of the authors consulted on the Gunfighters DVDs). It makes me wonder how many other fine novels there are languishing in obscurity.

The novel is about the conspiracy to assassinate Patton in the aftermath of WWII. The name of the character is changed from Patton to Campion in the novel, because the author says that there are a few differences between the two characters. Campion seems to be pretty close to the Patton portrayed in the movie “Patton.”

Aides to General Eisenhower decide that Patton has to go, and enlist an OSS officer to arrange the murder of Patton. They insist that the assassination has to look like an accident. The OSS officer goes to Lucky Luciano (in prison) and makes a deal whereby Luciano puts him in contact with people in Europe that can do the job.

The aides then have the OSS officer killed (in Germany) to cover their tracks. The man who kills the OSS officer is caught by Russian intelligence. A potential Russian traitor tries to pass the information to British intelligence, but is betrayed by Kim Philby.

American military intelligence figures out that there is a danger to Patton, and close in to apprehend the assassin. The aides who instigated the whole mess are killed in a gunfight where an innocent man framed by the assassin is also killed. The Americans figure that they have foiled the plot and drop the extra security precautions. Patton is subsequently killed by the assassin during a car accident to conceal the fact that it was actually a murder. [The real life Patton died in a similar accident.] The assassin walks away, and no one even realizes that the plot succeeded.

The book has a lot of famous real life characters like Eisenhower, Truman, Luciano, Philby, and others, so I am a little fuzzy on why the name of Patton was changed to Campion. Maybe he was afraid that the Patton family would ask for royalties on the use of their name.

The book has a number of clichés, but they are blended into the story with such skill that I did not mind at all.

The British ambassador bungles critical intelligence because he is too busy planning a new squash court.

The Russians always get it right. American and British intelligence agencies are so thoroughly penetrated that the Russians know everything before the Allies do.

The Americans are only able to accomplish anything because they can bring a wasteful expenditure of resources against any situation, but ultimately fail because they are technically incompetent.

In summary, a very entertaining story, well told, and I would very much like to read some more novels like this one.