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WILKINSON AT WAR

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Full Name: Clarence Wilkinson and Jenny Matheson
Series Name: Wilkinson At War
Nationality: British
Organization: British Intelligence
Occupation Agent

Creator: R. C. S. Hutching
Time Span: 2020 - 2024

ABOUT THE SERIES

Clarence Wilkinson and Jennie Matheson are part-time agents with British Intelligence.

The series name given these adventures by the author or publisher is 'Wilkinson At War' and I have chosen to use that as well but I could have found ample justification to call it Wilkinson & Matheson. The time frame for the tales of these two very interesting people is the early days of the Second World War.

Wilkinson, at 52 years of age and "already the proud owner of a slowly expanding waistline", is an attorney at a prestigious London firm who also volunteers many evenings to fire-watch duties in the days of the Blitz. The many younger lawyers at the firm would be astonished to learn that the stodgy man they know as "Boring old Wilko", having an "almost babyish face [which] gave him the appearance of an eager, if elderly, schoolboy",  had served with some distinction on the Western Front during the Great War and continued in the Intelligence Service for several years after the cessation of hostilities. He would have likely and willingly stayed doing that unsung 'lawyer by day, fire-watcher by night' work had an old friend from his previous service not needed someone with his skills to help in a matter when there was, literally, no one else.

Matheson, a modestly attractive woman in her mid-20s, comes to our attention in the unenviable role of patsy, albeit one far too intelligent to stay such for very long, no matter how much the handsome fellow wooing her for classified intelligence put on his not-inconsequential charm. When we meet her, she is working in a lowly position in the transport section of the War Office. She got there through hard work, tenacity, and a determination to be self-sufficient. She will not be the fool that her new love interest expected her to be and by turning on him, she will become a work partner with Wilkinson.

The two will prove to be a fascinating team taking on German spies and saboteurs working inside the U.K.

BOOKS

Number of Books:3
First Appearance:2020
Last Appearance:2024

This extremely entertaining series about Wilkinson and Matheson comes to readers through an interesting route. There existed for several years a well-written series of mysteries and adventures about a husband and wife pair of  archaeologists turned writing team named Martin and Anna Price.

According to a promo which does a great job of describing the, these two "investigate historical mysteries which range from Roman Britain to the 1970s pop music scene. Fame and fortune result as do unexpected dangers which affect not only their own personal lives but also those of their families and close friends." As of this posting there are 14 adventures of this couple.

Tale #11 had an interesting twist to the style of storytelling that the author had been using. In that adventure, which is the first in the Wilkinson At War series as well, the Prices have a mystery to solve which will have its antecedence in a matter taking place in 1940's England. Even as we follow Martin and Anna deal with their puzzle-solving in the present time, we will be given considerable time to spend back in 1940 (more so than with Martin and Anna, to be truthful) meeting and following Clarence and Jenny.

The author will then continue the Price adventures while also taking time enough to give us two more stories of spy-hunting by Wilkinson and Matheson, sort of like a much desired spin-off.


1 The Brandenburg Cipher The Brandenburg Cipher
Written by R. C. S. Hutching
Copyright: 2020

Book 11 in the Chateau Sarony series by the same author. 
While the emphasis of the adventure deals with the actions of main characters Martin and Anna Price, archaeologists and mystery solvers, there is an introduction of Wilkinson and Mathieson and details how Jenny was inveigled into working with Wilkinson to monitor a German agent during WWII.
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2 The Woman from St John's Wood The Woman from St John's Wood
Written by R. C. S. Hutching
Copyright: 2022

Pressuring Jenny Matheson into helping British Intelligence by romancing a German agent has bothered Clarence Wilkinson for some time. "Himself a confirmed bachelor and sixteen years her senior meant that his measure of guilt was augmented by a feeling of responsibility for her future welfare. Learning that she had suffered a nervous breakdown increased the concern he felt for her and resulted in her being employed as his assistant in the newly formed section he was charged with operating at the War Office. Against all the odds the confirmed bachelor and the fragile younger woman find a mutual attraction that will not only enhance their personal lives but prove crucial in resolving their first joint investigation."
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3 The Ten-Bob Traitors The Ten-Bob Traitors
Written by R. C. S. Hutching
Copyright: 2024

"Clarence Wilkinson and Jenny Matheson make some unofficial enquiries about the wellbeing of a soldier based at Overton in Hampshire who although only slightly injured in a road accident has been posted to Wales to convalesce. It is 1941 and the young man's father believes that the military authorities are not telling him the whole truth. The discovery of an excellently forged ten-shilling note points to the possible existence of a Nazi counterfeiting operation in the Overton area. Jenny goes undercover as a school secretary at the girls' boarding school adjacent to the military site. Meanwhile Clarence follows a line of enquiry initiated by the murder of an army deserter in Hackney who was in possession of a substantial quantity of the brand-new forged notes."
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MY COMMENTS

I got what I thought was the first book of a two-book series, The Woman From St. John's Wood, and started it. Immediately, I was shown through the terrific storytelling of the author, R.C.S. Hutching, that there was a backstory. Going to look for it, I found the Chateau Sarony series about Martin and Anna Price and eventually came upon the origin of Wilkinson and Matheson.

I was hooked by both characters immediately and when the first adventure led into the other two, I went gladly and willingly. I enjoyed all three stories a great deal. Since it has only been a year since the author gave us the third Wilkinson At War adventure, I can only hope that more will be coming. The Chateau Sarony stories are darned good but I am hooked on Clarence and Jennie.

GRADE

My Grade: A-

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