Black-Out in Gretley: A Story of — and for — Wartime by J. B. Priestley. Short summary

5 seconds

During World War II, an undercover agent, Humphrey Neyland, tries to identify among the circle of suspects a criminal who leaks information to German spies.

1 minute

The action takes place in 1942 in England. German spies have established one of their centers in the small industrial town of Gretley. The main character is a 43-year-old engineer, Humphrey Neiland. After the outbreak of war, he changed careers and became an agent for an organization dedicated to identifying and catching saboteurs and spies during World War II.

Neyland arrives in an unfamiliar city. He has no data and cannot trust anyone, not even the local police. The hero listens, observes, and draws conclusions.

Humphrey works undercover. He tries to figure out the German spy network and among the circle of suspects to find the criminal leaking information to them. The men who get too close to the enemy spy pay for it with their lives. The Germans target a military aircraft repair plant in the city.