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  • The London Cage

  • The Secret History of Britain's World War II Interrogation Centre
  • By: Helen Fry
  • Narrated by: Jennifer M. Dixon
  • Length: 10 hrs and 59 mins
  • 3.6 out of 5 stars (32 ratings)
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The London Cage cover art

The London Cage

By: Helen Fry
Narrated by: Jennifer M. Dixon
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Summary

Behind the locked doors of three mansions in London's exclusive Kensington Palace Gardens neighborhood, the British Secret Service established a highly secret prison in 1940: the London Cage. Here recalcitrant German prisoners of war were subjected to "special intelligence treatment." The stakes were high: the war's outcome could hinge on obtaining information German prisoners were determined to withhold. After the war, high-ranking Nazi war criminals were housed in the Cage, revamped as an important center for investigating German war crimes.

This riveting book reveals the full details of operations at the London Cage and subsequent efforts to hide them. Helen Fry's extraordinary original research uncovers the grim picture of prisoners' daily lives and of systemic Soviet-style mistreatment. The author also provides sensational evidence to counter official denials concerning the use of "truth drugs" and "enhanced interrogation" techniques. Bringing dark secrets to light, this groundbreaking book at last provides an objective and complete history of the London Cage.

©2017 Helen Fry (P)2017 Tantor
  • Unabridged Audiobook
  • Categories: History

What listeners say about The London Cage

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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    1 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars

Very difficult to listen to

I found this impossible to listen to. The narrator's delivery lacked intonation to the extent that I honestly wondered if it was electronic, and pronunciation of some words (especially German names) was so unusual as to be distracting. Another distraction was the description of brackets as parentheses, eg 'Department XYZ (2)' was read as 'Department XYZ parenthesis 2, close parenthesis'. It may be just me, and not worry other listeners - it's rare for me not to finish a book (either by listening or hard copy), but this is a definitely one I am pulling the plug on.

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3 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    1 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars

Listen to sample before you decide

Judging the quality of narration is necessarily subjective - I found this completely unlistenable, which is a shame since I was looking forward to the book.

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2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Really interesting read.

I read a lot of war books, concerning special services and SOE and this is an interesting insight from the inside. Many parts of this seem to have been 'forgotten' in history and I'm sure there was much more going on in the Cage that this book alludes to.
Top tip: It is much improved by listening at 1.2 speed as it make the narrator sound more normal.

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Brutal and fascinating in equal measure.

Better at 1.5 speed this is a great insight into a devilishly difficult area of wartime intelligence to get to grips with.

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  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars
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    1 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Oh dear!

Yep. Most not wrong. Very hard to listen to. Such a shame. Such an interesting subject. The narrator has a great voice for this subject. Very of the era, but dearly me, the delivery is terrible. Sorry!
Chapter 4 is as far as i got.

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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Very difficult listen.

As others have said, the narration ruins this book. The subject is fascinating but the narration is so bad, I couldn't finish it. it is poorly delivered with incorrect intonation or none at all.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Sounds dull but persevere

I hated this when I started as the narration is tedious and I really didn't think I'd get through it. The subject itself is gripping and I just couldn't stop listening to the growing story of Scotland and his pursuit of those that murdered British soldiers during WW2. Please please please listen on it's a great story that needs to be known

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Another piece of the jigsaw

This is a well paced well written book that presents another piece of the 10000 piece jigsaw that is the Second World War. Not surprisingly there remains doubt about some of the practises and how much overall effect this specific cell would have had bringing the war to a conclusion and the aftermath leading to those few who were tried for war crimes. Nevertheless, it is a fascinating account which diverts off now and then to then return to the main theme without being distracting. And aspects of the airmen who were murdered for escaping, or the Commandoes are important aspects. Even the attempted breakout by the German POWs and who they were intending to meet up with. So all in all, an excellent account - you may read about the presentation, I ran it at 1.2x which worked well for me - which I ‘read’ over only a couple of days and it was well worth it. Stuart

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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

Hard work but worth persevering

A very difficult listen in no small part because of the narration, which is sad as the subject is fascinating and so the book should have been. I persevered and am glad to have done so.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Interesting.

Interesting book, though reader seems very monotone.
Regarding the question about treatment of SS officers at The Cage, I just think about all the atrocities that the SS committed and my mind rests easy.

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