Spying was repugnant to Mencken â?" even in wartime â?" but he had no alternative. He took the assignment.

His objective was to attend a conference of Nazi scientists, researchers in germ warfare and poison gas, and report back to London. He was to pick up his orders in Venice.

The nightmare, paranoid world of a spy was suddenly Menckenâ?Ts world. In Winston Graham's Night Journey Mencken becomes a man split between self-respect and fear, conditioned by terror of the faceless men dedicated to his elimination . . .