Nicholas Rankin Books

In 1942, Lieutenant-Commander Ian Fleming was personal assistant to the Director of Naval Intelligence - the dynamic figure behind James Bond's fictional chief, 'M'. Here, Fleming had a brilliant idea: why not set up a unit of authorised looters, men who would go in hard with the front-line troops and steal enemy intelligence? Known as '30 Assault Unit', they took part in the major campaigns of the Second World War, landing on the Normandy beaches and helping to liberate Paris. 30AU's final amazing coup was to seize the entire archives of the German Navy - thirty tons of documents.

Set against the backdrop of colonial Kenya during the decline of British rule, the narrative follows Nicholas Rankin, a white boy navigating a complex cultural landscape. His unique upbringing in a predominantly black society shapes his identity and perspectives. The book explores themes of race, colonialism, and the impact of historical change on personal lives, offering a poignant reflection on identity and belonging. Critics praise it as unforgettable and magnificent, highlighting its emotional depth and historical significance.

Nicholas Rankin's revelatory new book, whose cast of characters includes Haile Selassie, Anthony Burgess and General Sikorski, sets Gibraltar in the wider context of the struggle against fascism, from Abyssinia through the Spanish Civil War.

Trapped in History tells how the British colonised Kenya and how African nationalism arose under Jomo Kenyatta. Trapped in History explores the effect the uprising on the author, who grew up as a child in the Kenya colony. The book is both a history, as well as a memoir, of the end of Empire.