Books like The Canceled Czech by Lawrence Block

Evan Tanner, a linguist who survived shrapnel wounds in Korea and now suffers chronic insomnia, works for a covert intelligence agency so secret that even its own agents are unaware of their employers. His restless nights make him a valuable asset in a field that demands constant vigilance. When his nameless supervisor entrusts him with a high‑stakes assignment—sneaking behind the Iron Curtain, breaching an impregnable castle in Prague, and rescuing an old Slovak prisoner condemned to the hangman's noose—Tanner faces a daunting test of resolve. The prisoner, an unrepentant Nazi, renders the task even more treacherous and morally fraught; Tanner despises Nazis, yet the political stakes are high. Failure could implicate the U.S. and result in execution. Despite the risks, Tanner decides to accept the mission, setting the stage for a tense, action‑packed thriller.

First publish date: 1984