The Lone Aviator’s Case by Haralamb Zincă is a gripping detective novel that explores the mystery surrounding a suspicious plane crash. The protagonist, detective Andrei Mladin, is called to investigate the case of a lone aviator, known for his risky flights and enigmatic personality. The aviator mysteriously disappears after a dangerous flight, and his accident raises many questions.

As Mladin deepens his investigation, he uncovers a complex web of lies and secrets involving influential figures and murky historical events. During the investigation, the detective is confronted with false leads, deceptive alibis, and people willing to do anything to hide the truth. Each discovery reveals unexpected aspects of the aviator’s life and his connections to the underworld and secret services.

Haralamb Zincă skillfully combines detailed descriptions of landscapes and action scenes with the psychological introspection of the characters, creating a tense and suspenseful atmosphere. The complex relationships between the characters, the twists and turns, and the fast pace of the narrative keep readers on the edge of their seats until the very last page.

The novel explores themes of loyalty, betrayal, courage, and truth, offering a profound insight into human nature and hidden motivations. The Lone Aviator’s File is an essential read for lovers of detective and mystery novels, offering a well-constructed story and memorable characters.

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Note: The edition that I had (pictured below) had a second story in it called “Temerarul”

1944, Ion and Mihai Antonescu were arrested. The Romanians turned their weapons against the Germans. In Bucharest, the situation is confused. Lieutenant Constantin Banu, from the Military Command of the Capital, receives an order to verify the main objectives of the Germans, located on Calea Victoriei.

He ends up teaming up with a taxi driver (called Blagă), with whom he embarks on a real adventure, full of dangers, spying on German positions dressed in an SS uniform, only to be mistaken for a real German officer, having been sent by General Gerstenberg himself to spy on the Romanians. The lieutenant manages to slip the Germans false information, so that their attack at the Băneasa Bridge turns into a resounding defeat.

About the author

Haralamb Zinca (the literary pseudonym of Hary Isac Zilberman) was born on July 4, 1923, in Roman. He wrote over 50 detective and espionage novels, as well as front-line diaries and historical research books. He is considered the father of genre literature in Romania, The End of the Ghost Spy being the first espionage book written by a Romanian author, and An Almost Perfect Crime, the first detective book. He was one of the best-selling Romanian writers of his era. His books, printed in print runs of 250,000-300,000 copies, sold out in just a few days. The cases he invented were so surprising that professional investigators asked him for advice on solving real cases. He was awarded the Bucharest Writers’ Association Prize – for the documentary book Si a fost ora H (1971) – and the Writers’ Union Prize (1976). He died, after a long illness, in Bucharest, on December 24, 2008.