Jack of Spies, Downing - C, Inc.

                                             Downing is the author of an interesting six-book series, each named after a Berlin train station and set around WW2.  The lead character in those books was an Englishman, John Russell, a journalist and part-time spy. This novel is apparently the beginning of a new series, one about Jack McColl,  international traveling auto salesman and budding British spy.  The time is just before WW1 and the book follows McColl from China to San Francisco and onto NY.  The Germans are wise to him in Shanghai, where he's trying to find out their naval dispositions in the Pacific. In SF,  he looks into supporters of unrest in India and in NY, into Irish republican activities. That said, two-thirds of the way through, I kept hoping I was closer to the end than I was, and I've concluded it's not worth finishing.