Summertime reading can often be a light, frothy affair: the latest chick-lit tale glamour and debauchery for the ladies, straight up action/adventure for the gents. Readers of either gender seeking something a little meatier, however, can turn to The Spies of Warsaw by Alan Furst.

Considered the king of historical spy fiction, Furst’s novels are set in the milieu of pre-World War II Europe. Populated by aristocrats, intellectuals, and femmes fatale reluctantly drawn into the world of espionage, Furst’s universe is thick with danger, sex, and intrigue.

The Spies of Warsaw is no exception. Set in 1937, it’s the story of Lt. Colonel Jean-Francois Mercier, an acquaintance of Charles de Gaulle and France’s military attaché to Poland. Tall, refined, and descended from minor aristocracy, Mercier cuts a dashing figure as he tries to divine Germany’s plans for war with France. Brilliantly drawn supporting characters such as the Rozens, Soviet diplomats who may or may not be trying to recruit Mercier to spy for Stalin, help make The Spies of Warsaw one of Furst’s most memorable novels.

Fans of Furst’s earlier work will not be disappointed, and for newcomers, The Spies of Warsaw is as a good a starting point as any. Unlike other summer reading, Furst’s novels are absolutely transporting. One can practically smell the cigarette smoke of the Parisian cafes and hear the clanking of the train wheels over the track as Mercier makes his way from one corner of Europe to the next in the name of preventing an inevitable war.