Association Charts



Certain, later novels in the Samson series have, on their inside covers, graphics relating to all of Winter, Berlin Game, Mexico Set, London Match, Spy Hook, Spy Line, Spy Sinker & Faith. Each takes the form of a genealogy table outlining selected information about certain characters appearing in that book. Tables also include non-characters (e.g. Moscow Central; Brahms Network) as well as some chronological details. Each of the graphics employ the convention of solid lines to link characters who are ‘connected by family ' (as the accompanying Key describes it) or dotted lines to denote other types of relationship. This Key also explains that  'lw ' means 'liaison with ' - a rather quaint phrase used to describe an affair between two characters where one of them (at least?) is married to someone else.

Presumably Len Deighton himself was involved in compiling these graphics, so it would be a brave reader who’d make the assumption that he isn't guilty on occasions of playful omission, if not deliberate misdirection! For example it is possible that 'lw' may at times be used ambiguously i.e. to indicate something additional to an extramarital relationship. By way of example, Frank Harrington is likely running Zena Volkmann as an intelligence agent as well.