Eddie Dawson Books in Order

The Eddie Dawson novels are Second World War action adventures written by James Barrington under the name Max Adams. Their hero is Eddie Dawson, a lance-corporal in the Royal Engineers whose practical skill with explosives keeps placing him where the fighting is worst and escape routes are least reliable.

Dawson is a soldier, not a grand strategist.

He understands demolition, mines, bridges and the useful fact that almost anything can become a tool when there is no better option. That practical intelligence drives the series. Eddie is often sent on a straightforward assignment, only to find himself cut off, under-equipped or facing an enemy operation that needs to be understood before it can be stopped.

To Do or Die begins in September 1939, as Hitler's forces advance across Europe. Dawson is sent to France on an assessment mission, expecting to return to Britain once it is complete. Instead, he is sent into German territory to help clear a minefield. The situation collapses quickly, leaving Dawson and a fellow sapper trapped on the wrong side of the front line.

The books are full of movement. Dawson crosses dangerous ground, improvises solutions and has to decide when stealth is possible and when he simply has to fight. The action is rooted in the physical problems of wartime soldiering: terrain, enemy positions, limited equipment and the difficulty of getting a small group home alive.

Right and Glory takes Dawson and Major Sykes to the Belgian fortress of Eben Emael during the German invasion of 1940. They witness a startling German attack and become concerned by the demolition charge used against heavy armor. Getting hold of the weapon, then getting back through enemy territory, becomes the immediate problem.

In Operation XD, Dawson is sent to the Netherlands during the Nazi invasion. The Germans want Dutch oil reserves, and Dawson's particular expertise makes him the obvious man for a destructive mission. As always, the task is not only to reach the target, but to survive the consequences.

The tone is brisk and grounded in historical events. The series does not pretend war is clean or simple, but it keeps the focus tight on people doing difficult work under pressure. Dawson's ingenuity gives the stories their spark, while the real-world settings give the danger weight.

Start with To Do or Die, then read Right and Glory and Operation XD. The books can deliver action on their own, but reading in order gives the best sense of Dawson growing into the kind of soldier others rely on when the plan has already gone wrong.