Former Arrow Taxis boss publishes novel about Maldon firm’s Cold War ‘espionage’ role

By Ben Shahrabi

Cold War espionage - Maldon author Andy Ambrose tells the story of fictional characters in "real-world" situations. (Credit: Submitted)

A “gripping” tale of espionage and illicit love await readers of a Cold War novel written by a Maldon author and former boss of Arrow Taxis.

Andy Ambrose co-founded Arrow Taxis in 1985 and started the DaRT hospital transport service in 2000.

However, when both services shut down in July due to declining passenger numbers and “spiralling costs”, Mr Ambrose turned his attention to his latest book, Stasi Swallow.

Although it is based on true events, the author insists the book is a “work of fiction, apart from the bits that are true”.

It details intriguing tales of Cold War espionage and other work masterminded at Arrow Taxis’ office in Station Road, Maldon, in the early 1980s.

Mr Ambrose says local people have been renamed in the book, “to protect the innocent and – okay – the guilty, too.”

He added: “Did you know that parts of the Iraqi Supergun were parked in Station Road for example, or that one of Arrow’s drivers was picked up by the East German Stasi, the central theme of the book?”

Defunct - Arrow Taxis operated throughout the Maldon district for nearly 40 years. (Credit: Submitted)

From Maldon, the Arrow team operated international haulage of “abnormal loads” throughout Europe, the Middle East and the Communist Bloc.

“We travelled far and wide with our heavy haul trucks ‘getting involved’ in various hi-jinks and adventures,” Mr Ambrose said.

Stasi Swallow tells of a “disillusioned” British truck driver who falls in love with an East German Stasi officer, as the world teeters on the edge of nuclear war.

Cutting-edge AI has been used to help promote the book, creating videos of its fictional characters “speaking” about their experiences. The videos have been shared in a Facebook group set up for the book launch, called “Stasi Swallow”.

Alongside detailed research of declassified CIA and MI5 documents, Andy Ambrose reportedly draws from his own experiences.

The author worked as a civilian employee of the United States Air Force, before becoming a shipping and defence writer, and a member of the British Atlantic Committee supporting NATO during the Cold War years.

Stasi Swallow is on sale now at Maldon Books in the High Street, along with other local bookshops, and online via Amazon from £11.