The narrator for this unabridged audio book, Richard Brown, is an ideal choice. Like many of Eric Ambler's protagonists, this anti-hero finds himself drawn into events over which he has almost no control. Told in the first person, the story manages to convey the personal qualms and self-delusional thinking of the middle-aged petty crook who is no match for either the Secret Service or a gang of professional villains, both of whom he must try to satisfy. The movie "Topkapi" was based on this plot, but does not fully do justice to one of the best works by the first and foremost master of the spy novel.
In Greece, a hackie gets set-up and forces to accept a job of driving a Lincoln from Athens to Turkey. Unfortunately for him, it is stuffed with illegal arms. So now he is under the control of the Turkish police who want him to spook the terrorists for them. Not much of a choice. Sort of similar to Le Carré's Russia House. But, what is the real plot of these so called "importers?" That you will not find out until well into the novel and it will probably be reminiscent of a popular movie from the 1960s. Enough said. Read it!
