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Title: Disappointing, rambling, and lacking in suspense
Review: I love Eric Ambler's work, which makes my reaction to this book surprising to me, particularly because I thoroughly enjoyed the introduction of Arthur Simpson. The supporting characters are unbelievably cast in the roles they play. Whether embarked on a revolutionary action or a complex theft, the characters seem incapable of gathering for either purpose and seem terribly sloppy for a group self-proclaiming themselves as careful and skilled. For example, throughout the book Simpson glances in his car mirror to see either an Opel or a Peuguet following the group; the bad guys never notice. Several times Simpson litters Turkey with cigarette packages filled with notes for Turkish authorities, which are picked up by the men in the trailing cars; the bad guys never notice and the Turkish folks always pick up the littered notes. Believeable? I don't think so. In the end the story lacks the excitement usually associated with Ambler's work.
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