The Khufra Run by James Graham (Jack Higgins)

The Khufra Run by James Graham (Jack Higgins)
MacMillan Hardcover
Copyright 1972

Published in 1972, "The Khufra Run" is another adrenalin-filled adventure that was written under the author's pseudonym of James Graham. In his early writing days, Jack Higgins took the reader to different locations and in this one we start in Ibiza, Spain. Ex-'Nam pilot Jack Nelson runs a charter floatplane service there and he has been known to take a job or two on the illegal side when cash is low. Along with Harry Turk, an American ex-Marine that Nelson befriended when both were captured by the Viet Cong, they stumble on an opportunity to retrieve a loot of sunken treasure in the Khufra Marshes. But of course it won't be easy to accomplish. An abstruse nun, who Nelson saves from being raped, only knows the exact location of the treasure. A violent group is after her for the secret and her life is constantly in jeopardy. As the nun gains knowledge that Nelson and Turk have commando skills that can even the score against a formidable enemy, she allows both men to protect her and help recover the treasure for a share. As in most Higgins novels the action starts quick and never lets up. Nelson's plane is destroyed, there are more attempted attacks to stop them, and with a small cache of weapons the race is on to the Khufra Marshes.

Higgins is a master at narration. The trek that Nelson, Turk and the nun take to the marshes is an intense ride for the reader, all captured in a group of explosive chapters. Throw in an aging Hollywood starlet who may have a stake in the outcome, illegal drugs, bad weather in a hostile environment, explosions and constant dodging of automatic gunfire- and "The Khufra Run" becomes one of the best novels that I have read by Jack Higgins.

Jack Higgins wrote four novels under the name of James Graham. All take you on a deadly adventure that is packed with action between pages of a darn good plotted story:

A Game for Heroes (1970)
The Wrath of God (1971)
The Khufra Run (1972)
The Run to Morning (1974)

The Gargoyle Conspiracy by Marvin H. Albert

The Gargoyle Conspiracy by Marvin H. Albert
Doubleday Hardcover,
Copyright 1975

It's no secret that I'm a huge fan of the novels written by Marvin H. Albert. His early Gold Medal publications covered Westerns, crime noir, and an excellent mystery series featuring the P.I. Jake Barrow. In the early 70's, he wrote four of my favorite adventure thrillers penned under the name of Ian MacAlister. Just after those came the "The Gargoyle Conspiracy," written right after Albert's move to France. It's an international thriller about a hunt for a dangerous Arab terrorist. Simon Hunter is an American cop that works for the State Department combating terrorism. This is 1975 and terrorists attacks in Europe are causing severe political tensions. Some want to appease the terrorists and others want to hit them hard. The ruthless Ahmed Bel Jahra is out to make a statement and his target is the Secretary of State of America.

The problem for Simon Hunter is he has nothing to go on. He doesn't know about Bel Jahra, ( the man is just a faceless shadow) he doesn't know who the target is, or where, when, and if the event will take place. Hell, he doesn't even know if any of this is actually real. But he shrewdly moves on it and slowly fragments come to light. The story goes from France to Morocco, Italy to the Arab world-told through the accounts of both men. We learn of the planning and recruiting of accomplices, when the story shifts to the charismatic Ahmed Bel Jahra. Then we are with Simon Hunter, tirelessly following any lead, to find what is going on and who is involved. This is superbly done.

"The Gargoyle Conspiracy" is longer (278 pages) than the usual Albert novels. There is a lot going on and many characters are involved. And because of the volume of characters, I really had to pay attention to what was happening in the story. But it was worth it. I've heard this novel being compared to Fredrick Forsyth's "The Day of the Jackal," and there are similarities. "The Gargoyle Conspiracy" is a little more violent and I found the major characters more intriguing. This received a well deserved Edgar nomination for Best Novel in 1976, and shouldn't be overlooked by readers of espionage thrillers.

A Game for Heroes by James Graham (Jack Higgins)

A Game for Heroes by James Graham
Doubleday HB ed., Copyright 1970

Nowadays, when I pick up a Harry Patterson novel, I feel like I'm going home again. Be it under the name of Patterson, Jack Higgins, Hugh Marlowe, or James Graham, the author continually delivers exciting plots with risk venturing characters. In my youth I've read so many of his early thrillers that reading one now I get a bittersweet longing for those days. The excellent "A Game for Heroes" is one of those and it's aptly titled because heroes and heroics fill the novel. But the tale really revolves around one and his name is Owen Morgan. And how can you not love this British Ops Specialist, with his scarred face, wearing a patch to cover his lost eye, the deadly tricks he does with his spring-loaded knife, and the numerous dangerous missions found in his dossier.

"So, now I was ready, the same man who had landed by night, had crouched here on this ledge a century ago. The same and yet not the same. I sniffed the cold air with a conscious pleasure and the same thought went through my mind as it had done before. A good morning-a fine morning to die in. If that was to be the end, then let it be so."

The story takes place during the last days of WWII. After recuperating from his last crippling mission, Colonel Morgan's next assignment is on his home island of St. Pierre in the English Channel. The Germans have occupied the island for five years and are determined to fight until the end regardless of the outcome of the war. Morgan's mission is check out the rumor of a secret sub base on the island that has been causing havoc to the Allies' shipping lanes. Also added to the mission is a commando raiding party lead by an upper-class American Major. This elite group will be planting bombs under ships in the harbor. Things go wrong and capture follows. And then the story turns into a chess play between just about everyone on the isle of St. Pierre, and with Owen Morgan smack in the middle of it all.

After five long years, the locals have a fairly casual relationship with the occupiers. In fact, Morgan old girl has fallen hard for a charismatic German officer who wears the Knight's Cross around his neck. Townsfolk are treated well (almost friendly) by the Germans, but the S.S. has a tight grip on the island. After the failure of Morgan's secret mission, there is the threat of death for all in the commando party. But like the title states, this is a hero story and there are plenty opportunities for Morgan and others. We find heroics during a monstrous sea storm, Locals and German soldiers taking sides against the S.S., pain and understanding within a love triangle, and in the end Morgan bravely facing off against the ruthless S.S. Kommandant.

I ate this one all up, but I do that with most of Higgins' early novels. I'm not a great fan of his recent Sean Dillon bestsellers. Don't get me wrong they are good, but for me nothing beats the early stuff. "A Game for Heroes" has a likable and self operating protagonist in Owen Morgan. A loner, a writer, a passionate man, who can switch into a hired bravo and cut-throat when the situation warrants. The novel is loaded with mesmerizing action sequences. The attempted sea rescue chapters may contain some of Higgins' best work and the novel is worth reading just for those pages. It's all tied into a crafty WWII plot that makes the reader feel like he is with Owen Morgan during his dangerous undertaking. I guess everyone who continues to read the works of Jack Higgins has their favorites, "A Game for Heroes" is definitely near the top of my list. I was thoroughly entertained.

Long live Harry Patterson. The man is a master of high adventure storytelling.

The Freedom Trap by Desmond Bagley

The Freedom Trap by Desmond Bagley
Fawcett M1789,
Copyright 1971

I have a handful of novels written by Desmond Bagley. Had them for years and never read one. Sometimes I see a captivating cover on a paperback and I end up laying my money on the counter when I'm checking out. And to be honest that's how I assembled a small collection of books from this British author of dangerous thrillers. I was digging through one of my boxes of paperbacks and "The Freedom Trap" caught my eye. (a no miss -with a frogman, exploding boat, and a red bikini) This convinced me to give Mr. Bagley a go and I'm glad I did. It was an unexpected high adventure ride that immediately turned me into a Desmond Bagley fan.

A small army of men rushed us and we were both grabbed and held. There wasn't a damn thing I could do- two of the three men who tackled me were trying to tear my arms off so they could use them as clubs to beat me over the head, and the other was using my stomach as a bass drum and his fists weren't padded as drumsticks are. I sagged and gasped for breath.

Joseph Aloysius Rearden (he rather would forget the Aloysius dub) is summoned from South Africa to perform a job. He's a better-than-average crook that has been in the "nick" before. In London he meets an esoteric man called Mackintosh and his efficient secretary Mrs. Smith. Together they lay out the plan to Rearden. They want him to knock over a postman who is delivering a package of uncut diamonds and immediately pass them over to Mackintosh before the crime becomes known. Rearden will be paid a tidy sum for what he believes will be a quick score. He accepts and it goes off smoothly. The postman takes a sap to the skull, Rearden snatches the package, and then he transfers it to Mackintosh. Well, in a matter of hours the local cops are at Rearden's hotel room and have enough evidence to drag him in. Sticking to his story that he is innocent, Rearden quickly realizes that its a lost cause. He's been setup and all fingers point to one person-Mackintosh. Rearden gets 20 years and becomes a "special" inmate because of the notoriety of the crime. And it is in the "gaol"while serving his time, that this novel takes a major 180 degree turn.

I don't want to reveal to much about this one. I will tell you that it contains a damn clever plot. The twist takes place at almost the half way point in the novel. To be honest, I was expecting something. I knew a little about Desmond Bagley and the type of novels that he wrote. But I expected it earlier in the story and he had me so absorbed in the crime aspect of the plot that he caught me off guard. I really liked that. Wonderful dialogue throughout the novel and I even got to pickup a few British slang terms that I never heard before. Rearden turns out to be an integrity character, as does Mackintosh and Mrs. Smith. Many people turn out to be more than what we are let on to believe, and that includes the minor characters in the story. Bagley seems to have a nack for this and he does it extremely well. A decent amount of action, especially near the end. But it's not overly done. Bagley places it where it is most effective. The strength of "The Freedom Trap" is in its excellent plot and its well-developed characters. If you enjoy the novels of Alistair MacLean and the early works of Jack Higgins, "The Freedom Trap" may be worth getting a hold of.

I discovered that John Huston's 1973 film "The Mackintoch Man" was based on this novel. It stars Paul Newman as Rearden and one of my favorite British actors, Harry Andrews as Mackintosh. It's one of the few Newman films that I have never seen. I'll have to get a hold of the DVD. From the characterization in the novel, I don't see Newman as Rearden. I'll have to see how that works out.

The Four-Chambered Villain by Gary Madderom

The Four-Chambered Villain by Gary Madderom
Curtis Books 07310, Copyright 1971

"The Four-Chambered Villain" is a chilling novel about a cold-blooded assassin. The sophisticated killer is called David Ekberg and he hires out his special talent throughout the international stage. In New York he is contacted by a representative from the Albanian UN delegation, who wants him to brutally eliminate four UN representatives. The Albanian plan is to force the UN to relocate to an African nation. And by showing that New York can't provide a safe haven for them, the UN Secretary General will easily agree to the move.

We follow Ekberg as he plans each assassination, the next one being more horrific than the last. Package bomb explosions, mutilations with a boning knife, and face to face strangulations that include splitting a man's skull open with a hammer -when Ekberg is hired to make these murders appear sick and vicious, he delivers. With the UN and NYC in a panic, his last target is the UN Secretary General and this one takes special planning.

This thriller moves fast and you're not disappointed in any of its 158 pages. In fact, this is one novel that you'll wish was longer, I didn't want it to end. The author amazing describes what makes Ekberg tick and shows that he is more than a glorified hitman. And as a reader you are almost pulling for Eckberg to successfully complete his hits, even if he is in the trade of killing innocent people. Also the eerie, cold, city atmosphere breathes a dark edge to the story. Quite an impressive little novel, that packs a hell of a punch.

Only minor flaw I had with "The Four-Chambered Villain" was near the end and that involved an operation in the hospital. But being that the novel was written in 1971, that scene may not have been that much of a stretch as I had thought. As for the author Gary Madderom, he wrote a couple of more novels, one that I know of is "The Jewels That Got Away." If I ever come across another novel by Madderom, I'll grab it.

"Ekberg calmly continued straggling her. A terrible retching sound somehow traveled up through her stocking-compressed neck and between her lips. Her body relaxed. She rode with death. Her sphincter let go and an instant later her bladder. Eckberg began to breathe through his mouth. He held on a couple of minutes longer and then let go"

The Kremlin Plot by Don Smith

The Kremlin Plot by Don Smith
Award AQ1402, Copyright 1971

He pressed the sharpened end of the wood under the fingernail and the excruciating pain made me jerk and the rope cut into my throat. He sat back and watched the drop of blood ooze out and run down the strip of wood and fall to the stone floor.
"The offer is still open," he said calmly.

One of the better written adventure series that came out in the 60s/70s heyday era were the "Secret Mission" espionage novels by Don Smith. The stories are actually mysteries and American Phil Sherman is our agent in the field. Sherman's cover is selling business equipment and this allows him to enter any country where the Agency feels the need to deploy his "special" talent. Don't be fooled into thinking he's one of those super vigilante CIA operatives, Sherman is a shrewd detective and the world stage is his turf.

In "The Kremlin Plot," the mission literally falls in Sherman's lap. On a business trip to Moscow, an attempted hijacking occurs on his plane. The hijacker is shot by the co-pilot, but before he dies he drops design plans for a new Russian missile defense system on Sherman. He enters Moscow knowing this is too hot to have on him and quickly heads over to the American Embassy to pass them off. A snag prevents an easy hand off, and before you know it people are coming out of the woodwork to find out what Sherman knows and what he has. Beautiful young female engineers, the KGB, British Intelligence, and nasty Chinese agents that are lurking in the shadows,-all play a deadly game to get the plans from Sherman.

Photographs of the plans are stolen from his hotel and Sherman sets out find who took them and get them back. Sherman has a backbone, but he has his limits. Through torture, bedroom bribes, and KGB interrogation, -he almost breaks, but stays on the trail and carries this mission to the end.

Lately, I've found myself reading more and more of these fine Don Smith novels. I missed them when they first came out, and I'm sort of glad because they are not dated at all. They are written so well that they come off fresh and new. I actually find the stories more believable than the bulk of the stuff that was coming off the printing machines during this era. The plots are well developed, with devious international characters as adversaries. (watch out for a duo of Slavic black marketeers) Phil Sherman comes off as the real deal. He doesn't carry a weapon or have any high tech gadgets. He's just a "dick" on a cloak and dagger case, that plays like a well crafted mystery crime novel. There are around twenty paperbacks in the series and I've enjoyed every one so far.

As for Don Smith, he is becoming one of my favorite authors.

The Wind Chill Factor by Thomas Gifford

The Wind Chill Factor by Thomas Gifford
Ballantine, Copyright 1975

I am not I;
he is not he;
they are not they.

In the 70s, you couldn't pass a book rack without seeing a few novels about surviving Nazis or a group trying to bring the Reich back in power. These were the days before skinheads or swastika-tattooed headbangers; when we were reading fiction of intrigue about organized evil waiting to spring up and return the "glory" of the old Fatherland. The reading audience were adults that lived through WWII and their baby-boomer children; the theme was a hit and authors provided them with suspenseful plots involving attempts to return sleeper neo-Nazi organizations into power. There were plenty of good ones, but Thomas Gifford's debut novel may have been the best of the bunch.

Half of his head was gone, one whole side: no eye, no cheek, no ear, strings of frozen matter protruding stiffly from the stump of throat and the pellet-chewed shoulder... I picked up the shotgun I'd used. We began to walk back to the house.

John Cooper gets a urgent telegram from his brother to return to their hometown of Cooper Falls in Minnesota. Upon arrival, he finds his brother dead and mysterious acquaintances of the family are there to "assist" him. Secret family documents are found and then stolen, which coincide with townspeople being murdered, along with the destruction of public buildings. Eventually attempts are made on Cooper's life and he is determined to find out what his brother discovered and how it is related to his family's mysterious past. The family legacy takes John Cooper to Buenos Aires-Glasgow-London-Munich and back to his hometown, along the way unraveling hidden secrets that when finally exposed, brings mounting burden for him as he struggles to understand his family's cognitive integrity. This all leads to a rising Nazi terror organization called Die Spinne, and it's past involvement with Washington, London, and Cooper's family.

"Everything I believe in has been proven a lie, everything I had ever looked to as an anchor in my life. Nothing is what it seemed. There's just nothing left."

High suspense and intrigue is the game here, and wonderfully delivered by a master storyteller. The machinery is in play to bring a Fourth Reich into power, and this time they have learned from their mistakes. But there is a struggle between the old Nazi guard and the upcoming new younger order; causing people to be silenced and unexpected alliances to be made. We take a worldwide journey with John Cooper, an average American who uncovers the deeply hidden history of his family that no man would suspect-a nest full of rattling, hissing Nazis, which included his grandfather, father, and lost little sister. Cooper, even when surrounded by people, is really alone, and he's a frightened man as he discovers the truth-that no one is what they make out to be. And as readers, all we are left with is sympathy for him- no more- because now he has nothing. He is left empty.

A tight high driving plot, along with bittersweet empathy for John Cooper-an amazing novel. Since his death in 2000, Thomas Gifford has become a forgotten author. This is a shame, he has a fine bibliography of international crime thrillers and in my opinion wrote the best neo-Nazi rebirth novel with "The Wind Chill Factor."

Death Stalk in Spain by Don Smith

Death Stalk in Spain by Don Smith
Award Books AN1040, Copyright 1972

Here one that's a bit different. Take a PI that works for a special department of the CIA and send him around the world performing investigations for the USA. The "Secret Mission" series by Don Smith are a blend of adventure, intrigue and decent PI story. Phil Sherman is our world traveler PI, a pretty sharp guy that isn't afraid to bend the rules at times.

In "Death Stalk in Spain," Sherman is asked to help the U.S. Navy in locating a missing rescue submarine and it's rogue captain, Lt. Kelly. Kelly has obtained information on the location of ten tons of gold that was sunk by a German U-boat during WWII. He needs the U.S. sub to retrieve the gold from the depths and has the ex-captain of the U-Boat that sunk it as his partner. Sherman starts piecing it together and then a beautiful Spanish woman is thrown in the mix, playing both sides of the fence. After a couple of close encounters with death, he stays on the trail and pursues the surviving conspirator in a suspenseful climactic chase at the end.

"I heard the gunshot as I hit the water and stayed under as long as I could. I came up and gulped down a lungful of air, and a rifle cracked at the same instant as the bullet snapped overhead. I went under again and changed direction. The rifle did worry me. It had the range."

Not a bad mystery story, with a good amount of exciting action that is the norm for these series books. Phil Sherman doesn't have special Hi-Tech weapons or other spy tools; in fact he doesn't even carry a gun. What he does is follow the leads and perform some nice detective work. As in all of these, there is plenty of heated activity at the end to wrap it up. Sherman isn't afraid of the ladies and can be a charmer, throwing a joke or two. The dames always seem to be involved with the caper, but he'll show compassion for them and lets them off in the end. What works well is that Sherman comes off like an average PI. Not a super spy, just a “dick on a case” whose turf just happens to be locations throughout the world.

Don Smith creates an entertaining novel. As these adventure novels go, the "Secret Mission" series is one of the better ones out there. Smith even gives us a geography lesson; in this one we get a full understanding of the coast of western Spain. I liked that and it definitely helps the story. Overall a very intriguing novel that kept me glued to the story all the way through. This is the only book of the series that I own, but it was good enough for me to hunt down another. As for Don Smith, I don't know much about him but I may have read a book of his in the past about the mafia. I vaguely remember it followed the success of Puzo’s "The Godfather"-but I could be wrong, it was a while ago.

John Eagle-Expeditor #13 - Operation Weatherkill

John Eagle-Expeditor #13-Operation Weatherkill by Paul Edwards.
Pyramid V3874, Copyright 1975

With all the elite, adventure, hero types the paperback publishers were spitting out in the 70s, it’s amazing they weren’t bumping into each other around the world. “Operation Weatherkill” is number 13 in the 14 book Expeditor series. A little heard of series, that turns out to be surprisingly enjoyable.

John Eagle is the first and only agent for the Expeditor Project. It’s a program run and financed by a special U.S. government group to insure the survival of the free world. Eagle, who came from an Apache upbringing, has been trained and equipped to take on any threat from evil forces.

A secret organization has developed a technical way to control the weather in any location they choose. They can produce rainstorms for days, which create floods, disease, and crop destruction. This in turn causes an economic disaster for the countries targeted. Nations are blackmailed to pay up in gold or the disasters will continue. After a couple of strikes in America, the leader of the Expeditor Project gives John Eagle the mission to locate and destroy the threat. Eagle traces the location to a Slavic island called Sveti Hvar, and quick discovers that a Turkish millionaire named Ferit Sunay is the leader of Operation Weatherkill and his goal is to bring back the great Turkish Empire. On the island Eagle bumps into a beautiful, blond, nymphomaniac, Soviet agent, who is on a similar mission for Russia. They agree to team up to destroy Sunay and Operation Weatherkill. They make an effective team, slowly eliminating some of Sunay’s men and also in some vigorous lovemaking. Finally the duo sets out to destroy the operation’s headquarters, which is an old castle on the island. Later Eagle discovers that the cold-blooded, female KGB agent wants a few of the secrets for her government and risks both their lives to kidnap the lead scientist. At the end, the two of them enter the castle headquarters to complete the mission and only one comes out.

“Eagle squeezed the soundless trigger. The steel-vaned dart entered the man’s skull with a sound like an arrow sinking into a melon. He dropped in his tracks.”

I guess I am drawn to these paperbacks because I get nostalgic for these old Cold War stories, where the KGB and CIA are playing cat and mouse. Eagle is a fairly well-oiled machine. He has been well trained and has some neat gadgets that he uses on missions. He has a high-powered pistol that fires deadly darts, a specially designed suit that allows him to blend into any background, and even a one-man nuclear submarine. As in most of these numbered series books; there is a lacking of character depth and realistic plot development. But these paperbacks weren’t about that; these were about action entertainment for men, which is how they should be read. This may not be for everyone and there is nothing new here, but I still enjoyed reading the paperback. Not to be taken too seriously, just to sit back and have some fun.

Paul Edwards is actually Lyle Kenyon Engel (1915-1986) who used many pseudos. He is credited as the author of “The Baroness” series, “The Chopper Cop” series, and others using the name Paul Kenyon. But he did not actually author these books; instead he commissioned others to write them. I guess you would call him a “paperback production manager.”

Expeditor - Paul Edwards

1. Needles of Death
2. The Brain Scavengers
3. The Laughing Death
4. The Fist of Fatima
5. Valley of Vultures
6. The Glyphs of Gold
7. The Ice Goddess
8. The Death Devils
9. The Deadly Cyborgs
10. The Holocaust Auction
11. Poppies of Death
12. The Green Goddess
13. Operation Weatherkill
14. Silverskull

The Fer-De-Lance Contract by Philip Atlee

The Fer-De-Lance Contract by Philip Atlee
Fawcett Gold Medal t2370, Copyright 1970

James Philip Atlee created the counterintelligence agent Joe Gall. Gall is a "nullifier" who is sent to hot spots by a special U.S. Agency to eradicate the situation. There are 22 books in the "Contract" series and they are well written. Atlee was not your typical espionage character-series writer, he was very creative and knew his craft. These were the days when numbered espionage novels were being pumped out by publishers and male readers had their favorites. Atlee's series held up and is above average.

The Fer-De Lance Contract takes place in the islands of the Caribbean. Gall has been sent down to stop a Black Militant group from seizing the communications and transportation facilities on the islands. Once they have these, the militants could easily overthrow all the Caribbean governments. He hops from island to island, meeting allies and foes, and finally taking down the leader. I can't say that all the Joe Gall novels were great, but this one was very good.

Joe Gall is not your ultra-tough spy. But, he is a man to have on your side and will mouth-it-up with his enemies and his ladies. He'll get slapped around some, but will always be ready to spring into action. Atlee throws his personal views about the era in these books, (he sure didn't like hippies) and some comments are borderline PC; but that is part of the appeal of the series. He did pen some interesting and enjoyable dialog.

"I was liking her more and more; her reactions were masculine, and I couldn't help wondering if the failed marriages meant she had a touch of butch. I hoped not, because it would have been a great waste..."

Or when Gall was in an action situation and dysentery hit, "My rectal sphincter throbbed again, all I needed, and I said 'nuts to you' and locked my bowels."

You can't help loving this stuff and this series provided it. Not perfect though. At times, Gall doesn't come off serious about his missions and in some books he just goes step-by-step until the end. Also, not much violent action or suspense, I felt it was more about adventure. But there is enough action, the plots are good, and Gall sure has his way with the ladies. Joe Gall always took you to exotic places and you were able to follow his career from book to book.

Here are the 22 novels:
The Green Wound Contract
The Silken Baroness Contract
The Paper Pistol Contact
The Death Bird Contract
The Irish Beauty Contract
The Star Ruby Contract
The Rockabye Contract
The Skeleton Coast Contract
The Ill Wind Contract
The Trembling Earth Contract
The Fer-De-Lance Contract
The Canadian Bomber Contract
The White Wolverine Contract
The Kiwi Contract
The Judah Lion Contract
The Spice Route Contract
The Shankill Road Contract
The Underground Cities Contract
The Kowloon Contract
The Black Venus Contract
The Makassar Strait Contract
The Last Domino Contract

Pagoda by James Atlee Philips

Joe Gall's first appearance came in Atlee's 1951 book "Pagoda" Before his counterintelligence days, Gall is a washed-up American Flyer in Burma. This is more hardboiled and I might favor this character over the one in the series.

The Prefect Plot by Glen Canary

The Prefect Plot by Glen Canary.
Pinnacle Books, Copyright 1974

Looking at the cover, I thought this was going to be something similar to "The Destroyer" or "The Butcher" series. It is not. It's an interesting international suspense story, that starts in a prison in the USA and ends in the Middle East.

After botching a bank robbery, Alan Prefect and his wife Ann are doing twenty years in prison. A secret U.S. agency offers them a deal-help out Uncle Sam and you're free from your prison sentence. They are to infiltrate an extreme Muslim terrorist group in the Middle East and obtain information about a planned detonation of nuclear bombs in L.A. and NYC. The agency makes it looked like they escaped from prison, and are on the run with $500,000 in cash to "buy-in" to the Muslim terrorist group.

It may sound a little far fetch, but it works. Plenty of twists and turns. People are not what they make out to be and groups have other agendas then what you expect. Alan Prefect is by no means a hero-type. In fact he is a mild, unsuccessful writer. He's stuck in the middle between two powerful organizations and even commits adultery while his wife is kidnapped. The secret government characters come off convincing. And, there is a Bin Laden type called Mahdi, leading the terrorist group. Written in 1970's, the terrorists come off a bit soft compared to what is happening in the Middle East today. Also, the ending has a little letdown, mainly because everything works out for Alan Prefect. But, it doesn't take away from the novel.

Glen (Glenn) Canary is a pretty good writer. I know he wrote some short stories in the 60's for Manhunt and AHMM. There are some other novels out there, two are the Monarch Books "The Damned and the Innocent" and "The Sadist" I liked his novel and would like to know whatever happened to him.