by Eric Ambler
Part of Arthur Simpson
First published 1967
Arthur Simpson runs to Central Africa with trouble nipping at his heels. When his new bosses ask about his background, Simpson spins tales of military expertise and battlefield experience he never possessed. His fabricated credentials land him a job with a multinational corporation hunting mineral deposits along a disputed border. Simpson discovers that everyone around him plays multiple angles. Corporate executives scheme against each other while local officials switch loyalties based on the highest bidder. The border region simmers with tension as different factions stake competing claims to the same valuable territory. Simpson must navigate this web of suspicion and double dealing while maintaining his fictional identity as a seasoned mercenary. His survival depends on keeping up appearances in a place where exposure means more than just embarrassment.
Genres: fiction, 20th-century, adventure, crime, thriller, espionage
Vibes: dark, fast-paced, morally-ambiguous, suspenseful, tense
Tropes: con-artist-protagonist, double-crossing, fish-out-of-water, unreliable-narrator
Setting: Central Africa
Period: 20th century
224 pages · Paperback · Bodley Head
Content warnings: violence