Part of Mrs. Pollifax, book 5
First published 1976
Emily Pollifax receives what seems like a straightforward assignment from the CIA. She must join a safari group and photograph the other tourists. One of them plans to assassinate the president of Zambia, and her handlers need visual evidence to identify the killer. Pollifax packs her camera and heads to Africa, expecting a relatively peaceful mission among wildlife and fellow travelers. The assignment turns dangerous when someone steals her film rolls. Before she can recover from this setback, Rhodesian terrorists kidnap her from the safari group. What began as a simple photography job becomes a fight for survival in hostile territory. Pollifax must escape her captors, complete her mission, and prevent an international assassination. The elderly spy finds herself far from the comfortable world of suburban New Jersey, relying on her wits and unexpected courage to navigate the political tensions of southern Africa.
Genres: adventure, mystery, thriller, espionage
Vibes: fast-paced, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: fish-out-of-water, unexpected-courage
Setting: Africa, New Jersey, Rhodesia, Zambia
Period: 20th-century
223 pages · Mass Market Paperback · Fawcett Crest