Second entry in the ten book Dr.David Grant series. The first is “Death’s Foot Forward” (1964) and the last is “Paradise Spells Danger” (1973). Grant works for NATO. It’s another series that jumps on the James Bond bandwagon with girls,guns and gadgets.
The most amazing part of this book…..the hardcover on Amazon is priced at $1,140.78 new and $729.33 used. Someone has a warped sense of humor.
Grant is taking a snooze in his Paris apartment when someone with a stiletto sneaks in and tries to kill him. He won’t get a chance to take a refresher course at assassins school. Grant’s boss decides to take advantage of the situation and work out a plan to convince everyone Grant is dead. That includes Grant’s dimwitted secretary and his ballerina girlfriend.
Walking down the street minding his own business Grant is kidnapped by a group known as Force X whose boss is named Zero. One of his minions mentioned his name when she thought Grant was out cold. It’s her last mistake. Thanks to being loaded up with gadgets Grant escapes. The group is really the Society for the Activation of Terror, Anarchy and Nihilism aka/ S.A.T.A.N.
A meteorite has landed in a remote part of what is known as Spanish Sahara. It is made of a substance that can repel radiation. Perfect for space ships. The U.S. wants it..so does Russia. The oasis is rules by a sheik. His knockout niece is known as Miss Turquoise because when at home she powders herself blue.
She’s taking a vacation and Grant is assigned to meet and charm her. In the best secret agent tradition it doesn’t take him long and after some heroics by Grant and some bad driving by the bad guys the two sail for her home. Left behind is a local newspaper with his picture and phony name. Not good for a secret agent. How he’s going to get an eleven ton meteorite out of there is another question. This section of the book from hotel to oasis really drags.
Before getting to her uncle’s oasis they have to fight off some bad guy slavers. She’s no slouch when it comes to a fight. No wonder Grant agrees to marry her.
When they finally get to Uncle’s place Grant settles in with his truck load of goodies including a radio disguised as a EEG machine. He also has a pen that’s rigged as a weapon and an RAF badge that spews poison gas. He took a quick course at secret agent school on how not to be affected by the gas. He even gets to do a gall bladder operation while he there with Miss Turquoise his able assistant.
Things seem to be moving right along until….a third power tries to make off with the meteorite. Lots of action to come. Not a thousand plus dollars worth but enough to make it worth the dime I paid for the used paperback.
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