Topkapi: The Light of Day by Eric Ambler
Petty thief Arthur Simpson is caught burglarizing a hotel room. But when it turns out that his target is a serious felon, Simpson is coerced into transporting weapons into Turkey so they may be used in a huge jewel heist. However, when the Turkish authorities find the weapons, they further “blackmail” him into spying on the “gang” or else he will languish in a Turkish prison. However, accepting assistance puts one in much more peril.
Topkapi: The Light of Day by Eric Ambler
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The funniest, most skillfully written book ever, in my opinion. It concerns a sneak thief named Arthur, who is a little naive and gets sucked into a scheme to loot Istanbul’s Topkapi Palace. In the same-named movie, Peter Ustinov starred and performed a fantastic job. The way the novel is written makes you want to support this terrible little man. I believe Eric Ambler is a better craftsman than John le Carré because of his skill as a writer.
Ambler has such a powerful writing style. Although the main character in Ambler is quite engaging, I thought the plot was overly predictable. From point A to point B and finally, to point C, he moves methodically. There is none of the notable story turns that are characteristic of the best Ambler books. Ambler, although a brilliant stylist, labours through this book.
All of Eric Ambler’s books appear to be republished by Vintage Crime/Black Lizard. Eric Ambler is definitely worth reading if you’ve never done so. He is an expert in the field of espionage.
