Robert Ludlum

A weak story about a wealthy American playboy who decides to buy his way into the Nazi Party and thus prove his worth. The ending is rather contrived, making it obvious that Ludlum had an idea and not a story. Give it a miss and rather read one of his better works.

World War II… The Americans need a high-altitute directional gyroscope for their aircraft to bomb Germany into unconditional surrender; the Germans need industrial diamands to build their rockets to bomb the Allies into accepting peace. Each side has what the other wants. David Spaulding, the man in Lisbon, is chosen the make the exchange, only he doesn't know about the diamonds and is led to believe it is a straight purchase of blueprints from the German Resistance. Things are complicated when a third party attempts to stop the deal at all cost. A rivetting page-turner, although the end does deteriorate a bit into a typical action finale.