Rating: 
Summary: A Classic of Suspense and Intrigue. Influenced Later Writers
Review: "Inevitably, chance does occasionally operate with a sort of fumbling coherence readily mistakable for the workings of a self-conscious Providence." And so begins the story of Dimitrios Makropoulos.Eric Ambler's fascinating novel, A Coffin for Dimitrios (also titled The Mask of Dimitrios), was published in 1939 as Europe edged toward war. Charles Latimer, a lecturer in political economy, had unexpectedly become a successful writer of mystery stories. By chance, an improbable fan, a Colonel Haki in Istanbul, offers Latimer the opportunity to see a corpse recovered from the Bosphorus the night before. Dimitrios was "scum" that had been associated with murder, political assassination, and heroin smuggling. The dossier on Dimitrios was fragmentary and dated back to 1922. His death was an untidy conclusion to an untidy life. For reasons even unclear to himself, Latimer begins an almost obsessive search for the story of Dimitrios. We readers become ensnared in a shabby, greedy, politically dangerous Central Europe that foreshadows not only WWII, but also the chaos in the Balkans of the 1990s. We meet unsavory characters in Istanbul, Smyrna, Sofia, Geneva, and Paris; the research into the life of Dimitrios is no longer academic. The historical setting feels authentic. I could not avoid being aware that this fictional story would be soon followed by a horrendous event. Eric Ambler, like many Europeans in 1939, expected war, but not a war of the magnitude that was to occur. One of his characters says: My latest information is that war will not break out until the spring; so there will be time for some skiing. Eric Ambler is recognized as a major influence on Graham Greene, Len Deighton, and John LeCarre and other practitioners of sophisticated political thrillers. Ian Fleming is even said to have had James Bond observe that Ambler was a favorite author. If some aspects of Ambler's story seem familiar, remember that it is others that copied him. Movie buffs might be aware that in 1944 Peter Lorre played the role of Latimer (renamed Layman, for some obscure reason) in a popular film version titled The Mask of Dimitrios. It was directed by Jean Negulesco.
Rating: 
Summary: Among the ten must-reads for any fan of historical thrillers
Review: A Classic novel, in typical Ambler fashion, an ordinary man, in this case a writer, is drawn into situations for which he is ill prepared. Fascinating characters, many of whom appear in other novels by Ambler. Remember the first time you watched Casablanca; the historical context of the book, the characters, dialogue, and death defying predicaments are remeniscent of that great film. How would you smuggle documents across a hostile border? Look for the sympathetic communist character. He seems to appear in all of Ambler's pre-WWII novels.
Rating:
Summary: Top notch spy/mystery work.
Review: All of Eric Ambler's novels are worth reading, if you like the genre, and Coffin for Dimitrios is one of his best. The story is compelling and stangely believable and very enjoyable. Ambler was an engineer b/f turning to fiction and many of his books draw upon this expertise. He is right up there with Graham Green's and Somerset Maugham's thrillers. In his "Cause for Alarm" if you can get it as an audio book it will provide superb pleasure to overcome eight hours of driving!
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Summary: Foundational work in the genre: episodic but intriguing
Review: Although over-rated and ultimately implausible, this "seminal" thriller begins and ends well (in the realm of crime). The middle (in the realm of espionage) is less satisfying. Dimitrios's career of violence and his connections to a financial cartel are plausible, but that a British professor turned mystery writer could learn so much so easily strains my credulity. That is to say, that his finding the pieces of the puzzle is contrived (and the ending is not very surprising). For me, the "seminal" British spy thriller is John Buchan's _The 39 Steps_. Although episodic and less taut, _Coffin_ contains some vividly and economically drawn characters and credible local color in the ever-seething Balkans.
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Summary: The Real Deal - A spy novel that is smart and fun
Review: Ambler's book traces the story of Charles Latimer's, a British professor who writes detective novels in his spare time, descent into the world of international espionage and greed. Ambler is wonderful at recreating the recollections of an earnest and somewhat simple man who is hopelessly out his league as his follows the life history of a corpse he's been shown for laughs in a Turkish morgue. This is the real deal in terms of mystery/spy novels. It's a delightfully intelligent and engaging page turner by the author who invented the modern spy genre. The roiling, ethnically and politically complex Europe of the 1930 is nearly another character of the novel, but unlike the work of more contemporary authors, the reader never feels bludgeoned over the head with historical trivia. This is a fun, interesting, page-turning thriller. Great beach reading, but intelligent enough not to insult the serious reader of literature.
Rating:
Summary: The Real Deal - A spy novel that is smart and fun
Review: Ambler's book traces the story of Charles Latimer's, a British professor who writes detective novels in his spare time, descent into the world of international espionage and greed. Ambler is wonderful at recreating the recollections of an earnest and somewhat simple man who is hopelessly out his league as his follows the life history of a corpse he's been shown for laughs in a Turkish morgue. This is the real deal in terms of mystery/spy novels. It's a delightfully intelligent and engaging page turner by the author who invented the modern spy genre. The roiling, ethnically and politically complex Europe of the 1930 is nearly another character of the novel, but unlike the work of more contemporary authors, the reader never feels bludgeoned over the head with historical trivia. This is a fun, interesting, page-turning thriller. Great beach reading, but intelligent enough not to insult the serious reader of literature.
Rating:
Summary: a calming thriller
Review: Ambler's novel is a beautiful departure from modern espionage thrillers and 30's pulp. While being a fan of both genres, I was pleasantly absorbed by this fine work which wove together a subtle yet haughty English timbre with a materialist, "lost-generation" kind of bent. As a reader stated above, the characters are wonderful, real yet absurd. The plot roves along with plenty of movement, not action mind you, but movement. This work is not terribly exciting, or overly political, or action packed, or hard-boiled. It falls through the cracks of genre labelling beautifully, and is a fine book in all aspects that a book can be.
Rating:
Summary: A brilliant tale of international intrigue.
Review: Charles Latimer is the unlikely protagonist in this classic work by legendary spymaster Eric Ambler. Latimer is a university professor turned moderately successful crime novelist. While visiting Istanbul, he learns quite by chance that the body of a career criminal named Dimitrios has recently been fished out of the Bosphorus. Latimer becomes fascinated by the extent and international flavor of Dimitrios' "rap sheet" and takes it upon himself to retrace the archcriminal's travels over the preceeding 16 or so years.
This project takes Latimer from Turkey to Greece, from Greece to Bulgaria, from Bulgaria to Switzerland, from....well you get the idea. At each stop along the way more disturbing information about Dimitrios is revealed. Before long both Latimer and the reader come to appreciate what a sinister, ruthless snake Dimitrios must have been. To reveal anymore might spoil the fun.
Written with understated wit, A Coffin for Dimitrios is well crafted, entertaining and, dare I say it, educational. Originally published 65 years ago, it holds up remarkably well. This is one novel of international intrigue you will not want to miss.
Rating:
Summary: A brilliant tale of international intrigue.
Review: Charles Latimer is the unlikely protagonist in this classic work by legendary spymaster Eric Ambler. Latimer is a university professor turned moderately successful crime novelist. While visiting Istanbul, he learns quite by chance that the body of a career criminal named Dimitrios has recently been fished out of the Bosphorus. Latimer becomes fascinated by the extent and international flavor of Dimitrios' "rap sheet" and takes it upon himself to retrace the archcriminal's travels over the preceeding 16 or so years.
This project takes Latimer from Turkey to Greece, from Greece to Bulgaria, from Bulgaria to Switzerland, from....well you get the idea. At each stop along the way more disturbing information about Dimitrios is revealed. Before long both Latimer and the reader come to appreciate what a sinister, ruthless snake Dimitrios must have been. To reveal anymore might spoil the fun.
Written with understated wit, A Coffin for Dimitrios is well crafted, entertaining and, dare I say it, educational. Originally published 65 years ago, it holds up remarkably well. This is one novel of international intrigue you will not want to miss.
Rating:
Summary: Literary Research on a Criminal
Review: Charles Latimer was a lecturer in political economy in England. In his mid-30s he began to write detective stories, and became successful enough to make a new career. While traveling abroad in Turkey he was introduced to the Chief of the Secret Police. Colonel Haki told him about finding a body, and Charles asked to visit the mortuary for the experience. Intrigued by the history of this Dimitrios, Charles decided to follow the trail and act as a detective. Dimitrios escaped Smyrna in August 1922 and went to Sofia, Belgrade, Paris, Lyons, and other places. The police knew of him, but can't prove anything. Then his body was found in Istanbul. Charles Latimer traveled to these places to try to learn something. One unforeseen fact is that it is dangerous for a literary person to get involved with criminals; they don't appreciate the interest shown in them! But a Mr. Peters offered to help him in his research by referring him to a retired businessman in Geneva. Charles Latimer should have found a cause for alarm when told he had valuable information, but didn't know what it was! But he continued his journey without any fear.
Chapter IX tells how a spy gained the friendship and confidence of a clerk in a government ministry. The clerk needed the money after he lost at a rigged card game. Peters told how he smuggled heroin to France in a coffin, but that couldn't be done regularly. The end of Chapter XI reveals the secret of Latimer's knowledge. [This is similar to Graham Greene's story "The Third Man".] Mr. Peters will profit from this knowledge. Their last meeting ends with rough justice. Charles Latimer decides to set his next mystery in an English country village. The ending seems unreal, forced by the need for Latimer's survival.
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