The Mask of Dimitrios (Penguin Modern Classics)
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'Not Le Carre, not Deighton, not Ludlum have surpassed the intelligence, authenticity or engrossing storytelling that established The Mask of Dimitrios as the best of its kind' The Times 'If you want to experience the feel of the Continent in the 1930s, you will find few better guides' - Robert Harris
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English crime novelist Charles Latimer is travelling in Istanbul when he makes the acquaintance of Turkish police inspector Colonel Haki. It is from him that he first hears of the mysterious Dimitrios - an infamous master criminal, long wanted by the law, whose body has just been fished out of the Bosphorus. Fascinated by the story, Latimer decides to retrace Dimitrios' steps across Europe to gather material for a new book. But, as he gradually discovers more about his subject's shadowy history, fascination tips over into obsession. And, in entering Dimitrios' criminal underworld, Latimer realizes that his own life may be on the line.
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9 of 9 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
but who paid for the bullet."
Compact, amusingly cynical little sentences such as the above bubble up throughout Eric Ambler's "The Mask of Dimitrios" and, in fact, throughout most of Ambler's books. That is just one reason why Ambler's books are so enjoyable and have held up so well over time.
For those not familiar with his work, Ambler was to the modern British spy novel what Raymond Chandler and Dashiell Hammett were to the American detective novel. Ambler transformed the spy novel from a simplistic black and white world of perfect good guys versus nefarious bad guys into a far more realistic world where sometimes the difference between good and evil is not all that great.
Typically, Ambler would take an unassuming, unsuspecting spectator and immerse him in a world of mystery and intrigue in pre-World War II Europe. The result was a series of highly entertaining and satisfying books that many believe set the stage for the likes of le Carre, Deighton, and, most recently, Alan Furst. The Mask of Dimitrios was one of Ambler's best known works. (It was made into a movie starring Peter Lorre and Sydney Greenstreet.) It is a very entertaining read.
The plot is relatively easy to follow. Charles Lattimer is a British University professor who retired from academia once he discovered that writing mass market detective stories was far more lucrative. While on holiday in Istanbul he makes the acquaintance of a Turkish police inspector who is an admirer of Lattimer's work. Lattimer is invited to the policeman's office where he is provided with ideas for a book the police officer is writing. While there he is invited to join the officer in viewing the body of a master criminal, Dimitrios, who has just been fished out of the Bosporus. Lattimer, fascinated by sketchy but lurid details of Dimitrios criminal career, decides to trace Dimitrios steps in the hopes that he will obtain new material for future detective stories. Lattimer travels from Turkey to Greece, Bulgaria, Switzerland and France in search of background information. Of course, anyone seeking such information in the corridors of the criminal underworld immediately becomes the object of attention, some of it quite dangerous. The story of Dimitrios' life is peeled away like an onion. Bits of information are revealed at each stop. Lattimer discovers that Dimitrios' actions sometimes had a sinister political connection. As the novel reaches its climax the final bits of information needed to complete the puzzle that is Dimitrios are revealed.
A Coffin For Dimitrios made for an excellent read. Some readers may find it a bit quaint. Some may find Ambler's prose a bit old-fashioned. But when one considers that Ambler's books were written close to 70 years ago I don't think it particularly fair to harp overly much on a writing or prose-style that doesn't quite match that of a le Carre or Deighton. A Coffin for Dimitrios and most of the rest of Ambler's works have been re-issued in new paperback editions by Vintage Crime/Black Lizard Press. They are in print and readily available. I don't hesitate to recommend The Mask of Dimitrios or any of Ambler's works. They are perfect for leisure reading whether at the beach or elsewhere. Last, if you have enjoyed the works of John le Carre, Deighton, Ian Fleming, or Alan Furst, it is worth a trip to Ambler to see one of their literary ancestors in action.
Compact, amusingly cynical little sentences such as the above bubble up throughout Eric Ambler's "The Mask of Dimitrios" and, in fact, throughout most of Ambler's books. That is just one reason why Ambler's books are so enjoyable and have held up so well over time.
For those not familiar with his work, Ambler was to the modern British spy novel what Raymond Chandler and Dashiell Hammett were to the American detective novel. Ambler transformed the spy novel from a simplistic black and white world of perfect good guys versus nefarious bad guys into a far more realistic world where sometimes the difference between good and evil is not all that great.
Typically, Ambler would take an unassuming, unsuspecting spectator and immerse him in a world of mystery and intrigue in pre-World War II Europe. The result was a series of highly entertaining and satisfying books that many believe set the stage for the likes of le Carre, Deighton, and, most recently, Alan Furst. The Mask of Dimitrios was one of Ambler's best known works. (It was made into a movie starring Peter Lorre and Sydney Greenstreet.) It is a very entertaining read.
The plot is relatively easy to follow. Charles Lattimer is a British University professor who retired from academia once he discovered that writing mass market detective stories was far more lucrative. While on holiday in Istanbul he makes the acquaintance of a Turkish police inspector who is an admirer of Lattimer's work. Lattimer is invited to the policeman's office where he is provided with ideas for a book the police officer is writing. While there he is invited to join the officer in viewing the body of a master criminal, Dimitrios, who has just been fished out of the Bosporus. Lattimer, fascinated by sketchy but lurid details of Dimitrios criminal career, decides to trace Dimitrios steps in the hopes that he will obtain new material for future detective stories. Lattimer travels from Turkey to Greece, Bulgaria, Switzerland and France in search of background information. Of course, anyone seeking such information in the corridors of the criminal underworld immediately becomes the object of attention, some of it quite dangerous. The story of Dimitrios' life is peeled away like an onion. Bits of information are revealed at each stop. Lattimer discovers that Dimitrios' actions sometimes had a sinister political connection. As the novel reaches its climax the final bits of information needed to complete the puzzle that is Dimitrios are revealed.
A Coffin For Dimitrios made for an excellent read. Some readers may find it a bit quaint. Some may find Ambler's prose a bit old-fashioned. But when one considers that Ambler's books were written close to 70 years ago I don't think it particularly fair to harp overly much on a writing or prose-style that doesn't quite match that of a le Carre or Deighton. A Coffin for Dimitrios and most of the rest of Ambler's works have been re-issued in new paperback editions by Vintage Crime/Black Lizard Press. They are in print and readily available. I don't hesitate to recommend The Mask of Dimitrios or any of Ambler's works. They are perfect for leisure reading whether at the beach or elsewhere. Last, if you have enjoyed the works of John le Carre, Deighton, Ian Fleming, or Alan Furst, it is worth a trip to Ambler to see one of their literary ancestors in action.
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Ambler is perhaps the best thriller writer to have turned his gaze to the problematic era of pre-WWII politics. In the Mask of Dimitrios Ambler manages to expertly recreate on the page the atmosphere of paranoia and confusion that would have dogged people during the 1930's. Like most of Ambler's work the plot revolves around an essentially decent Englishman abroad who through his own inquisitiveness manages to get involved in political intrigue beyond his comprehension and control.
Almost immediately the story grips you and takes you on an exhilarating journey from Turkey into Western Europe via the Balkans. Along the way we meet decent yet arrogant police, political schemers, assassins and other assorted weak men - all the while intrigued by the snippets of information that our hero finds in his seemingly pointless search for the mysterious and apparently dead Dimitrios. If you enjoy your thrillers politically attuned and expertly plotted always look to Ambler - no one has managed to match his scope and stories...yet.
Almost immediately the story grips you and takes you on an exhilarating journey from Turkey into Western Europe via the Balkans. Along the way we meet decent yet arrogant police, political schemers, assassins and other assorted weak men - all the while intrigued by the snippets of information that our hero finds in his seemingly pointless search for the mysterious and apparently dead Dimitrios. If you enjoy your thrillers politically attuned and expertly plotted always look to Ambler - no one has managed to match his scope and stories...yet.
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Charles Latimer, a mediocre English academic now enjoying success as a detective story writer takes a trip to Istanbul. There he meets a Captain of the local police who, as well as foisting his (painful) detective plot on Latimer, also tells him a tale of a real villain, Dimitrios, whose body has recently been fished out of the Bosphorous.
Intrigued by the story of the corpse, Latimer visits the morgue to view the body, and then (bored and listless) decides to dig into the history of Dimitrios, an enterprise that takes him to Sofia, Belgrade, Geneva, and finally Paris - where his amateurish investigations lead to disaster.
It's an unusual book - certainly not a spy story as we know it today, though there is an extended section about Dimitrios' activities as a spy in Albania between the wars. Told in a mixture of Latimer's present and flashbacks of his interviewees, Ambler's writing and style is terse and intelligent, and the detail he provides about the political and economic situation in Eastern Europe in the '20s and '30s convincing.
Intrigued by the story of the corpse, Latimer visits the morgue to view the body, and then (bored and listless) decides to dig into the history of Dimitrios, an enterprise that takes him to Sofia, Belgrade, Geneva, and finally Paris - where his amateurish investigations lead to disaster.
It's an unusual book - certainly not a spy story as we know it today, though there is an extended section about Dimitrios' activities as a spy in Albania between the wars. Told in a mixture of Latimer's present and flashbacks of his interviewees, Ambler's writing and style is terse and intelligent, and the detail he provides about the political and economic situation in Eastern Europe in the '20s and '30s convincing.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
skilfully blends history, intrigue and characters
Eric Ambler is considered one of England's finest spy thriller writers preceding the post-war and cold war chroniclers such as Len Deighton, John Le Carre, Ted Allbeury and others. Read more
Published 17 days ago by Rob Kitchin
Classic storytelling, but over-priced in Kindle
I first read this novel over 30 years ago, and remember being gripped by the pace of the narrative and the twist in the tail that, back then, I couldn't see coming. Read more
Published 5 months ago by Jl Adcock
This went down a treat!
I bought this book for my father as it is one of his favourites! He has an old copy but was delighted to receive this pristine new one. Read more
Published 15 months ago by AlisonK
Real edge of seat stuff
I'd heard of Eric Ambler, of course, but I'd never read him before. By chance my wife bought 'The Mask of Dimitrios' for herself. She didn't read it, but I did. Read more
Published 18 months ago by Thirsty Reader
Awesome Ambler
One Amazon reviewer of this excellent novel talks of "Good clean spy fun". So that would be the enforced shipment of women across Europe in the sex trade, would it? Read more
Published 18 months ago by Mike Collins
Mask of Dimitrios
A wonderfully written book in the old style.Full of intrigue, clearly drawn characters, understandable plot, and a very illuminating discourse on the dangers of drug taking. Read more
Published 22 months ago by S. Smith
Ambler's finest hour
One of Eric Ambler's classic thrillers from the 1930's and 40's, this tells the tale of a British engineer travelling through Turkey on the trail of an extremely dangerous killer. Read more
Published on 31 Aug 2009 by Fiction Fan
Good clean spy fun - but with a spot of murder and a good dash of...
When I saw that Penguin were reissuing five of Ambler's novel in their Modern Classics series, the choice of which to read first was easy - I picked The Mask of Dimitrios. Read more
Published on 21 Aug 2009 by Annabel Gaskell
A 'quality' thriller
Presumably categorisation as belonging to the thriller genre implies that this novel should really grip the reader; it does but not in the conventional thriller sense. Read more
Published on 17 Aug 2009 by G. D. Busby
Good 1930's European crime thriller
The main aspects of the story are set out in other reviews. I really liked Mr Ambler's writing style. Read more
Published on 17 Aug 2009 by Officer Dibble
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