Paul Harris #01 - Suddenly, at Singapore

According to Spy Guys and Gals, Gavin Black authored a 13-book series of action-adventure paperbacks that fit the snugness of the tight spy-fiction genre. The books were published in hardcover and paperback by a variety of publishers, including Signet, from 1960 through 1979. Always excited for a good action novel I tackled the series debut, Suddenly, at Singapore.

British man Paul Harris, the series star, fought in World War 2 alongside his older brother Jeff. The two were captured by Japanese forces and endured harsh treatment as prisoners-of-war. Eventually the war ended and the two went into business in Singapore running a successful shipping and freighting enterprise in a coastal village. However, their wealthy empire runs a thriving hustle of smuggling weapons so the good people of southeast Asia can rebel against their communist overlords. Harris particularly has an interest in vetting out the reds from Indonesia.

As the novel begins readers learn that Paul and his wife Ruth are suffering marital woes due to the loss of their young child to cancer. The two have drifted apart and mostly live separate lives. Paul has an ongoing affair with a woman named Kate, who is integral to the book's narrative. When Paul learns that his brother was shot in the head execution style an investigation is launched to find and punish the culprits.

Suddenly, at Singapore features a first-half written for espionage-fiction fans. Paul knows the communists killed his brother to deliver a fatal blow to the smuggling enterprise. However, Paul wants to know who tipped them to his brother's whereabouts the night he died. This leads to a fiery exchange with a British inspector and one amazing action sequence as Paul is captured and tortured by a downright evil General. Then the book runs out of fiction fuel. 

The book's second half reads more like a twisted romance novel as Paul works through his marriage issues with Ruth while simultaneously orchestrating a split with Kate. Obviously the relationships have a lot to do with finding the killers but this concentration on character study sacrificed what was shaping up to be a rip-roar, hard-hitting revenge ploy. Nevertheless, Suddenly, at Singapore was still entertaining and definitely a recommended read. I'm anxious to read more of the series and I am specifically interested in the nautical aspects. Additionally if you want to learn a great deal about southeast Asia during this turbulent moment in Earth's history then this book puts you in the thick of it. 

Get a copy of the book HERE.