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Book Review By Karen Boyd
Epitaph for a Spy by Eric Ambler

In a French village near the Riviera, on the eve of World War II, mild-mannered teacher Josef Vadassy stops to pick up his vacation photos. Before he can admire the fruits of his favorite hobby, he is promptly arrested for espionage. It seems Vadassy captured some secret battlements on film without knowing it.

The enigmatic police interrogator offers the dumbfounded Vadassy a deal: spy on his fellow hotel guests. If the real villain in unmasked, the teacher can return to Paris in time to start his new term, only three days away.

Reluctant at first, the young sleuth gets carried away in his role as master spy and causes his police chief trouble.


Plot & Themes
Tone of story - Dry-cynical
Time/era of story:
Spying/Terrorism Thriller Yes
Cloak & Dagger Plotlets:
Kid or adult book? - Adult or Young Adult Book
descript. of violence and chases - 10 %
Planning/preparing, gather info, debate puzzles/motives - 50 %
Feelings, relationships, character bio/development - 30 %
How society works & physical descript. (people, objects, places) - 10 %
War-time military intelligence mission? Yes
Who's the terrorist enemy here?

Main Character
Gender - Male
Profession/status:
Age: - 20's-30's
Ethnicity/Race

Main Adversary
Identity: - Male
Age: - 40's-50's
Profession/status:
Motive of antagonist - power
The antagonists are: - nazis
How sensitive is this character?
Sense of humor - Cynical sense of humor
Intelligence - Smarter than most other characters

Setting
Europe Yes
European country: - France
Small town? Yes
Misc setting - resort/hotel

Writing Style
Accounts of torture and death? - moderately detailed references to deaths
Amount of dialog - mostly dialog
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