THE CONFIDENTIAL AGENT

Though this is straight international-adventure stuff, Greene lifts it from worn ruts by cutting out glamorous trappings and substituting a loyal, conscientious agent who gets pushed around just once too often and turns on the pack. He comes to England to negotiate a coal contract, as lone wolf, and is double-crossed at home and abroad, subjected to assault and battery, robbery, threats, and eventually is jockeyed into a murder charge. Greene does a superior job, and the growing horror as hero becomes hemmed in by entangling net of intrigue is exciting.