Rathbone, Julian

New York. 1981. May 1981. Pantheon Books. 1st American Edition. Very Good in Slightly Worn Dustjacket W/A Number Of Creases. 0394509110. 189 pages. hardcover. Jacket illustration by Amy Rowen. keywords: Literature Mystery England. FROM THE PUBLISHER - Still convalescent from mental illness induced by his last assignment, Jan Argand, the ‘Honest Commissioner' from Brabt, is sent to the Virtue Islands to advise on security for IBOBRAS, a Spanish-based construction firm contracted by the Americans to build a nuclear base there. A device explodes uncomfortably near him at Madrid airport, and on reaching Santa Caridad, Argand discovers that his document case has been switched for one containing six kilos of heroin. Convinced that he is to be killed, or at least framed, he sets out to track down his enemies and unwittingly stumbles into a web of intrigue and corruption, involving local government officials, wealthy industrialists, a highly successful gem dealer and even a couple of participants in a literary congress, whose events curiously overlap with Argand's activities. In this sequel to THE EURO-KILLERS, which was acclaimed by Professor Winks of Yale as one of the most historically important thrillers ever written, Julian Rathbone excels again at combining a taut, exciting plot with serious topical issues, not the least of which are those that arise when a community is asked to support the nuclear weapons of a superpower. In the age of the cruise missile, BASE CASE may prove closer to home than the exotic Virtue Islands where it is set. inventory #28047 ISBN: 0394509110.