IN THE LONG RUN

After an attempt on his life, Stephen Haden, an Anglo-Swiss ruffian running a successful business smuggling people out of Eastern-block countries, sets out in search of his assailant, following a trail that leads him behind the Iron Curtain

An anonymous blond young man in Zurich spies on Stephen Haden, a mysterious businessman of dubious moral character, and then shoots him. Crisp's new thriller thus begins with promise and a bang: furtive observation, ambiguous identity, and swift, violent action unite with narrative suspense to provoke the remainder of the plot. Haden, a horsey by not unlikable sort who profitably helps East Germans and others escape to friendly countries, survives the murder attempt and sets out for revenge. Although unfolded in an easy-to-read, smooth-flowing style, the plot soon reveals run-of-the-mill elements. While everything fits together in the all-too-expected end, the story lacks pizzazz. For undemanding readers. Rex E. Klett, Anson Cty. Lib., Wadesboro, N.C.
Copyright 1987 Reed Business Information, Inc.