Topkapi
by Eric Ambler
Buy on AmazonArthur Simpson is a thief whose victim turns out to be in a league well above his own. Simpson is blackmailed into smuggling arms into Turkey. The Turkish police discover this and he is further blackmailed by them into spying on the 'gang' - or rot in a Turkish jail. But agreeing to help brings even worse danger ....
Recommended by
"This really is the funniest, best-written book ever. It’s about a wee silly man called Arthur, a sneak thief, who gets caught up in a plan to rob the Topkapi Palace in Istanbul. Peter Ustinov was in the film of the same name and he did it brilliantly. The book is written in such a way that you end up rooting for this awful little man. He’s a great craftsman, Eric Ambler : I think he’s better than John le Carré ."
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