The Siege Of The Villa Lipp (1977) - Plot & Excerpts
This is a high-tension thriller with little of the lyricism I look for in a narrative, to balance the action.Instead there was delicious irony and wry humour --but not enough to really balance out the nerve wracking tension and pace of it. So, on a personal level, it was not wholly to my liking; but as a representative of the thriller genre, it was magnificent. Never have I read such a thoroughly intriguing and intelligently drawn tale - one that brings in brilliantly wide-ranging references to almost every conceivable realm of human interest and fascination.It was impossible to put down. A rare gem in its genre.It explains why - as described in the latest New Statesman, which, when googling Ambler, I came across - much ado is being made of the anniversary of Ambler's birth. Indeed.
I just finished reading it and wholly agree with your comment that it 'will hold you in suspense.' I especially liked, though I didn't go into it in my own review, the '50's-'60's setting.Very rich.
What do You think about The Siege Of The Villa Lipp (1977)?
