Date first published	1973
ISBN Number	0 586 04067 6
Page Count	286 p/b
h/b= hardback : p/b= paperback

Storyline

James Matlock is a University Lecturer, he leads a reasonably content life, and has a young girlfriend.

This all changes when he is approached by Ralph Loring of the Justice Department to carry out an investigation on there behalf.

Matlock reluctantly accepts the job after being promised that the job will not be dangerous, but the promise means nothing after Loring is gunned down in front of his eyes. Matlock however is not dissuaded from the task and starts hunting around for the information that will lead him to the ultimate power behind the drug, prostitution and black mail racket in Carlyle.

Matlock soon discovers that he has enemies all around, all willing to kill him and his girlfriend for the piece of Corsican paper that he holds. However as the pressure builds enemies can become allies to defeat a greater evil, if only Matlock can draw the mysterious Nimrod from his lair.

Review

The book was first published in the UK in 1973, at a time of radical politics within the American Universities. It was also a time when the drug problem was just starting to take a serious hold on life. The book in this respect is now quite dated. It would only be a real story if no drug problem existed at a university.

The story is pure Ludlum, with an unsuspecting citizen given a simple role that can not be carried out by the federal government for whatever reason. The plan goes haywire after the death of the government agent, and Matlock is on his own. Unlike a lot of modern heroes in this position Matlock does not become a gun toting death machine, but relies almost entirely on his wits to survive.

The story leads the reader on quite a path until the man behind the drugs Nimrod is finally revealed. The head of the cartel turns out to be someone totally unexpected, especially in his ruthless dealing with anyone that gets in his way. I'll leave you to find out who Nimrod really is.

The bulk of the story is well thought out, has an edgy pace and gets from beginning to the end reasonably quickly, although I did feel it slowed quite a bit when meeting the Carlyle lowlife.

A reasonably good read and certainly what you would expect from a good basic Ludlum.

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