Quiller's Run (Quiller, Book 12)
Adam Hall
Language: English
Pages: 204
ISBN: 0515095400
Format: PDF / Kindle (mobi) / ePub
The Quiller series focuses on a solitary, highly capable spy (named after Sir Arthur Quiller-Couch) who works (generally alone) for a government bureau that "doesn't exist" and narrates his own adventures. Quiller (not his real name) occupies a literary middle ground between James Bondand John le Carré. He is a skilled driver, pilot, diver, and linguist, but does not carry a gun.
The series is very stylized, featuring intense depictions of spy tradecraft and professional relationships, surprising jump cuts between chapters, and deep, sometimes self-pitying interior monologues. The first of the Quiller novels, The Berlin Memorandum (1965) (retitled The Quiller Memorandum in the US) won an Edgar Award, from the Mystery Writers of America, for Best Novel. It was filmed in 1966 under its US title with a screenplay by Harold Pinter and starred George Segal and Alec Guinness. It was also adapted into a 1975 British television series, featuring Michael Jayston.
gesturing to the divan. ‘Chu-Chu stay, okay?’ She walked away with the gem held out in front of her, gazing down at its colour; I was aware of the softness of the nape of her neck, the back of her knees. ‘Okay, she’s just a kid,’ Chen said defensively. ‘But kids like her get raped every day over there, up at the borders, in the villages. She doesn’t get raped, she gets loved, okay?’ ‘I can see that.’ ‘Okay. So what’s the deal, Jordan? You want to know if Little Kiss-of-Steel has this weapon
dirty and depressed, and my mind kept shifting focus - from the comfortable air-conditioned gate area where the nuns had gathered the young girl to them, her pale face upturned, and the Australian had gone running past me - Hey, Charlie, tell ‘em to wait! - shifting focus to the grey and shapeless grave that we were leaving behind us in the jungle night. As the machine lifted and the pilot opened his set and reported departure at 04.03, two thoughts came together in my mind. One was that Mariko
for Christ’s sake.’ He went on watching me. ‘But you’re one of their top shadows.’ ‘Tell me about yourself.’ He ignored that. ‘You’ll go back, of course. I mean, after a while. Won’t you?’ ‘No.’ I picked up my drink. I’d give him another three minutes for old times’ sake, and then out. ‘When did you leave?’ he asked me. ‘Ten days ago.’ ‘You must have been going mad.’ ‘Probably.’ ‘That’s what I should’ve done, before they had a chance to fire me. I know what it feels like. I mean, I know
just saved your life. But a temporary number would work. ‘How do I contact you?’ I asked her. ‘Write your new number down and place into an envelope with name Sayako on. Deposit in night safe at Bank of Singapore, in Empress Place.’ She added quietly, ‘I will call.’ She knew some of the rules. ‘I’ll do that,’ I told her. ‘Very well. Now please listen to me, Mr Jordan. Manif Kishnar is to leave Bangkok by air, at some time on day after tomorrow, which is Thursday. I will find out his movements
approach from the other side. Nor will the dogs.’ He’d settled for a thousand US dollars. We parked the van on the tarmac near his Windecker AC-7 and checked out at the crew station. He’d found me a pilot’s uniform and sunglasses, but I wasn’t worried about the environment; the van hadn’t picked anyone up, and the only people we went anywhere near were the airport officials. And I was here in my dead man’s shoes. ‘You been in deep jungle before, Jordan?’ ‘In training.’ ‘Training. How real?’