Blood on the Desert sizzles.
A Peter Rabe novel is a tight, fiercely intense novel. I loved Rabe's The Box set in North Africa so I picked up Blood on the Desert, a tale also set in North Africa, specifically in the cities, towns and desert of Tunisia.
Blood on the Desert revolves around espionage, not the type of story I'm usually attracted to, and that's understatement. I've never read a novel by John le Carré or Robert Ludlum. I tried but I simply can not get into the whole spy vs. spy thing. But I did become absorbed in Blood on the Desert since it's Peter Rabe and North Africa.
The main character is Anthony Wheeler, an America raised in Berlin (Wheeler's father was an American industrialist doing business in Germany). When Wheeler hit his teenage years, the Nazis came to power. Wheeler's father was killed and young Wheeler needed to flee Germany and the man who helped him escape into Switzerland was British agent Fairchild.
Fairchild and Wheeler became friends and Fairchild introduced Wheeler to the world of espionage. Anthony Wheeler performed various assignments throughout Europe and North Africa for the next dozen years before leaving the service and returning to the United States.
All this is backstory. Blood on the Sand opens with a Major Pitt meeting with Wheeler in Geneva to discuss a delicate development in Tunisia involving oil, arms and three powerful Arabs. Major Pitt describes the situation requires someone with Wheeler's background and abilities to pose as a Canadian oil company employee to find out what those Arabs are up to.
Major Pitt also explains how Fairchild has turned up in Tunisia since Fairchild now works as an oil company executive following his departure from the secret service. Additionally, to add another level of complexity, the Americans have a decided interest in these political developments and are sending an agent of their own, an agent by the name of Curtis Ellis.
Thus we have the story's framework. Although initially reluctant, especially since Fairchild is on the scene, Wheeler accepts the assignment and travels to Tunisia.
As might be expected, Wheeler eventually meets Fairchild, a man who served Wheeler in his younger years as both guide and father figure. The thick plottens, bringing to mind that famous E.M. Forster quote: “If I had to choose between betraying my country and betraying my friend, I hope I should have the guts to betray my country.”
Vintage Peter Rabe: we're kept in suspense on which way Anthony Wheeler with turn right up until the final page. There's good reason why the publisher calls this novel a thriller.
Not for me to divulge details of this spine tingler. But I can share a quartet of my favorite Wheeler whirls:
Tense Taxi Ride: Once in an Arab port city, Wheeler needs to find a local prostitute, not for sex but other reasons. He hires a cab, tells the driver to find the next such lady on the street. The driver mumble something in Arabic, immediately turns off the main avenue and zooms toward the harbor, through streets becoming rapidly less and less European. Wheeler says, “You passed one.” The driver ignores Wheeler and zips along. “You're passing another one.” Wheeler realizes the driver has plans of his own for his European passenger.
Wheeler sits forward and pulls the man's beret over his eyes. The driver has to stop. Wheeler yanks the beret off and holds up his hand. With a click a switchblade opens very close to the man's eyes. Wheeler says, “You will remember won't you, to do only what I ask of you.”
This exchange is one of many in Wheeler's dealing with the Arabs. Peter Rabe catches the flavor of what it means for someone in Wheeler's position to move among the peoples of Tunisia.
Warm and Sensuous: An Arab friend treats Wheeler to the delights of the evening. Lovely ladies enter to perform on instruments and dance. They offer Wheeler fruit and wine. Amid the rhythms of the music, one dancer moves close to Wheeler. Naked down to her waist, she sways her hips and moves even closer and eventually sits beside him.
“The music did not stop playing and the girl next to Wheeler hummed with it while she opened her belt. It made all the scarves fall away and the girl lay down on the cushions. The light from the lamp made a sheen on her thighs and on her belly, a sheen which moved with her motion. She reached one hand out for Wheeler's cheek and kept humming. Then it was a long and warm night...”
Mighty Mouth: American agent Curtis Ellis is obliged to ride in a jeep across the desert with Wheeler and his driver. Ellis blabs that he's with the State Department on confidential work. More mindless Ellis blabber and Wheeler conveys to the guileless American how easy it would be to slit his throat, take his money and leave him out in the middle of the desert. Ellis begins to object but soon realizes when the Jeep begins to slow down just how unwise it is to go through life mouth first.
Nasty Surprise: Wheeler returns to his hotel room – there's blood on the floor. When Wheeler crosses the room he can see the knife is still in the man. There's a deep slash in his jugular but the knife is now in his chest. Wheeler says, “Hold still. For heaven's sake stop rolling on it.” And then...for each reader to discover.
On to my next Peter Rabe thriller. This guy's terrific.
The above Stark House Press is the book you want, a handsome edition that includes a second Rabe thriller, A House in Naples, as well as an essay on the life and writing of Peter Rabe by noir fiction expert George Tuttle.
German American author Peter Rabe, 1921-1990
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