Product Description

Working with her retired CIA friend John Farrell, Mrs. Pollifax must smuggle a manuscript out of Jordan, a document that encodes the shocking truth of Saddam Hussein's reign.

Hardly are the two airborne when the coils of Middle Eastern intrigue begin to unwind. Mrs. Pollifax's seatmate is not the affable Arab businessman he pretends to be. It is not imagination that persuades Mrs. P. that wherever they go, she and Farrell are followed. To elude their pursuers in such a politically volatile country isn't easy. In fact, it can be downright deadly. . . .

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #58714 in Books
• Published on: 1997-09-28
• Released on: 1997-09-28
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Mass Market Paperback
• 224 pages

Features

• ISBN13: 9780449183366
• Condition: NEW
• Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.
• Click here to view our Condition Guide and Shipping Prices

From Publishers Weekly
Spunky Emily Pollifax, the occasional CIA operative last seen in Mrs. Pollifax and the Lion Killer (1996), travels to Jordan with former Company agent John Sebastian Farrell to receive a manuscript smuggled from Iraq, written by an executed dissident Iraqi novelist. As Farrell's cover, Mrs. Pollifax poses as his tourist cousin but immediately is up to her flowered straw hat in intrigue. In Amman, she discovers that her airplane seatmate hid a carving in her luggage that contains a mysterious map and key; then her room is searched. Simultaneously, the CIA learns that notorious Jordanian terrorist Suhair Slaman recently sneaked into and out of the U.S. Was he Emily's seatmate? You bet. Farrell's contact doesn't show up for their scheduled meeting at the Crusader castle at Karak, although Emily does find a dead body there. When their guide, Youseff, and his sister, Hanan, invite them to visit their grandfather, a desert sheik, they're trailed by Jordanian terrorists, the Iraqi secret police and Amman police Inspector Jafer. The climax occurs at an ancient desert fort, where Mrs. Pollifax fells the villains with karate. Whatever they lack in subtlety, the reliably delightful Mrs. Pollifax stories make up for in charming, intelligent characters, brisk action and seductive scenery. Author tour.
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist
The always delightful Emily Pollifax is back in another hair-raising adventure. Mrs. Pollifax's latest mission is a trip to the Middle East with her CIA friend Farrell to retrieve a manuscript written by a murdered dissident. The manuscript, thinly disguised as fiction, provides provocative details of Saddam Hussein's reign of terror. The pickup, arranged through an intermediary, proves much more difficult than Farrell or Mrs. Pollifax anticipated, what with smugglers disguised as businessmen, attacks by knife-wielding sheikhs, car chases, and rides on berserk camels. By the end, the always gracious Mrs. P., as expected, has fingered the baddies, restored order to the universe, and made some delightful new friends in adverse circumstances. Fun and entertaining, this one is sure to be a hit with the legion of Mrs. Pollifax fans. Emily Melton

From Kirkus Reviews
The only thing the CIA's peripatetic den mother has to do this time out (her 13th) is provide cover for her old friend John Sebastian Farrell as he hangs around Amman waiting to smuggle the manuscript of a dead Iraqi dissident's explosive last novel out to the West. But Emily Pollifax has been chosen for another assignment as well: to serve as unwitting courier for a celebrated terrorist's cargo to Jordan. The double duty would be a challenge to anybody else, but Mrs. Pollifax, surrounded by a bevy of enemy agents unfailingly more innocent than she is, dispenses a combination of karate kicks and affecting charm that keep her bobbing atop this weightless, though topical, caper. Another dainty sip of Old Reliable (Mrs. Pollifax and the Lion Killer, 1996, etc.)--three parts expert tour-guide, one part game intrigue--the whole mixture gently stirred, never shaken. -- Copyright ©1996, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.

Customer Reviews

Unexpectedly Charming
Having a few hours at my disposal this morning, I picked up this, my first Mrs Pollifax, which I'd been given as a gift, but never read. Imagine my surprise when what I thought would be an insubstantial bit of fluff turned out to be a well-plotted, riveting introduction to a woman whose further acquaintance I shall certainly pursue.

Mrs Pollifax's adventures in Jordan have nothing of the implausible about them, a neat trick when one considers that the premise is so fantastic: a grandmotherly gardening enthusiast who just happens to be a well-trained CIA "asset." Her lively approach to what life brings her is utterly charming; beware, Mrs Pollifax will steal your heart away.

Mrs. Pollifax goes to the Middle East
Mrs. Pollifax's friend Farrell asks her to accompany him on a mission to Jordan to retrieve the manuscript of a dissident author in Iraq. The author was a friend of Farrell's who was killed because he told uncomfortable truths about the reign of Saddam Hussein. On the flight to the Middle East, Mrs. Pollifax sits next to a man who turns out to be someone other than who he says he is. Farrell and Mrs. P. go through the requisite chases, shootings, and beatings until a happy conclusion is reached. I am curious about why Mrs. Pollifax married Cyrus in an earlier book in the series, because author Gilman manages to keep him well away from his wife's adventures. As always Mrs. Pollifax delights the reader and does not seem to need a leading man.

Another fun trip with an old friend
Mrs. Pollifax is at it again. This time, helping Farrell, she travels to Jordan to get a manuscript. Of course, her trip couldn't be that uneventful. She soon finds herself involved in not one, but two cases of international intrige. Can she find her way out of both of them?

This book really felt like coming back to an old friend. The relationship between Farrell and Mrs. P. is wonderful as always. I really do wish that we would see more of Cyrus, however. The new characters are interesting and entertaining. The plot was entertaining and kept me confused about several things until the very end. It was good escapist fun, exactly what it tries to be. If you aren't familiar with the antics of the CIA's secret weapon, buy a copy now. You won't regret it.