45. Green River High by Duncan Kyle

I went through my past reviews of Duncan Kyle and at least twice, probably 3 times, I referred to him as a poor man's Desmond Bagley.  I need some new material!  Well I always meant that in terms of perception and now after having finished Green River High, I am discarding it altogether.  Duncan Kyle is good.  He's real good.  I was almost weeping with joy at the setup in the first few pages.  George Hawke Tunnacliffe is at a turning point in his life, where he is about to be promoted to head clerk at the bank where he works and is extremely reluctant to take that step, fearing being stuck in the mediocre stability of such a life.  On his way to work on the day that he will have to decide whether to accept the promotion or not. he is delayed by an old man on the bus getting sick and because of that interrupts a bank robbery at his own bank.

Of course, Tunnacliffe has a background in the army and by foiling the robbery, he becomes a minor celebrity.  This scene in the hospital, where he is talking to his female doctor is the stuff that I absolutely love about good British men's fiction. 

Of course being a hero doesn't help this guy!   And I just love the "you're rather dangerous" with the subtle implication that the doctor is attracted to him, yet still professional herself.  This is what America so often struggles with, the understated nature of the true badass (Asia gets this as well).  Of course, the military background with the rugged but loved superior officer.  It's just all so awesome.

Because of his public exposure, two old contacts of his WWII pilot father reach out to him, each with intriguing, inter-connected opportunities stemming from his father's disappearance in SE Asia at the end of the war.  From then, the story is pretty classic well-researched exploration and struggles in the jungles of Borneo (with a side tour of action in the Essex hills).  There is one great wrinkle in the character of Mrs. Franklin, prim and proper churchgoer who was also a nurse in those same jungles and is a total badass in her own way.  She's a great character that really elevates the story.  Straight-up banger.

On a consumerist note, I really love these Fontana wrap-around covers.  I'd love to have a complete set in good order.  Here is a great site with each of them laid out flat.  Props!