EAST OF ALGIERS. by Castle, Douglas. Illustrated by Ellis Silas

Blackie & Son, London, n.d. 288 pp, small 8vo (7 3/4" H), hard cover in dust jacket. 4 b&w plates. "When H.M. destroyer 'Screel' off Algiers is diverted to go to the aid of an aircraft in trouble, none of the crew has the least inkling that this incident is the starting-point of a long-drawn-out chase and a bewildering chain of strange adventures. In particular, Peter Watson, the 'Screel's' young sub-lieutenant, tumbles into more than one tight corner both at sea and ashore on the trail of the mysterious freighter in which two eminent scientists, captured by an unknown Power, are held prisoners. The chase, directed by Mr. Venners, unconventional secret-service agent, leads from Algiers to Cairo and Port Said and on into the Indian Ocean, where a terrible cyclone complicates the plans of pursuer and pursued alike. The enemy is ruthless and determined, the most formidable among them being a grossly fat Armenian, the spider at the centre of countless webs of intrigue throughout the East. But where does Driscoll, Peter's American rescuer, fit into the picture? It needs some time before this and other baffling questions are answered and Mr. Venners finally accomplishes his mission. The result is a rousing story, told by an author who obviously has a thorough knowledge of the sea and the ports which form his background." Minor foxing to endpapers, light wrinkling at top/bottom of spine, very light edgewear, slight fading to top/bottom edges of spine and boards, very light foxing to edges of textblock. Dust jacket has light edgewear/wrinkling, several very small chips and tears, light rubbing, light soiling on rear panel, old price sticker on front flap. VG-/VG-.