MODESTY BLAISE - Peter O'Donnell

The 1960's were a very popular time for spies in literature.  Post WWII and the Cold War at its peak, when no one trusted anyone else.  It was perfect for a man (of woman) to secretly gather intel on an enemy. James Bond, of course, is the cream of the crop - one of the most famous.  But the spy who should rival Bond is this woman - Modesty Blaise.

Modesty has the perfect background for the work. She doesn't know her real name, she doesn't know exactly when she was born, and she doesn't even know her true nationality.  But she's dedicated to the Crown (Britain) ... and to Willie Garvin, a skilled knife fighter she once rescued.

Britain is about to ship 10 million pounds worth of diamonds from South Africa to Beirut but word has come down that someone might be looking to steal the diamonds along the way.  The Crown (represented by Sir Gerald Tarrant) knows that Modesty has contacts in the international underground and might be able to get some more information on this potential theft.  But before Modesty can do anything, she needs to get to South America and rescue Willie who is soon to be executed (he was a mercenary on the losing side).

There are the requisite fights and the bad guys are delightfully evil - it's really clear who the bad guy is, just as you'd expect in a spy novel of this era. There's a bit of luck and convenience in getting through some situations, and while there is some weaponry involved, this is nowhere near the level or exoticness of her 007 counterpart.

Part of the attraction (pun intended) here is that Modesty is a very sexy woman. Unlike the Bond women, who are only occasionally strong enough to take charge, this is Modesty's forte. She takes charge and gets the job done and she's willing to use her feminine wiles in the bedroom as well.  Except with Willie.  The platonic relationship with Willie Gavin is handled really well.

I was expecting something more in line with the 'sleaze' spy novels that were also popular during the era (such as the Man From O.R.G.Y. series, some of which I've reviewed previously), but that's not at all what this is.

Looking around a bit, it appears that Modesty Blaise has had some minor success in the graphic novel format but possibly more European than American. There was a movie, but it wasn't well received and possibly not well done.

I'm looking forward to reading more in this series.

Looking for a good book? Modesty Blaise by Peter O'Donnell is a good 60's spy novel that easily rivals the James Bond series.

3-1/2 stars

* * * * * *

Modesty Blaise

author: Peter O'Donnell

series: Modesty Blaise #1

publisher: Fawcett Crest

paperback, 244 pages 

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