To Catch a Spy

by Eric Ambler

This anthology of spy stories, selected and introduced by Eric Ambler, contains seven different stories by seven different authors.

Genres: Fiction, Short Stories, Espionage

Paperback

First published January 1, 1964

About the author

Suspense novels of noted English writer Eric Ambler include Passage of Arms (1959).

Eric Ambler began his career in the early 1930s and quickly established a reputation as a thriller of extraordinary depth and originality. People often credit him as the inventor of the modern political thriller, and John Le Carré once described him as "the source on which we all draw."

Ambler began his working life at an engineering firm and then at an advertising agency and meanwhile in his spare time worked on his ambition, plays. He first published in 1936 and turned full-time as his reputation. During the war, people seconded him to the film unit of the Army, where he among other projects authored The Way Ahead with Peter Ustinov.

He moved to Hollywood in 1957 and during eleven years to 1968 scripted some memorable films, A Night to Remember and The Cruel Sea, which won him an Oscar nomination.

In a career, spanning more than six decades, Eric Ambler authored 19 books, the crime writers' association awarded him its gold dagger award in 1960. Joan Harrison married him and co-wrote many screenplays of Alfred Hitchcock, who in fact organized their wedding.

Reviews

[James · Rating 3 out of 5]

Over the years there have been quite a few spy anthologies released. To Catch a Spy is one of the higher profile releases because it was compiled by Eric Ambler. Like all compilations of its kind it starts with an introduction stating that 'Spying is the second oldest profession known to man (prostitution being the first)', then listing milestones in espionage literature. As familiar as these words are to spy fiction fans, it is Ambler's introduction that separates it from the rest of the pack. It is witty and informative, and unlike some others, you can believe that Ambler has read the books he is referring to, rather than just naming certain titles.

The stories themselves vary in length and style. Graham Greene's story for instance is only three pages long and involves a twelve year old boys nocturnal incursion in his father's cigarette shop. From A View To a Kill is one of Ian Fleming's best short Bond adventures. As Amber states in his introduction to Somerset Maugham's story, everyone has a favourite story from Ashenden, and although my choice would have been different, the one chosen is very entertaining.

The short stories contain in the book are:
The Loathly Opposite, by John Buchan (taken from The Runnagates Club) – Giulia Lazzari, by Somerset Maugham (from Ashenden) – The First Courier, by Compton Mackenzie (from The Three Couriers) – I Spy, by Graham Greene (from Twenty-One Stories) Belgrade 1926, by Eric Ambler (from The Mask of Dimetrios) – From a View To a Kill, by Ian Fleming (from For Your Eyes Only) – On Slay Down, by Michael Gilbert (published in Argossy).

Now I'd be lying if I said I read read all the original source material from this compilation. I don't have a copy of John Buchan's The Runnagates Club, Mackenzie's The Three Couriers or Greene's Twenty-One Stories. Ashenden however is one of my favourites and I feel my life is better when I have a copy nearby. For those trying to track down a copy (which can be difficult these days) may I suggest that you look at some of the myriad of Somerset Maugham collections that have been published. I have a selection from the '60's that is labelled Vol. 2 which contains all the short stories from Ashenden. The other day, I was in a second hand book shop and found a late '80s collection of Maugham stories and Vol. 4 was essentially Ashenden. So it is out there - just not called Ashenden any more. Fleming, of course, needs no introduction. But whether you are familiar with the source material (or the authors) is of little consequence really. These stories pretty much stand on their own.

Ambler closes out his introduction with the following:
'There are surprisingly few good short spy stories. If I could have my unfettered way, a spy anthology would include The Riddle of the Sands, The Thirty-Nine Steps, all of Ashenden, all of The Three Couriers, plus Graham Green's The Ministry of Fear, plus Ian Fleming's From Russia With Love, plus... but it is getting to be a rather heavy book.

Better not wait for it. Please begin now with the hors d'oeuvres.'

I think that Ambler has summed up his compilation perfectly. That's eactly what it is – hors d'oeuvres. Bite size morsels of spy fiction. And in some instances, it is great introduction to authors that you may not know (I for one will be tracking down some Compton Mackenzie - after reading this).

While I do not consider this type of book to be an essential piece of a spy-lit library, it is a pleasant diversion to be consumed between heftier tomes.

[Matthew Fleming · Rating 3 out of 5]

About half of the 'stories' here are actually extracts from novels, which immediately means this book fails to fit its own brief. And because it was published in 1966, each extract or story doesn't skimp on the racism. These are both problems for me, but the biggest issue I have is that Ambler properly blows smoke up Somerset Maugham's Ashenden, a book that no one in the world now even nbows about. And it's the worst story / extract here.

Still, there's some fun spycraft in places, and as an historical artifact - a relic from another time - I've no doubt got worse on my bookshelves.

[Chris Cowan · Rating 3 out of 5]

I thought I was buying an Eric Ambler book, and I like him. But silly me, it’s an anthology of spy short stories or self-contained novel extracts published in ’64. It’s inevitably a mixed bag, and is ultimately ok no more. Apart from Ambler, the Ian Fleming is good, I didn’t much like Compton MacKenzie, the rest somewhere in between. But despite this including some authors I already like, like Graham Greene and Somerset Maugham, there’s nothing here that makes me want to follow up. So, a good enough read but nothing to recommend

[Budge Burgess · Rating 3 out of 5]

Excepts from 7 novels - by John Buchan, Somerset Maugham, Compton Mackenzie, Graham Greene, Ambler himself, Ian Fleming, and Michael Gilbert with an introduction by Ambler. Interesting, as far as it goes.

[C. Moschopoulos · Rating 3 out of 5]

Several early spy short stories at the beginning of genre.

[Steven Minniear · Rating 3 out of 5]

The casual and mater-of-fact racism and sexism in some of the stories really reveals when they were written.