Deadly Group Down Under

by Patrick Morgan

Queen of the surfers. She had the face, the body, the look that made half a million guys lust after her. Cartwright dug her as a cotton-candy haired, false-etelashed bundle of phony chick who wouldn't know a hang ten from a hot dog. But she wanted him, and he was going to make it with her. Because someone in her crowd was smuggling military information to the Chinese Communists . . . Australia is the place, spying is the scene, and Cartwright is the man.

160 pages, Paperback

Published January 1, 1970

Reviews

[Steven · Rating 4 out of 5]

Engaging plot and plenty of action keep this third book in the Operation Hang Ten series moving briskly. What I liked best, though, is the deeper character development of Bill Cartwright. He's given more voice and we learn his motivations. As a secret agent he's the opposite of James Bond. And when it comes to his surf bum lifestyle he's also the opposite of Travis McGee. He's younger, hipper, and counterculture and anti-establishment in a way that McGee never could be. As for the womanizing, no patching up wounded girl-birds for Cartwright, he's a use 'em and lose 'em type and always on the hunt. But he's self-aware enough to know he's a cad, although he does show a bit of heart at times. The focus here, though, is to show him competent in everything he does, and that makes him quite like Bond, James and McGee, Travis.