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The Matlock Paper
The name on the computer screen is James Barbour Matlock, college professor and Vietnam veteran. He’s Washington’s choice to stop a far-reaching conspiracy in an undercover assignment destined to put his neck against the razor’s edge of danger. But the faceless men behind the scenes don’t care if it means savaging the woman he loves or trapping him in a maze of unrelenting terror. They just care about one Matlock is the perfect man for the job—and the reason why is disturbing, explosive, and extremely deadly.
Praise for Robert Ludlum and The Matlock Paper
“A sure winner . . . fast paced, suspenseful, and bound to keep you turning the pages.” — The Denver Post
“A 110% story all in overdrive . . . Ludlum writes better and better.” — Kirkus Reviews
“Suspense, violence, and total readability.” — Chicago Tribune
This edition includes an excerpt from Robert Ludlum’s The Bourne Identity.
Praise for Robert Ludlum and The Matlock Paper
“A sure winner . . . fast paced, suspenseful, and bound to keep you turning the pages.” — The Denver Post
“A 110% story all in overdrive . . . Ludlum writes better and better.” — Kirkus Reviews
“Suspense, violence, and total readability.” — Chicago Tribune
This edition includes an excerpt from Robert Ludlum’s The Bourne Identity.
386 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 1, 1973
264 people are currently reading
3519 people want to read
About the author
Robert Ludlum
631 books5,279 followersRobert Ludlum was the author of twenty-seven novels, each one a New York Times bestseller. There are more than 210 million of his books in print, and they have been translated into thirty-two languages. He is the author of The Scarlatti Inheritance, The Chancellor Manuscript, and the Jason Bourne series--The Bourne Identity, The Bourne Supremacy, and The Bourne Ultimatum--among others. Mr. Ludlum passed away in March, 2001. Ludlum also published books under the pseudonyms Jonathan Ryder and Michael Shepherd.
Some of Ludlum's novels have been made into films and mini-series, including The Osterman Weekend, The Holcroft Covenant, The Apocalypse Watch, The Bourne Identity, The Bourne Supremacy and The Bourne Ultimatum. A non-Ludlum book supposedly inspired by his unused notes, Covert One: The Hades Factor, has also been made into a mini-series. The Bourne movies, starring Matt Damon in the title role, have been commercially and critically successful (The Bourne Ultimatum won three Academy Awards in 2008), although the story lines depart significantly from the source material.
Some of Ludlum's novels have been made into films and mini-series, including The Osterman Weekend, The Holcroft Covenant, The Apocalypse Watch, The Bourne Identity, The Bourne Supremacy and The Bourne Ultimatum. A non-Ludlum book supposedly inspired by his unused notes, Covert One: The Hades Factor, has also been made into a mini-series. The Bourne movies, starring Matt Damon in the title role, have been commercially and critically successful (The Bourne Ultimatum won three Academy Awards in 2008), although the story lines depart significantly from the source material.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 169 reviews
August 15, 2021
It started slow but it's definitely a Ludlum. & from the 70s 😊
The main character was realistic, even when out of his element. I enjoy reading action packed books from Robert Ludlum.
It's crazy how everything balances out too. Like its sad that he was kinda racist, while being one of the best authors of espionage ever. He makes the effort to say 'nigger' in each book. Smh
The main character was realistic, even when out of his element. I enjoy reading action packed books from Robert Ludlum.
It's crazy how everything balances out too. Like its sad that he was kinda racist, while being one of the best authors of espionage ever. He makes the effort to say 'nigger' in each book. Smh
March 23, 2017
I loved it! The plot twist was marvelous. I liked how an innocent college campus can actually be a network for drugs and prostitution. It isn't quite as fast paced as I thought it would be but it does have a certain elegance and intrigued to it.
May 13, 2024
▪️The world is a chessboard, and everyone is just a pawn waiting to be sacrificed.
▪️In the game of life, timing is everything. The wrong move at the wrong time can have deadly consequences.
চাল দেওয়ার উপরেই পুরো বইয়ের গল্প দৌড়ে বেড়াচ্ছিল– কে কত বেশি বুদ্ধি খাটিয়ে এগিয়ে থাকতে পারে। মোটের উপর ভালোই .. উত্তেজনা আছে, যার কারণে পড়া খুব দ্রুত এগিয়ে যায়। তবে শেষটা আমাকে হতাশ করল... কী চেয়েছিলাম জানি না, তবে এমনটাও চাইনি!
ইংরেজি সাবলীল, বাংলায় শাহেদ জামানের অনুবাদও খারাপ হয়নি।
▪️In the game of life, timing is everything. The wrong move at the wrong time can have deadly consequences.
চাল দেওয়ার উপরেই পুরো বইয়ের গল্প দৌড়ে বেড়াচ্ছিল– কে কত বেশি বুদ্ধি খাটিয়ে এগিয়ে থাকতে পারে। মোটের উপর ভালোই .. উত্তেজনা আছে, যার কারণে পড়া খুব দ্রুত এগিয়ে যায়। তবে শেষটা আমাকে হতাশ করল... কী চেয়েছিলাম জানি না, তবে এমনটাও চাইনি!
ইংরেজি সাবলীল, বাংলায় শাহেদ জামানের অনুবাদও খারাপ হয়নি।
February 10, 2018
I can sum up my reaction to this book by analysis of one passage that irritated me to the point of instant dislike at the realization of the meaning of the title. If you'll bear with me, I'll quote it verbatim.
"But before sleeping he remembered the paper. The Corsican paper. He had to get the paper now. He would need the silver paper. He would need the invitation to Nimrod. His invitation now. His paper. The Matlock paper."
After reading that, I heaved a huge sigh and wanted to scream in disgust. First of all, the obvious issues with the repetition of the word paper over and over. But what really annoyed me here is that the main character Matlock, was given this invitation which he insists on calling a paper, which I suppose it technically is, but nobody would call an invitation a paper. "Oh, here's my wedding paper." "Did you get a birthday paper to my party?" Beyond calling an invitation a paper, Matlock/Ludlum suddenly degenerates into a 4-year-old with his determined thoughts of how since he had the paper in his possession, it was now his. (His invitation now. His paper. The Matlock paper.) It reminds me of a little kid stealing a ball and going, "it's mine now. My ball. Billy's ball." It's so utterly ridiculous. Why on Earth did Ludlum decide to title this book "The Matlock Paper?" Matlock has the paper so now he calls it the Matlock Paper? It's so unbelievably stupid that I instantly hated the book because of it. It was so forced! It seems that the author had begun a series of books with similar sounding names ("The Osterman Weekend," "Scarlatti Inheritance," etc) in which the titles all included the surname of one of the key characters. This book was the third in that sequence of books and it just seemed so contrived. As though he had to use the name Matlock in the title and couldn't think of how else to do it. Incidentally, this paper they are on about is called the Corsican paper throughout the book. That would have been a much better title, but would not have fit with Ludlum's "surname series."
Ludlum's dialogue suffers in places as well. Many authors forget to read their dialogue aloud to determine if it works in real life. It feels as though he's hoping his book will get optioned as a movie. Almost all chapters end with some dramatic piece of dialogue meant to create suspense. A few examples of some of the gems ending chapters:
"Two weeks after I pick up that piece of engraved crap my parents want so badly, I'll be on a plane. I'm leaving this goddamn country. And I'll never come back!" (Ugh, not ever no never coming back again!)
"The hunted and the hunter were now one."(Supposedly this is Matlock's thoughts. Every time he feels uneasy or someone is following him, Ludlum goes back back to the hunter/hunted analogy. Ewww)
"Greenberg said to tell you... That the cities weren't dying, they were dead. Those were his words. The cities were dead." (At this point, I expected to hear that big blast of music they always used to play in those cop shows in the 70s. You know, like Quincy says, "it was wasn't an accident Sam. It was MURDER." And the music goes dum duhhhhh dummmmm.)
Oh and I normally like when a story written in another era includes signs of that era. But this one was just silly and so dated. Having characters say "pinky groovy" over and over again. When a group of black militants are preparing to do battle Ludlum describes "tight-fitting khakis and open shirts." It sounds like they're going to the disco rather than to an ambush. Who would wear an open necked shirt to look inconspicuous? Even in the 70s, this is ridiculous.
And then there's the obsession with race. See below. Keep in mind this is a group of all black militants. It's been established that none of them are white.
"The blacks received word from their scouts..."
"The black revolutionary in command..."
"The second black walked to the booth..."
"The Negro giant had eliminated the light..."
"'That was handled,' said the black man in command."
"Matlock looked at the uniformed Negro..."
"'Of course,' answered the black."
"The Negro motioned him inside "
"... Said the black behind the wheel."
These quotes are taken from 3 consecutive pages of one chapter. It's very unusual that Ludlum was only able to identify the black characters by their race, even when all the characters at that point of the story were black.
That about sums up, "The Matlock Paper" in a nutshell. I could go into more detail on the story, but other reviewers have already covered that. In any review, the minutiae can usually speak to the overall outcome. In this case, it's the little things that kill (as the band Bush wisely told us in the 90s). I'm just hopeful that my journey through the Ludlum catalogue improves. Or else...I may have to discontinue reading his books. Dum duhhhhhh dummmm. How's that for a suspenseful ending? Ha!
"But before sleeping he remembered the paper. The Corsican paper. He had to get the paper now. He would need the silver paper. He would need the invitation to Nimrod. His invitation now. His paper. The Matlock paper."
After reading that, I heaved a huge sigh and wanted to scream in disgust. First of all, the obvious issues with the repetition of the word paper over and over. But what really annoyed me here is that the main character Matlock, was given this invitation which he insists on calling a paper, which I suppose it technically is, but nobody would call an invitation a paper. "Oh, here's my wedding paper." "Did you get a birthday paper to my party?" Beyond calling an invitation a paper, Matlock/Ludlum suddenly degenerates into a 4-year-old with his determined thoughts of how since he had the paper in his possession, it was now his. (His invitation now. His paper. The Matlock paper.) It reminds me of a little kid stealing a ball and going, "it's mine now. My ball. Billy's ball." It's so utterly ridiculous. Why on Earth did Ludlum decide to title this book "The Matlock Paper?" Matlock has the paper so now he calls it the Matlock Paper? It's so unbelievably stupid that I instantly hated the book because of it. It was so forced! It seems that the author had begun a series of books with similar sounding names ("The Osterman Weekend," "Scarlatti Inheritance," etc) in which the titles all included the surname of one of the key characters. This book was the third in that sequence of books and it just seemed so contrived. As though he had to use the name Matlock in the title and couldn't think of how else to do it. Incidentally, this paper they are on about is called the Corsican paper throughout the book. That would have been a much better title, but would not have fit with Ludlum's "surname series."
Ludlum's dialogue suffers in places as well. Many authors forget to read their dialogue aloud to determine if it works in real life. It feels as though he's hoping his book will get optioned as a movie. Almost all chapters end with some dramatic piece of dialogue meant to create suspense. A few examples of some of the gems ending chapters:
"Two weeks after I pick up that piece of engraved crap my parents want so badly, I'll be on a plane. I'm leaving this goddamn country. And I'll never come back!" (Ugh, not ever no never coming back again!)
"The hunted and the hunter were now one."(Supposedly this is Matlock's thoughts. Every time he feels uneasy or someone is following him, Ludlum goes back back to the hunter/hunted analogy. Ewww)
"Greenberg said to tell you... That the cities weren't dying, they were dead. Those were his words. The cities were dead." (At this point, I expected to hear that big blast of music they always used to play in those cop shows in the 70s. You know, like Quincy says, "it was wasn't an accident Sam. It was MURDER." And the music goes dum duhhhhh dummmmm.)
Oh and I normally like when a story written in another era includes signs of that era. But this one was just silly and so dated. Having characters say "pinky groovy" over and over again. When a group of black militants are preparing to do battle Ludlum describes "tight-fitting khakis and open shirts." It sounds like they're going to the disco rather than to an ambush. Who would wear an open necked shirt to look inconspicuous? Even in the 70s, this is ridiculous.
And then there's the obsession with race. See below. Keep in mind this is a group of all black militants. It's been established that none of them are white.
"The blacks received word from their scouts..."
"The black revolutionary in command..."
"The second black walked to the booth..."
"The Negro giant had eliminated the light..."
"'That was handled,' said the black man in command."
"Matlock looked at the uniformed Negro..."
"'Of course,' answered the black."
"The Negro motioned him inside "
"... Said the black behind the wheel."
These quotes are taken from 3 consecutive pages of one chapter. It's very unusual that Ludlum was only able to identify the black characters by their race, even when all the characters at that point of the story were black.
That about sums up, "The Matlock Paper" in a nutshell. I could go into more detail on the story, but other reviewers have already covered that. In any review, the minutiae can usually speak to the overall outcome. In this case, it's the little things that kill (as the band Bush wisely told us in the 90s). I'm just hopeful that my journey through the Ludlum catalogue improves. Or else...I may have to discontinue reading his books. Dum duhhhhhh dummmm. How's that for a suspenseful ending? Ha!
October 3, 2012
Ludlum has the psychology angle down pat. That is what makes his books stand out from others who do not understand the subtlety of human motives. On the very lowest levels the "good cause" excuse for behavior is very evident here. While instructive it does not reference the varied levels of such rationalizations evident in the common everyday world we all inhabit. But the study here is very interesting in the details and the meaning, considering what it states about the children. There is a price to pay when the adults sell out the children telling them it is for a "good cause" and therefore, okay.
February 26, 2025
Getting a little bit closer to the second half of Ludlum’s career, when he became the grand master of the spy thriller.
This early novel has lead character Matlock (no not that one), a university professor, tracking down a drug conspiracy at his university.
This novel is more focused than The Osterman Weekend, with the lens on James Matlock as an Everyman with university connections trying to decipher what’s really going on at Carlyle University.
The pacing is swift through 2/3 of this novel, but during the last 100 pages or so Ludlum kicks the story into high gear and we get a prelude to the rapid-fire twists and turns that came in his classic period.
The reveal near the end when it becomes clear why the university got involved in a drug-funded mess is interesting as a time capsule to the early 1970s, and a similar threat to US universities might be around the corner in modern times as well.
My favorite bit was the piece of high-tech Matlock’s handlers give him to stay in contact with the lead office. It’s a pager. Oh the technological wonders these writers had to come up with to dazzle their readers in 1973. The future is indescribably filled with marvels.
This early novel has lead character Matlock (no not that one), a university professor, tracking down a drug conspiracy at his university.
This novel is more focused than The Osterman Weekend, with the lens on James Matlock as an Everyman with university connections trying to decipher what’s really going on at Carlyle University.
The pacing is swift through 2/3 of this novel, but during the last 100 pages or so Ludlum kicks the story into high gear and we get a prelude to the rapid-fire twists and turns that came in his classic period.
The reveal near the end when it becomes clear why the university got involved in a drug-funded mess is interesting as a time capsule to the early 1970s, and a similar threat to US universities might be around the corner in modern times as well.
My favorite bit was the piece of high-tech Matlock’s handlers give him to stay in contact with the lead office. It’s a pager. Oh the technological wonders these writers had to come up with to dazzle their readers in 1973. The future is indescribably filled with marvels.
July 6, 2022
A good Ludlum, hitting on a painful social issue--drugs pushing on college campuses. Lovely plot twists, thrilling cliff-hangers, but the ending got so convoluted that the star count went down. Nice beach read.
June 22, 2015
Awful! One of the worst books I've ever wasted my time finishing! The plot was good which is why I gave it two stars. But, the writing wasn't even worthy of a high school freshman!
I've read other stories by Ludlum that are light years better then this, so I'm forced to assume someone else wrote it and Ludlum was somehow blackmailed into putting his name on this incredible piece of crap!
In addition to the grade school writing style, the extensive use of italics to show all manner of emotion was so over used that if I see another italicized word, I may have gouge my eyes out!
I can not be any more emphatic in my urging that no one else ever read this book for the rest of time!
I've read other stories by Ludlum that are light years better then this, so I'm forced to assume someone else wrote it and Ludlum was somehow blackmailed into putting his name on this incredible piece of crap!
In addition to the grade school writing style, the extensive use of italics to show all manner of emotion was so over used that if I see another italicized word, I may have gouge my eyes out!
I can not be any more emphatic in my urging that no one else ever read this book for the rest of time!
December 28, 2021
3.5 stars
It took a bit to get into but at a certain point the pace picked up and I was rooting for the MC. Though the twist at the end was not unexpected and some aspects remained a bit blurry, I liked my first Ludlum.
Characters 7
Atmosphere 7
Writing Style 7
Setup 7
Plot 7
Intrigue 8
Logic 7
Enjoyment 7
It took a bit to get into but at a certain point the pace picked up and I was rooting for the MC. Though the twist at the end was not unexpected and some aspects remained a bit blurry, I liked my first Ludlum.
Characters 7
Atmosphere 7
Writing Style 7
Setup 7
Plot 7
Intrigue 8
Logic 7
Enjoyment 7
September 20, 2011
was interested greatly until the man that hooked me gets shot in a phone booth! Hard to keep reading, mind you this IS all in the first two chapters.. so a climax at the front would have to work hard to grab me again. In comes the second man just assigned to MATLOCK and then it JUST gets crazy.. College fraternities set in a separatist time, vrazy allegations, people spooking Matlock looking for "the Papers" half a document that gives him access into a secret drug dealers society. A society of many mafia style personages that are coming together like a boss meeting. no one knows who anyone is, just that you have the other half of the paper.. is your clout! This is and was very compelling and pulled me in. okay.. SO BACK to the craziness.. Mr Matlock is told that the owner/dean of the university is at the top of the LIST of people that the FBI is trying to infiltrate and bring down.. Oh NO.. Matlock says it cant be... I must go and warn him.. so he does.. and the dean runs off screaming into the night of his own monstrously lavish forest of a back yard and dies.. yelling Nimrod..
oooops!! Guess he was involved or was scared to death of those involved now knowing that the FBI asked Matlock to infiltrate and that they are all under suspicion...
This is where i Quit reading.. i just couldn't finish... all the crazy up and down, climax and let down, climax and crash..
Maybe I will pick it up again, maybe i wont.. its shelved with bookmark and have read 2 more books in its place and since.. maybe I will and maybe i wont... only LOTS of time will tell.
oooops!! Guess he was involved or was scared to death of those involved now knowing that the FBI asked Matlock to infiltrate and that they are all under suspicion...
This is where i Quit reading.. i just couldn't finish... all the crazy up and down, climax and let down, climax and crash..
Maybe I will pick it up again, maybe i wont.. its shelved with bookmark and have read 2 more books in its place and since.. maybe I will and maybe i wont... only LOTS of time will tell.
September 17, 2015
Sjećao sam je se kao bokje. Izgleda da se ukusi s godinama mjenjaju
December 23, 2021
বর্ন সিরিজের চরম উত্তেজনকর মূহুর্তগুলাকে আবার অনুভব করতে চেয়েছিলাম। কিন্তু লেখক পুরোপুরি ব্যর্থ৷ খুব সাধারণ মানের একটা উপন্যাস এটা। যাও বা শেষে একটা টুইস্ট দিতে চেয়েছেন সেটাও ভাল লাগেনি।
সত্য কথা বলতে গেলে বাংলাদেশের অনেক লেখক এরচে অনেক ভাল লেখেন।
সত্য কথা বলতে গেলে বাংলাদেশের অনেক লেখক এরচে অনেক ভাল লেখেন।
November 17, 2018
In a nutshell, this book had all the elements I needed to get a good read.
May 8, 2020
মোটামুটি ভালোই। লুডলামের বর্ণ ট্রিলজির মতো অতো ভালো না।
July 10, 2015
A good book. The pace is fine. A clean cut pure thriller. Not adulterated with unwanted romance or nudity. A routine Robert Ludlum affair.
The end was a tad predictable... at least to me.. I somehow expected it...
The end was a tad predictable... at least to me.. I somehow expected it...
August 27, 2016
Uggh! The casual racism. The implicit misogyny. The tired and offensive tropes. The clueless main character. The obvious plot 'twists'. I went in wanting Jason Bourne and I ended up with a limp Robert Langdon. So disappointing.
December 31, 2021
NOT to be confused with Andy Griffith’s Matlock!
Another Ludlum page-turner, filled with the late great author’s typical shadowy & sinister conspiracies, melodramatic (dare I say borderline naive) protagonist, and violent, bloody action (true to form, at least one character gets his throat ripped out by a bullet).
Also provides an interesting snapshot (albeit a fictional one) of campus radicalism, campus drug usage, and organised crime in the early 1970s. And even though Ludlum was decidedly liberal in his political leanings, this novel is nonetheless chockfull of terminology that would be considered way too politically insensitive by today’s PC Cancel Culture standards.
Random Observation: out of the 11 different Ludlum novels I’ve read thus far, this is only the third one in which the entire storyline takes places within the confines of the US of A, a sharp contrast to the international locales of most of his books.
CENTRAL CASTING:
—Matthew McConaughey as James Matlock
—Daniel O’Herlihy as Herron
—Daniel Day-Lewis as Sealfont
—Ali McGraw as Pat Ballentyne
Another Ludlum page-turner, filled with the late great author’s typical shadowy & sinister conspiracies, melodramatic (dare I say borderline naive) protagonist, and violent, bloody action (true to form, at least one character gets his throat ripped out by a bullet).
Also provides an interesting snapshot (albeit a fictional one) of campus radicalism, campus drug usage, and organised crime in the early 1970s. And even though Ludlum was decidedly liberal in his political leanings, this novel is nonetheless chockfull of terminology that would be considered way too politically insensitive by today’s PC Cancel Culture standards.
Random Observation: out of the 11 different Ludlum novels I’ve read thus far, this is only the third one in which the entire storyline takes places within the confines of the US of A, a sharp contrast to the international locales of most of his books.
CENTRAL CASTING:
—Matthew McConaughey as James Matlock
—Daniel O’Herlihy as Herron
—Daniel Day-Lewis as Sealfont
—Ali McGraw as Pat Ballentyne
August 10, 2020
Good fast paced book.
I like Ludlum but find I cannot read more than one story line within months of another or all the characters seem to have the same voice.
I like Ludlum but find I cannot read more than one story line within months of another or all the characters seem to have the same voice.
August 1, 2025
Definitely better than the last Ludlum novel I've read. Starts quite promising, but what should be a slow investigation turns too quickly into a breakneck-paced race. I still enjoyed it, though the ending wasn't entirely satisfying. The part I liked most however, was that this book, written in the early seventies, gives us a lovely insight into the civil rights movement in the USA at this time along with the rivalry between universities and law enforcement, together with the paranoia about infiltration.
June 11, 2018
This book was only Ludlum's third published novel, and like most of his earliest works, The Matlock Paper is a very forgettable tale. It's principal flaw is that it is so lacking in detail and depth (particularly in terms of characterisation) that the narrative is never truly engaging.
In truth, it's a really boring and predictable affair, with a clueless, out-of-his-depth protagonist who's hard to root for. And even if the book's conspicuous lack of depth were to be addressed you would still be left with a ludicrous plot that isn't remotely believable to deal with.
Given how much better some of Ludlum's later novels are, I wouldn't recommend this one to anybody.
In truth, it's a really boring and predictable affair, with a clueless, out-of-his-depth protagonist who's hard to root for. And even if the book's conspicuous lack of depth were to be addressed you would still be left with a ludicrous plot that isn't remotely believable to deal with.
Given how much better some of Ludlum's later novels are, I wouldn't recommend this one to anybody.
December 4, 2018
I hadn’t read anything by Robert Ludlum for a few years, but this book reminds me why I liked his works so much. It also reminded me why it has been a long time. Let me explain…
Ludlum, more than any of his successors in the thriller genre, could really write a dramatic scene well with twists and turns, and this book was very dramatic. The thing about Ludlum is that his books – and it’s realistic and not a bad thing, but just one that prevents closure for me – don’t end with a tidy “they all lived happily ever after” ending.
All-in-all, an enjoyable story. It was good to get back to Robert Ludlum.
Ludlum, more than any of his successors in the thriller genre, could really write a dramatic scene well with twists and turns, and this book was very dramatic. The thing about Ludlum is that his books – and it’s realistic and not a bad thing, but just one that prevents closure for me – don’t end with a tidy “they all lived happily ever after” ending.
All-in-all, an enjoyable story. It was good to get back to Robert Ludlum.
April 7, 2015
This book was first published in the 70,s, as such it is rather dated. This is not one of Ludlum's best. The characters are rather flat, and it is hard to work up any enthusiasm for the main character. The ultimate villain is rather apparent very early in the book, so the end was no surprise. Read this is you want to examine the cultural aspects of story lines in the 70s.
June 12, 2019
Confusing yet predictable, not up to Ludlum standards
I did not like this book. The plot was confusing, the characters were predictable and shallow. The whole book was rather annoying
I did not like this book. The plot was confusing, the characters were predictable and shallow. The whole book was rather annoying
December 17, 2012
Didn't get the feeling of reading a Ludlum piece. Maybe one of his earlier works.
May 12, 2014
Storyline is weak. Main character is naive, unskilled and usually unarmed in his implausible war against professional mobsters.
April 9, 2020
It was okay. There was definitely moments I found intriguing but honestly half the things that happened flew over my head and I couldn't wait to finish it and just move onto another novel. Oooops!
August 27, 2018
James Matlock is going to find conspiracy, suspense and danger when he takes on a job for the United States government and finds he is tangled in the dark world of drugs, prostitution and more. Always a thrill ride when readers grab a book by this author.
November 26, 2023
My favorite authior. One of his first books translated. Very attractive. Wondering why where is no movie from this book.
June 30, 2018
I'm normally a big Ludlum fan, but I have to admit I was disappointed by this book. I found the beginning to be a slow start and the ending was rather lacking closure and somewhat frustrating by how it was orchestrated. Overall, the only "Ludlum" feel that I felt was in the direct middle of the book! Definitely didn't have the smooth action I've come to expect.
August 21, 2018
Seneler sonra ikinci okuyusum. Beni ilki kadar etkilemedi. Ancak Robert Ludlum' in gizemli kurgusunu anlatan iyi bir kitap.
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