Jack Higgins has written over 80 thrillers since 1959, including A Prayer For The Dying and his most successful, The Eagle Has Landed (his 36th novel). Actually, he's an Englishman named Harry Patterson. East of Desolation is one of his better received novels (it's about his 23rd, written in 1968). But if you are reading a Jack Higgins novel, you don't care about any of that. You've come for action, intrigue, beautiful women and adventure and you won't be disappointed.
East of Desolation takes place against the harsh backdrop of Greenland, where daily life is man against nature. Joe Martin flies a freight Otter on routes to Canada, Iceland and Denmark, stationed out of Fredericksborg and Sandvig. Several others in the small community also do cargo flights to the small outposts along Greenland's southwest coast. A small Heron plane has crash landed on a barren icy fjord months ago with two known passengers, presumed deceased. An insurance company has sent two men to determine if a payout was warranted. Along with them is the pilot's beautiful widow, to postiviely identify whatever has remained.
Joe had been busy with his friends, the aging action film star Jack Desforge and his beautiful actress friend Ilana, but as he has the only seaplane capable of landing on Lake Sule near the crash site, they all head out to find it. They discover the wreck at the bottom of a deep crevasse, flown off course and sporting false identification, and the ulterior motives of all the characters becomes exposed. The mystery turns to plain skullduggery when it's discovered the package of raw emeralds hidden on board have disappeared. No one is who they seem as a game of deception begins.
This is a classic, old school adventure, where man battles the odds against a harsh landscape and freak weather storms to eek out a living. In a community of Greenlanders, Icelanders, Danes and Americans, tempers run high and drinking - and whatever women are available - are the frequent entertainments. Joe Martin is a great character, who sees the corruption and machinations of those around him, yet remains honourable and forthright. As he's slowly ensnared in the murky business, the real purpose of his involvement becomes clear - no one is who they say they are!
Not just a solid thriller, but a solidly written novel, with great characters, twists, action. There is plenty of old Viking legend, great descriptions of the rough terrain and a terrific bang up finale.
Everything you'd want in a thriller. Highly enjoyable.
1968 / Paperback / 190 pages
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