The Light of Day

Arthur Simpson, Book 1

By: Eric Ambler

Narrated by: Frederick Davidson

Alfred Hitchcock said, "Mr. Ambler is a phenomenon," and Graham Greene referred to him as "our greatest thriller writer". This is an ideal title for introducing listeners to this master. Ambler brilliantly paints realistic portraits of his characters and the foreign landscape, mixing suspense with a subtle twist for added color.

When Arthur Abdel Simpson first spots Harper in the Athens airport, he recognizes him as a tourist unfamiliar with the city and in need of a private driver—in other words, the perfect mark for Simpson’s brand of entrepreneurship. But Harper proves to be more the spider than the fly when he catches Simpson searching his wallet for traveler's checks. Soon Simpson finds himself blackmailed into driving a suspicious car across the Turkish border. When he is caught again, this time by the police, he faces a choice: cooperate with the Turks and spy on his erstwhile colleagues or end up in one of Turkey’s notorious prisons. The authorities suspect an attempted coup, but Harper and his gang of international jewel thieves have planned something less sinister but much, much more audacious.

Eric Ambler (1909-1998), a British novelist, is widely considered the father of spy-espionage thrillers. Many of his novels became New York Times best sellers and the basis for motion pictures.

©1962 Eric Ambler (P)1988 Blackstone

Critic reviews

"Ambler is, quite simply, the best." ( New Yorker)

"Mr. Ambler is phenomenal." (Alfred Hitchcock)

"Ambler brings off this comic thriller with consummate zest." ( New York Times Book Review)

A fantastic book

A really great book that I found paralleled my life in such outstanding and relatable ways. This book is maturative and I highly recommend this book.

A let down after Topkapi.

Not a bad story but nowhere as much fun as Ustinov at his finest. The screenwriters wrote a much better book.

Very intertaining

An amusing delightful twist on the spy novel. Arthur is a wonderfully crafted character and very charming in a deceitful kind of way. The narration is absolutely perfect.

Frederick Davidson’s excellent performance

The characters in this story are not sympathetic but, as always, Frederick Davidson’s excellent performance makes this an enjoyable book to listen to.

good listen

from another era but very enjoyable. interesting characters, locations and era. the story held my interest.