Contango

The idea of this book is that of a single thread of chance touching first one life, and thus another and another and another, nine in all--each link in the chain being only incidentally aware of that preceding or following it. The trail begins with sudden death and then murder in the far east; leaps to comedy--real comedy--in Switzerland; crosses the Channel to commercial speculation in England; reappears romantically in Hollywood and then tragically in South America; and after an interlude in New York returns to Europe--Geneva and England's countryside--for the final scenes. What is notable throughout is Mr. Hilton's able handling of every type of subject, character and background. The mentality of a Hollywood film star, a Catholic priest, a Soviet envoy, a British businessman or statesman--he takes them all in his stride, and his knowledge of places, of professions, of arts and industries, are always adequate. It is a volume offering unusual and quality of entertainment.