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A Coffin for Dimitrios  By  cover art

A Coffin for Dimitrios

By: Eric Ambler
Narrated by: Alexander Spencer
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Publisher's summary

An early classic of espionage fiction.

Through the cafés, trains, and nighttime cities of Europe, Charles Latimer follows a twisting trail of drug-smugglers, thieves and assassins that will lead him to Dimitrios.

©1967 Eric C. Ambler (P)1981 Recorded Books, LLC

What listeners say about A Coffin for Dimitrios

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Raymond Chandler of European espionage fiction

It is hard not to like Eric Ambler's amateur spies. They aren't reluctant, just lucky and persistent. They seem to have seeded an entire generation of suspense novelists. Reading Ambler I see exactly what inspired le Carre, Furst, Steinhauer, etc.

Ambler has a voice and style which are matched by his ability to capture a reader's interest with characters and setting. He is like a magician that spends an elaborate amount of time carefully setting a formal table just so at the very end he can pull the cloth out -- leaving the characters shaking from the movement, but readers stuck within their own inertia.

It is hard to judge Ambler once you realize every reference point you have to judge him by contains a fragment of Ambler. He is the Raymond Chandler of European espionage fiction. The genre doesn't exist separate from the author and 'A Coffin for Dimitrios' is one of his greatest works.

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19 people found this helpful

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Not unabridged

A passage where Marukakis provides some political / social commentary has been cut. During his dinner meeting with Latimer prior to their visit to the nightclub, Marukakis discusses assassination as a tool of international big business. Gone from this recording. You can find the missing text on pp. 91-93 of the paperback edition put out by Vintage Crime (Random House) isbn 0375726713. What else was cut from this audiobook, advertised as "unabridged?"

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16 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

A most enjoyable history and geography lesson

I first heard this story many years ago when it came out on cassette tape. I was driving across Europe, listeing to this story about an author who traveled across Europe in search of the reasons why in a dead man's life. I still enjoy listening to it today. Mr. Spencer was a good choice to narrate this story. The film, "The Mask of Dimitrios" runs pretty close to the book and I couldn't imagine better actors than Peter Lorre, Sidney Greenstreet and Zachary Scott to play the characters as originally written by the author. Mr. Ambler's descriptions of characters are sympathetic and on the mark. Desparation, frustration, unrequited love and greed are well written. Highly recommended for those who are able to place their imaginations back in the 1930s.

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14 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars

A well written neat classic adventure

A very interesting trip through the old Europe. A detective spy novel that takes you on a trip. characters well developed, a logical plot, and satisfying ending.

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6 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

outstanding

I thoroughly enjoyed this book, well written, great story. Narration was top not notch. If you enjoy detective novels this is one I would highly recommend.

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4 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

Oldie but still a goodie

A spy thriller that ends unexpectedly like all of Ambler's books. Highly recommend investigating this one. Keeps you busy listening.

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2 people found this helpful

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A masterpiece

Oh I’m so grateful to have stumbled across this author! I’m reading everything he’s written. Narration was exceptional. Been starving for a new author and wasting time reading mediocre books. The first 10 min of this book I knew I’d found something special.

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1 person found this helpful

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  • AC
  • 08-01-22

Classic International Underworld Novel

From the modest beginning, the story takes off with amazing intensity, complexity and suspense. Outstanding reading, including the voicing of various characters. If you love Le Carre, you will be impressed by how this was written years before,

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One of the best detective novels and books in general I have read.

I am sorry that Eric ambler has passed as I would love to read more of his books. My next choice would be for audible.com to have more of his books recorded.

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  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars
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    2 out of 5 stars

Not My Kind of Novel

I have read a few books I enjoyed less than this one, but very few that I actually finished. It was our book club choice for this month so I soldered on.

I'm not saying it's a bad book. The fault is probably mine; I have difficulty liking any book, movie, or TV show where I don't find something to admire in the characters, at least one of them. I didn't care one bit about even the protagonist in this one. He was dull, and everyone else was despicable, so it was a slog even to complete this relatively short novel. Apparently it was written in the late 1930s and therefore is an early example of this genre--international political thriller. That may explain my problem with it, and it was probably educational to have read it.

A lot of people liked this book a great deal, so I am speaking only for myself. I do feel somewhat virtuous for having persisted to finish it.

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1 person found this helpful