RUNNING WILD

by Antony Trew ‧ RELEASE DATE: Jan. 25, 1982

Another rudimentary mix of seagoing action and spy-suspense from the author of Death of a Supertanker and The Antonov Project--starting off in Capetown, South Africa, when underground anti-apartheid activists AndrÉ Bretsmar, Pippa Brown, and ""Goddy"" Godeska are forced to flee the country: the authorities are onto them. So they decide to sail secretly for England in the ketch owned by AndrÉ's rich father, skippered by idealistic AndrÉ's brother Jan--who's a political conservative (like Bretsmar Sr.) but a sea-loving adventurer. What the Bretsmars and Pippa don't know, however, is that Goddy is really a murderous KGB agent who's carrying microfiche data on US plans to help So. Africa counter Soviet buildups on its borders. . . which means that the forces in Johannesburg are intent on tracking down the fugitives. And, in fact, the authorities are always just one step behind as the ketch wends its way north--with some predictable squabbles aboard. (""Stop fondling Pippa,"" says Jan to Goddy. ""I'm not having any sexy nonsense in this boat."") But then there's an explosion on the ketch; the foursome is rescued by a tanker, set ashore in Portugal; a chance encounter unmasks Goddy's KGB secret; Jan grabs the microfiche, leaving Goddy to be captured by the authorities. And finally, after the Bretsmars and Pippa make their way to London via several boat-thefts, they trade the microfiche for their freedom--but also discover that, in transit, they've lost a fortune in diamonds which greedy Bretsmar Sr. secretly stowed aboard for smuggling purposes. Despite some initial extra interest in the anti-apartheid angle: the usual Trew offering--with stiff dialogue and characterization somewhat redeemed by the sturdy nautical details.

Pub Date: Jan. 25, 1982

ISBN: N/A

Page Count: -

Publisher: St. Martin's

Review Posted Online: N/A

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 1982

Categories: FICTION