THE BURNED MAN
By
A man suffering from the most lethal burn of all, radiation, is found dumped on the Air Force's doorstep in Spain. The maneuver seems obvious. Which big power has strategic nuclear bases in what country, and what country should rebel against the inherent dangers in having such nasty weapons around. Colonel Perry White suspects that the local Communists are trying to create such an incident. The question really lies in the tricky problem: where did the radiation and the burned man come from? There are notes on Fascism and undercover politicking as Perry battles big brass, Washington inspectors and our somewhat dubious allies in the attempt to stop an international scandal that could result in a Communist coup. There is one marvelously detailed scene when Perry engages in a short duel with two would-be assassins but it's neither high spy or low blow. Standard competent.