MRS. POLLIFAX ON THE CHINA STATION

Two-thirds sightseeing, one-third suspense—as Mrs. P. is sent by US Intelligence on a secret mission to China: she will play a key role in rescuing Wang Chen, an engineer with border-fortifications knowledge, from a labor camp. . . "before the Russians get to him." So off Mrs. P. goes, as part of a small tour-group, one of whom—at first she doesn't know which—is her mission team-mate. Surprisingly, then, the fellow agent turns out to be seemingly immature Peter. But he's really a whiz, of course; and, after Mrs. P. makes contact with a Chinese informant, Peter takes off to locate the camp, rescue Wang Chen (which he does with bizarre ease), and hide him in a cave. . . until another member of the chatty tour-group is revealed as an enemy agent. (Mrs. P. is forced to take lethal action.) The mission, then, is sort of a success—but Peter disappears in the melee (oh, dear), showing up for a cheery, teary Lady Vanishes fadeout only some time later. . . after Mrs. Pollifax has at last wed Cyrus Reed. With lots of scenery that somehow never really comes alive: very much the usual—for true-blue Pollifaxers.