ANGELS IN EXILE

This is cabana reading--sand, sea, sun and sex, and a pretty good tale of larceny and romance in French Polynesia. Captain Brian Steele (Sterling Hayden?) is out to create a mercantile empire in the Pacific and is subsidized by a moneyed group of fugitives from justice: a Latin American ex-dictator; an American businessman who had abused company funds; and assorted accomplices, hangers-on and con men. Steele does not disclose their identities in exchange for their backing and everyone prospers, temporarily. Eventually there is an administration of justice a la francaise: a few penalties with some priority given to two nubile young women. The book is filled with stereotypes which may be half the fun of it, but this is good Garland Roark which means that it's a good commercial issue.