THE BILLION DOLLAR SURE THING

The most interesting thing about this not quite ""fascinating novel of intrigue"" is that the author, a former United California Bank officer, began it in a Swiss jail. The second most interesting thing is that he both knows, and will teach you, all about the Eurodollar money market which rises and falls, or can be made to fall. Particularly now when the American dollar is most troubled and the U.S. has hopes of beefing it up by raising the price of gold. Least interesting is the story itself which leads toward a dump-the-dollar massive selling panic and those involved -- one international safecracker, assorted moneymen from all countries -- even a Brazilian and a South African, a token girl or two, and one nouveau (a billion in assets) speculator. But the characters are all toothpicks and the style is noticeable by its absence.