What at first appears to be a rare Ambler thriller that does not work quickly regains its footing and becomes a rather impressive insight into what motivates, and doesn't motivate, men surrounded with the temptations of power. Starting off in the French Antilles on the far southeastern edge of the Caribbean, the story shifts to an obscure Central American country that has fallen into and out of coups, rebellions, and revolts many times. Dr. Ernesto Castillo, who has also acquired the name Dr. Frigo, due to his somewhat remote bearing, is the son of a former liberalizing dictator of the country. Brought into yet another plot to overthrow the country, Castillo reluctantly finds himself accompanying yet another would-be dictator into power. But fate intervenes. On several levels, with the greatest irony being the fate of the new dictator, Villegas, who is saved from a terrible death only because of the plotting of his enemies.

Here, Ambler has once more turned to a bit of political moralizing, which he had let escape from his works in the 1960s. Granted, he is more interested in showing that there are no clean hands in this business of revolutions and counter-revolutions. But in doing so he brings to light the lust for control and the thriving of paranoia among all the participants in these type events. Only those smart enough to walk away from it all manage to escape with their sanity, and perhaps some of their principles, intact.

Interesting to see Ambler move his focus from the Balkans and Turkey to Central America. Also interesting to see his direct comparison of the two cultures and how, remarkably, Hapsburg interventionism afflicted both. ( )

Ambler always writes with a clarity and perception that escapes most thriller writers. By modern standards his thrillers are fairly quiet affairs, but his slow burn style, beautiful pacing and sure characterisation put him a cut above the majority. Doctor Frigo has a different setting to most of his others - early seventies' Carribean/Central American - and he is not quite so sure footed but still manages to exibit his superior mastery of his craft. 28 September 2017. ( )

Ambler è uno dei miei autori peferiti. Ho penato per trovare questo romanzo e la lettura - poteva essere diverso ? - non mi ha affatto deluso. E' vero, c'è meno mistero e più incanaglimento in questo libro, ma se penso che è stato scritto negli anno '70 trovo sbalorditivo che non sia affatto invecchiato come altri suoi.
La splendida anatomia del complotto che conduce in porto con le parole dell'antipatico dottor Frigo è da manuale.
L''antipatico' dottor Frigo! Come al solito Ambler riesce a farci sentire che ciascuno di noi è un dottor Frigo in potenza: pieni di difetti e convinti di capire le situazioni che altri invece dominano a nostra insaputa. La divertente storia d'amore - discreta rispetto al racconto - oscilla tra la prosaicità e una pretestuosa grandiosità: in questo contrasto c'è tutta l'abilità di Ambler nell'uso dell'ironia come profumo del racconto.
Ed è SOLO una storia di spie...
[audiolibro] ( )

I really enjoyed this book, Ambler writes very well indeed and deserves more recognition. Classified in its day as a 'thriller', but actually a novel of character, place and people. The story (see another review) and its incidents are of less importance than the players, their roles, and the light cast by them and the actions on the mores and expectations of their time and places. ( )

Dr. Frigo is the nickname of Dr. Ernesto Castillo. His father either died or was assassinated and was the leading figure in the Democratic Socialist Party in St. Paul-les Alizes. With his death, the party leadership would normally fall to Ernesto.

With this in mind, he is summoned to Commissaire Gillon's office to defend himself and assure the Commissaire that he wants no part in politics.

Segura Rojas, a contemporary of Ernesto's father and Manuel Villegas, who leads the Mexican group of the party, come to the Island.

Ernesto's mistress, Elizabeth Martens gives him advice. She believes that the French Secret Service needs a victory and wants to control Villegas.

A CIA agent becomes involved and offers Ernesto a substantial bribe. Castillo is persuaded that if he wants to know what really happened to his father, to pretend to go along with Rojas and Villegas.

Villegas had been in Mexico because he had been exiled there by the junta that overthrew Castillo's father. His health isn't good and Gillon and the CIA agent think that if they can get inside information about Villegas' health, they would have an advantage.

The story is told with little drama or suspense. It's more in the style of learning the facts from reading the daily newspaper articles. The facts are laid out and it is for the reader to draw their own conclusions. The style reminded me of Graham Green in "The Honorary Consul."

For a novel written in 1974, it was interesting to see what was accepted as crime literature or mystery novels at that time. ( )