Scratch One (Hard Case Crime)
Before he was the Michael Crichton, the author published a handful of thrillers under a pseudonym, John Lange. They’re slick and formulaic novels, lots of fun, but not what you’d normally expect from Crichton. This one, from 1967, involves a group of terrorists who are executing a series of assassinations and an unfortunate American lawyer who, due to a rather contrived case of mistaken identity, is believed by the terrorists to be a top U.S. agent sent to stop them. Mayhem ensues. The book is much closer to 1950s paperback fiction than it is to typical Crichton fare; the characters are nicely drawn, and the action is enjoyable, but this is in no way a science-based thriller—it’s a straightforward adventure yarn. And a pretty good one, too. --David Pitt