The Golden Gate by Alistair MacLean

The beginning of the story leaps right into some operation that is being managed very precisely by the central character Peter Branson. As the details of the operation taking place are revealed over the first 60 odd pages, it suddenly occurs to the reader that this is something illegal and at a very large scale. Again Mr MacLean’s attention to detail in a plot is marvellous. The plan is audacious as a group of men under the leadership of Peter Branson kidnap the president of USA and his guests a King and a Prince from Middle East plus of course their entourages and journalists. They hold not only the people hostage but also the Golden Gate Bridge where the drama is being played out.

It all looks futile and the authorities from the police, to the army, to the FBI are stumped as to how to deal with this situation as the ransom is half a billion dollars and another half million to reimburse the gang for their expenses in planning this job. Not to mention the loss of face for the President in the world. There is one spy in the entourage of journalist who is not what he seems, a photographer. This man Revson makes his appearance briefly at the start but we almost do not notice him till after the kidnap has taken place. He is ingenious at finding ways to communicate with authorities and gains help from a female journalist and a doctor called for helping with medical emergencies. Soon it becomes something of a psychological contest between Branson and Revson.

It is interesting to see how Revson manages to create dissent and reduce the members of the gang on the bridge. He also manages to get the bombs fixed to the bridge disarmed and the inevitable remote button to blow up the bombs and so on. It is a book I found hard to put down and would have read through all the way had it not been for the need to cook and eat and sleep come evening. Here is a book that has a smile on your face at the end as the dialogue throughout has the dry humour and masterly understatements which are very characteristic of Mr MacLean’s writing. A thoroughly entertaining book and does not seem dated in the least.