The French Atlantic Affair

by Ernest Lehman

Very good in very good dust jacket (some wear to top edge of dj, creasing to dj flaps) Hardcover first edition - New Atheneum,, 1977.. Hardcover first edition -. Very good in very good dust jacket (some wear to top edge of dj, creasing to dj flaps). First printing. The first novel by this noted screenwriter. "The S.S. Marseille, 65,000-ton pride of the French Atlantic Line, has been secretly taken over in mid-ocean by 174 shadowy conspirators and diverted toward a rendezvous in the southern Antlantic. Unless a ransom of $35,000,000 in gold is paid within forty-eight hours, the ship and all her passengers will be blown up." 468 pp.

Genres: Fiction, Crime, Thriller

468 pages, Hardcover

First published July 1, 1977

Reviews

[Ronald Wilcox · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very good suspenseful story although dated now (written in mid-1970's). The Marseille is a cruise liner of the French Atlantic fleet and has approximately 3000 passengers. A group of the passengers had been conspiring for two years to take over the ship and do so, holding it hostage unless they receive several tons of gold bullion. The story involves the crew, the passengers, the criminals, and several people in France and the United States. The only communication between the ship and the outside world is via a amateur ham radio user and a friend of his on the West Coast so the Captain utilizes this hidden means to try to foil the kidnappers. Overall very suspenseful but with some parts that drag a little. Very good ending.

[Scott · Rating 1 out of 5]

Written in 1977 The French Atlantic Affair is a story of a group of terrorists who hijack a luxury cruise ship. When I looked at the summary, I assumed the terrorists would be typical terrorists. They are not. They are businessmen and society women and pretty much normal evil people. I liked the use of a ham radio in the story. I knew some folks in the 1970's who were big amateur ham radio operators and the guy in the story reminded me of them. On the back cover of the book, it indicates that it is a Playboy book club selection and from many of the chapters, I can see why. It is a little too much for me. I can’t recommend this book.

[Bob Box · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read in 1978. A passenger cruise ship is hijacked for ransom.

[Byfuss · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gülten Suveren. Altın Kitaplar 1980

[Luis · Rating 4 out of 5]

For a story about a cruise ship taken over by criminals you would think the plot would be rather simple but this naval thriller has plotlines going on on both sides of the Atlantic as well as several on the ship itself. The plot? A group of civilians decide to take over a French cruise and demand several million dollars in gold or else they blow up the ship. The problem is that there is no way of knowing who the terrorists are since they have boarded the ship as regular passengers and they could be anyone of the 3000 passengers and crew. One of the passengers is a ham radio operator who becomes central to the story because he has brought aboard (illegally) a radio that enables him to communicate with the mainland unbeknownst to the criminals who believe they control all of the ships communications. The author does an excellent job of keeping the story interesting all through the novel to its very satisfying conclusion. The cover states it was made into a six hour TV mini series but I haven't seen it, though I wish I could.

[John Bastin · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book shortly after it was published, in 1977. I found it because ham radio was a strong component of the plot and I was a ham radio operator. I found the book fascinating.

It was a product of its time; the entire premise of the ocean liner hijacking, the extremely long time that it took to even discover that it happened, and the method of that discovery, wouldn't fit today, in these times of satellites and lightning-fast electronic communication, but it was a very good story told well.

[Nick Stewart · Rating 5 out of 5]

A thoroughly entertaining read! A crackerjack thriller! And sexy like you wouldn't believe! Forgive my gushing praise, but it's hard not to love a book where villains are outwitted by a neurotic Beverly Hills housewife, a ham radio operator, and a bestselling author of trashy potboilers who's trying to live out the macho fantasies he writes about (his first name is Harold...gee, wonder who that is?) And, of course, I love the many instances in this book where characters caught up in life & death stakes were thwarted by their own lust and sexual proclivities.

[John Hannibal · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really a lot of things going on in this book, but the author manages to keep the pace moving despite the huge amount of characters. The heist concept is great, and the planning leaves you wondering if it could actually work. Highly recommend for any and all fans of heist stories.

[Cindy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another book that I read a long time ago. I thought then that it was good. I might try to read it again if I have a chance.

[C. Janet Austin · Rating 5 out of 5]

one of my older favorites... the made for tv movie absolutely ruined the premise of the book... arrrggg ... i hate it when they do that!

[Paul · Rating 2 out of 5]

Too much gratuitous sex and violence for my tastes. I expected better from the writer of "North by Northwest."