Once upon an island/A mafia kiss/The man in the hot seat/A very quiet place/Peaceable lane [antikvár]

In this volumeONCE UPON AN ISLAND, by David Conover (page 11), is a story for everyone v/ho has at one time or another felt he wants to get away from it all and make a fresh start. The author and his wife dreamed a dream: to live happily (and profitably) on an island of their own. Turning their dream into reality was often frustrating and frequently frightening but, like this vivid account of how they did it, always fascinating and rewarding.A MAFIA KISS, by Philip Loraine (page 119), is about another island, but a very difiFerent one. Benedict Secca's trip to his native Sicily is nothing short of a nightmare when the Mafia decides to terminate his stay. He can turn io only one person, a girl from the slums in Palermo. As they struggle to outwit the enemy, we get a gripping, authentic view of machinations in that blood-soaked, beautiful country, home of the vendetta and the sawn-oif shot-gun.THE MAN IN THE HOT SEAT, by Doddy Hay (page 247), is another tension-packed storyand a true one. People get tough jobs but few people are hired to be fired by a rocket from a speeding jetbut that is what happened to the author when he volunteered to test ejection seats for the Martin-Baker Aircraft Company. Their seats have now saved over 2,000 lives. Mr. Hay's contribution to this unique British success story was considerable and costly (he broke a leg and several vertebrae). It is an inspiration for all of us sitting (safely) at home.A VERY QUIET PLACE, by Andrew Garve (page 329), is a promise fulfilled to all of you who enjoyed his novel. The Ashes of Loda. It is the thrilling story of a witness to a major crime, who is used as bait for desperate men in the wastes of the Essex saltings. This is Mr. Garve's home territory and he writes about it better than ever.PEACEABLE LANE, by Keith Wheeler (page 437), tackles a vital issue of our day. When the Winters come to live in a respectable suburb of New York, the reaction is violent. The Winters are Negroes. Hatred and fear flare up, but as the community is engulfed in the smoke of aroused emotions and confused conflicts, a flame of hope is also set alight.