Pure adventure with a mix of political intrigue. Another Eric Ambler novel, written under the pseudonym Eliot Reed (with Charles Rodda), that does a wonderful job of creating mood, atmosphere, and setting, this time in a fictional Central American country that has a history of recurring revolutions and coups. One of Ambler's better page turners, Passport to Panic is a short but compelling read. I picked it up right around midnight, thinking I would just take a peek and see what it's like for a page or two. And I spent the next few hours reading right through.

With its shifting perspectives, Passport to Panic reads almost like a film treatment. Short scenes dominate the beginning, with longish scenes (chapters) culminating just past the mid mark of the book. Someone seeking to make a movie of it, would not need to do very much, especially if they kept true to the 1950s' setting. ( )