Best of
Mystery-Thriller

1978

Eye of the Needle


Ken Follett - 1978
    Only one person stands in his way: a lonely Englishwoman on an isolated island, who is beginning to love the killer who has mysteriously entered her life. All will come to a terrifying conclusion in Ken Follett's unsurpassed and unforgettable masterwork of suspense, intrigue, and the dangerous machinations of the human heart.

Chinaman's Chance


Ross Thomas - 1978
    The combination of Wu, pretender to the Imperial throne of China, and Quincy Durant, who has his own colorful past, makes for a heady experience. After starting with the deceased pelican on a California beach, the plot mixes in the disappearance of a large sum of money that should have been buried in Vietnam, and the search for the missing member of a trio of singing sisters from the Ozarks. Only Thomas could have stirred this concoction with the style, humor, and suspense that captures the reader at the very beginning and doesn't let go until the last word.

Deathtrap


Ira Levin - 1978
    A possible break in his fortunes occurs when he receives a script from a student in the seminar he has been conducting at a nearby college a thriller which Sidney recognizes immediately as a potential Broadway hit. Sidney's plan, which he devises with his wife's help, is to offer collaboration to the student, an idea which the younger man quickly accepts. Thereafter suspense mounts steadily as the plot begins to twist and turn with devilish cleverness, and with such an abundance of thrills and laughter, that audiences will be held enthralled until the final, startling moments of the play.

The Best of Jules Verne: Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea, Around the World in Eighty Days, Journey to the Center of the Earth, and The Mysterious Island


Jules Verne - 1978
      In Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea, a monster wreaks havoc in the waters of the Atlantic Ocean. The US government sends a French marine biologist, his servant, and a Canadian harpoonist to take care of the problem. But instead of a mythic beast, the team finds the submarine Nautilus and its fearsome helmsman, Captain Nemo.  Around the World in Eighty Days follows Phileas Fogg and his eccentric manservant, Passepartout, on an epic quest to circumnavigate the globe. Pursued by a Scotland Yard detective, derailed by a herd of bison, and attacked by Sioux Indians, the travelers use every mode of transportation possible to race from one exotic exploit to the next. From the sands of Egypt to the icy waters of the Pacific, Fogg and Passepartout never lose sight of their goal—even when they stop to rescue a beautiful damsel in distress.  Journey to the Center of the Earth is a cornerstone of science fiction and one of the greatest stories ever told. A dirty slip of parchment paper falls from the pages of an ancient manuscript. Deciphered by the indefatigable Otto Liedenbrock, professor of geology, and his reluctant nephew, Axel, the parchment’s coded message asserts that a volcano in Iceland contains a passageway to the center of the earth. Two days later, the adventurers embark on a journey so fantastic it will alter the very meaning of history.   In The Mysterious Island, a hot air balloon hijacked by captured Union army soldiers is blown far, far away from its point of departure in Richmond, Virginia. When the craft crash-lands on an island in the South Pacific, the prisoners must contend with wild animals, pirates, and an active volcano—in a fight for their very survival.   This ebook has been professionally proofread to ensure accuracy and readability on all devices.

Prelude to Terror


Helen MacInnes - 1978
    He is instructed to get the painting "at any cost" but to keep his employer's name a secret. This seemingly simple assignment turns into a nightmare for Grant as he finds himself in the center of a conspiracy to unleash bloody international terrorismThe art world meets cloak-and-dagger intrigue in this Cold War thriller. A triumph of pacing from a veteran of the genre.