Protocol for a Kidnapping

Protocol for a Kidnapping is one of the Philip St. Ives novels authored by Ross Thomas using the pseudonym Oliver Bleeck. O Bleeck, get it? St. Ives is a professional go-between. Which is to say he is that rare individual trusted by criminals and law enforcement alike. When something of great value is stolen or when a kidnapping takes place, he's the man to call to handle ransom demands. In this installment, St. Ives is summoned to Washington by the U.S. State Department. The American ambassador to Yugoslavia has been kidnapped and Mr. St. Ives must make sure he's returned from the Sarejevo hideout in which he's being held to the safety of American soil. Preferably alive. Ross Thomas' well honed cynicism is very much alive and well within the pages of this tongue-in-cheek novel written as a satire of the espionage genre. The very twisted plot is not at all credible nor was it meant to be. It would not surprise me at all to learn that Thomas made up the storyline as he went along. Bottom line: Protocol for a Kidnapping was written to be enjoyed by readers who appreciate cynical humor and snappy dialogue presented in the context of Cold War intrigue. Readers who insist on airtight plotting will be sorely disappointed.