£500
First Line(s): I don't care what you say, 18,000 pounds (sterling) is a lot of money. The British Government had instructed me to pay it to the man at the corner table who was now using knife and fork to commit ritual murder on a cream pastry.
The strength of Deighton's early works is never better demonstrated than in this his first novel published in 1962. The book is a compelling read which takes a humorous swipe at the British class system while providing an intriguing, though barely believable plot. But who cares if it's believable, it is spy fiction after all and the well paced narrative never drags.
Almost written as a Police Procedural, the reader gains an insight into the world of espionage made all the more realistic by Deighton's footnotes. So apparently authentic are these that you can almost believe you should have signed the Official Secrets Act before you started reading. The working class hero (who is never named, but was called Harry Palmer in the film version starring Michael Caine) is being transferred from British intelligence to the elite and autonomous WOOCP bureau.
Our hero is more interested in his back pay and allowances than the security of the nation, but it is details like these which endear him to the reader and make him a sympathetic and likeable character.
A lot of the humour is displayed in the interactions with his bosses Ross and Dalby who underestimate him. Our hero takes every opportunity to flirt with insubordination, relishing the freedom of expression he has gained in his new department.
A number of British scientists have disappeared only to reappear having been brainwashed and useless. Our hero is given the apparently simple job of making a payment to secure the return of one of the missing men. He is however clearly out of his depth and a farcical scene develops which subsequently casts doubt on his integrity.
Soon finding that he has been framed and not knowing who he can trust - a recurring theme in Deighton's novels - he finds himself in danger of suffering the same fate as the missing scientists.
Although the Ipcress File is now considered a classic, at least one publisher disagreed, rejecting the book with the comments: 'Not only does this bog down in the middle, but the author tends to stay too long with non-essentials. He seems to have little idea of pace, and is enchanted with his words, his tough style, and that puts me off badly.'
Nigel Green
Guy Doleman
Sue Lloyd
Gordon Jackson