The Light of Day

Arthur Simpson, Book 1

By: Eric Ambler

Narrated by: Frederick Davidson

Length: 7 hrs and 24 mins

Publisher's summary

Alfred Hitchcock said, "Mr. Ambler is a phenomenon," and Graham Greene referred to him as "our greatest thriller writer". This is an ideal title for introducing listeners to this master. Ambler brilliantly paints realistic portraits of his characters and the foreign landscape, mixing suspense with a subtle twist for added color.

When Arthur Abdel Simpson first spots Harper in the Athens airport, he recognizes him as a tourist unfamiliar with the city and in need of a private driver—in other words, the perfect mark for Simpson’s brand of entrepreneurship. But Harper proves to be more the spider than the fly when he catches Simpson searching his wallet for traveler's checks. Soon Simpson finds himself blackmailed into driving a suspicious car across the Turkish border. When he is caught again, this time by the police, he faces a choice: cooperate with the Turks and spy on his erstwhile colleagues or end up in one of Turkey’s notorious prisons. The authorities suspect an attempted coup, but Harper and his gang of international jewel thieves have planned something less sinister but much, much more audacious.

Eric Ambler (1909-1998), a British novelist, is widely considered the father of spy-espionage thrillers. Many of his novels became New York Times best sellers and the basis for motion pictures.

©1962 Eric Ambler (P)1988 Blackstone

Critic reviews

"Ambler is, quite simply, the best." ( New Yorker)

"Mr. Ambler is phenomenal." (Alfred Hitchcock)

"Ambler brings off this comic thriller with consummate zest." ( New York Times Book Review)

A fantastic book

A really great book that I found paralleled my life in such outstanding and relatable ways. This book is maturative and I highly recommend this book.

A let down after Topkapi.

Not a bad story but nowhere as much fun as Ustinov at his finest. The screenwriters wrote a much better book.

Very intertaining

An amusing delightful twist on the spy novel. Arthur is a wonderfully crafted character and very charming in a deceitful kind of way. The narration is absolutely perfect.

Good book but unsatisfying ending

I enjoyed the book, and it kept me listening with rapt attention, but I found the ending unsatisfying and disappointing. It’s worth a credit, but at the end, you may feel the same.

So good

Incomparable specially when prepared to the current genera of spy novels. So well written and so easy to follow.

good listen

from another era but very enjoyable. interesting characters, locations and era. the story held my interest.

Good story ruined by the narrator

This was a good story, but the narration was absolutely horrible. Read the book so you don't have to go through the pain of the silly accents and voices.

Charming anti-hero and funny writing

I don't quite remember how I chose this book out of the titles included in my Audible subscription. Spy stories aren't exactly my go to. This ended up being such a fun and pleasant surprise. I laughed out loud and was excited to find out how it ended. Mostly I loved the witty, relatable, flawed main character. Arthur is a character I'll keep thinking about after I've finished. I really recommend this book to anyone looking for a lighthearted and well-written ride.

An Almost Light-Hearted Ambler

I’m a big fan of Eric Ambler’s beautiful prose and dialogue, and this is one of his most unusual. Arthur Simpson is a pedestrian conniver, caught in an incredible web of circumstance, and the listener follows him into and through the mess. Set primarily in Istanbul, the story is part thriller, part who or whatdunit, but told by Simpson in a decidedly wry voice. The many characters with unusual and distinctive accents are expertly voiced by Frederick Davidson.

An often forgotten classic

One must read Eric Ambler, well honored for being a first in the spy genre, altho you might better know the story as the film Topkapi from the 60s.

Witty and well crafted, follow the hapless protagonist as he's embroiled in troubles outside his ken, but inside the missteps that come back on him was he's trapped to do others dirty work. The late Frederick Davidson is ideal for this type of now period story.