Fast read, close to a screen play. This is one of many books I have read recently that have also been made into movies or miniseries. Many I haven't seen.

This is also the first book by Ira Levin that I have read, and look forward to reading more. I went into it with just the short blurb, though I wasn't surprised by the bombshell roughly halfway through. With that mystery solved, action wound down towards the conclusion. I liked the details, the characters, and the pace. There was a little too much discussion between characters to bring plot elements forward. Finally, this dates to a land before cell phones, and what a place that was.

I especially liked this quote, towards the end of the novel. These days television seems to have the opposite effect :( Overall rating - 3.5 stars.


"I say in my talks it takes two things to make it happen again, a new Hitler and social conditions like in the thirties. But that's not true. It takes three things: the Hitler, the conditions, and the people to follow the Hitler."

"And don't you think he'd find them?"

"No, not enough of them. I really think people are better and smarter now, not so much thinking their leaders are God. The television makes a big difference."