Hopscotch - (Otto Penzler Presents...) by Brian Garfield (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

The award-winning classic novel of cold war espionage and international intrigue, from the author of Death Wish.

Brian Garfield's Hopscotch is the winner of the Edgar Award for best novel, and was adapted into a film starring Walter Matthau, Glenda Jackson, and Ned Beatty.

Since being forced into retirement by the CIA, Miles Kendig had tried everything in an effort to satisfy his hunger for excitement. But he could not recreate the ultimate conflict of life or death with no rules, the experience of pitting himself against the enemy with no holds barred.

Despite his bitterness at being shelved by the CIA, Miles was still scrupulously American--so when he found himself tempted by an offer from the Russians, he realized the time had come for him to put up or give up.

Miles has been waiting, carefully planning, for years--and, finally, he's ready. By threatening to expose the espionage secrets of the major powers, he set himself up as the quarry of an international manhunt. Now he would either prove to himself that after twenty-five years of playing the game he was still a winner, or he would meet his death at the hands of younger men.

About the Author

Brian Garfield (1939-2018) is the author of numerous suspense/adventure novels. His exepertise as a writer resulted in his being published in such diverse fields as romance, gothic, westerns, adventure, mystery, suspense, crime, history, film, and theatrical plays. Some 20 million copies of his books have been sold. He wrote under at least eight names besides his own, including Brian Wynne, Frank Wynne, Jonas Ward, Drew Mallory, Frank O'Brian, Alex Hawk, John Ives, and Bennett Garland.

His novel Death Wish was made into a 1974 film by starring Charles Bronson, which was remade in 2018 with Bruce Willis. His novel Hopscotch won the 1976 Edgar Award for best novel, and was adapted into a film with Walter Matthau. And two other novels, Wild Times and Relentless, were made into TV movies. The TV movie "Wild Times" was a mini-series starring Sam Elliott, Ben Johnson, Harry Carey, Jr. and many other Western movie actors, many of whom were personally selected by Garfield. He served as the director of the Mystery Writers of America, and the President of the Western Writers of America.