Eric Clifford Ambler OBE (28 June 1909 – 22 October 1998) was an English

author An author is the writer of a book, article, play, mostly written work. A broader definition of the word "author" states: "''An author is "the person who originated or gave existence to anything" and whose authorship determines responsibility f ...

of thrillers, in particular

spy novel Spy fiction is a genre of literature involving espionage as an important context or plot device. It emerged in the early twentieth century, inspired by rivalries and intrigues between the major powers, and the establishment of modern intelligen ...

s, who introduced a new realism to the

genre Genre () is any form or type of communication in any mode (written, spoken, digital, artistic, etc.) with socially-agreed-upon conventions developed over time. In popular usage, it normally describes a category of literature, music, or other for ...

. Also working as a screenwriter, Ambler used the

pseudonym A pseudonym (; ) or alias () is a fictitious name that a person or group assumes for a particular purpose, which differs from their original or true name (orthonym). This also differs from a new name that entirely or legally replaces an individua ...

Eliot Reed for books cowritten with Charles Rodda.

Life

Ambler was born in Charlton, South-East

London London is the capital and largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary down to the North Sea, and has been a majo ...

, into a family of entertainers who ran a puppet show, with which he helped in his early years. Both parents also worked as music hall artists. He later studied engineering at the Northampton Polytechnic Institute in Islington (now

City, University of London City, University of London, is a public research university in London, United Kingdom, and a member institution of the federal University of London. It was founded in 1894 as the Northampton Institute, and became a university when The City Univ ...

) and served a traineeship with an engineering company. However, his upbringing as an entertainer proved dominant and he soon moved to writing plays and other works. By the early 1930s, he was a copywriter at an

advertising agency An advertising agency, often referred to as a creative agency or an ad agency, is a business dedicated to creating, planning, and handling advertising and sometimes other forms of promotion and marketing for its clients. An ad agency is generally ...

in London. After resigning, he moved to

Paris Paris () is the capital and most populous city of France, with an estimated population of 2,165,423 residents in 2019 in an area of more than 105 km² (41 sq mi), making it the 30th most densely populated city in the world in 2020. S ...

, where he met and in 1939 married Louise Crombie, an American fashion correspondent. Ambler was then politically a staunch

antifascist Anti-fascism is a political movement in opposition to fascist ideologies, groups and individuals. Beginning in European countries in the 1920s, it was at its most significant shortly before and during World War II, where the Axis powers were ...

and, like many others, tended to regard the

Soviet Union The Soviet Union,. officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR),. was a transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 to 1991. A flagship communist state, it was nominally a federal union of fifteen national ...

as the only real counterweight to fascist aggression, which was reflected in the fact that some of his early books included Soviet agents depicted positively and as sympathetic characters, the undoubted allies of the protagonist. Like numerous like-minded people in different countries, Ambler was shocked and disillusioned by the German-Soviet Pact of 1939. His postwar anticommunist novel ''

Judgment on Deltchev ''Judgment on Deltchev'' is a 1951 novel by Eric Ambler. It was his first solo novel for eleven years (not counting a novel written with Charles Rodda under the pseudonym Eliot Reed), and Ambler was worried about producing a bad novel, but did no ...

'' (1951), based on the Stalinist purge trials in

Eastern Europe Eastern Europe is a subregion of the European continent. As a largely ambiguous term, it has a wide range of geopolitical, geographical, ethnic, cultural, and socio-economic connotations. The vast majority of the region is covered by Russia, whic ...

, caused him to be reviled by many former Communist Party and other progressive associates. When the

Second World War World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

broke out, Ambler entered the army as a private soldier. He was commissioned into the

Royal Artillery The Royal Regiment of Artillery, commonly referred to as the Royal Artillery (RA) and colloquially known as "The Gunners", is one of two regiments that make up the artillery arm of the British Army. The Royal Regiment of Artillery comprises t ...

in 1941. He was soon reassigned to photographic units. He ended the war as a

lieutenant-colonel Lieutenant colonel ( , ) is a rank of commissioned officers in the armies, most marine forces and some air forces of the world, above a major and below a colonel. Several police forces in the United States use the rank of lieutenant colo ...

and an assistant director of the

Army Film and Photographic Unit The Army Film and Photographic Unit was a subdivision of the British armed forces set up on 24 October 1941, to record military events in which the British and Commonwealth armies was engaged. During the war, almost 23 percent of all AFPU soldier ...

. After the war, he worked in the civilian film industry as a screenwriter, receiving an

Academy Award The Academy Awards, better known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit for the American and international film industry. The awards are regarded by many as the most prestigious, significant awards in the entertainment ind ...

nomination for his work on the film '' The Cruel Sea'' (1953), adapted from the novel by

Nicholas Monsarrat Lieutenant Commander Nicholas John Turney Monsarrat FRSL RNVR (22 March 19108 August 1979) was a British novelist known for his sea stories, particularly '' The Cruel Sea'' (1951) and ''Three Corvettes'' (1942–45), but perhaps known best i ...

. He did not resume writing under his own name until 1951, when he entered the second of his two distinct periods in his writing. Five of his six early works are regarded as classic

thrillers Thriller is a genre of fiction, having numerous, often overlapping subgenres. Thrillers are characterized and defined by the moods they elicit, giving viewers heightened feelings of suspense, excitement, surprise, anticipation and anxiety. Suc ...

. He created the 1960 American detective TV series '' Checkmate''. Ambler divorced Crombie in May 1958 and married the same year British-born Joan Harrison, a film producer, screenwriter and associate of

Alfred Alfred may refer to: Arts and entertainment *''Alfred J. Kwak'', Dutch-German-Japanese anime television series * ''Alfred'' (Arne opera), a 1740 masque by Thomas Arne * ''Alfred'' (Dvořák), an 1870 opera by Antonín Dvořák *"Alfred (Interlu ...

and Alma Hitchcock. The couple moved to Switzerland in 1969 and back to Britain 16 years later. Harrison died in 1994 in London. Ambler died in 1998. In 2008, his estate transferred all of Ambler's copyrights and other legal and commercial rights to Owatonna Media, which sold the copyrights on to Coolabi Plc in 2009 but retained a master licence in radio and audio rights. These rights are commercially licensed in the UK and abroad.

Writing career

Ambler's best known works are probably ''

The Mask of Dimitrios ''The Mask of Dimitrios'' is a 1944 American film noir directed by Jean Negulesco and written by Frank Gruber, based on the 1939 novel of the same title written by Eric Ambler (in the United States, it was published as ''A Coffin for Dimitrios'' ...

'' (1939) (published in the US under the title ''A Coffin for Dimitrios''), which was made into a

film A film also called a movie, motion picture, moving picture, picture, photoplay or (slang) flick is a work of visual art that simulates experiences and otherwise communicates ideas, stories, perceptions, feelings, beauty, or atmosphere ...

in 1944, and '' The Light of Day'' (1962), filmed in 1964 as '' Topkapi''. He was also a successful screenwriter and lived in

Los Angeles Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the largest city in the state of California and the second most populous city in the United States after New York City, as well as one of the world' ...

in his later years. Other classic movies based on his work include '' Journey into Fear'' (1943), starring

Joseph Cotten Joseph Cheshire Cotten Jr. (May 15, 1905 – February 6, 1994) was an American film, stage, radio and television actor. Cotten achieved prominence on Broadway, starring in the original stage productions of '' The Philadelphia Story'' and '' Sab ...

, and an original screenplay, '' The October Man'' (1947). He wrote the screenplay for '' A Night to Remember'' about the sinking of the ''Titanic'', along with many other screenplays, particularly those concerning stories and adventures at sea. He published his autobiography in 1985, ''Here Lies Eric Ambler''. In contrast to most other spy novels published before his, the

protagonists A protagonist () is the main character of a story. The protagonist makes key decisions that affect the plot, primarily influencing the story and propelling it forward, and is often the character who faces the most significant obstacles. If a st ...

in Ambler's novels are rarely professional spies, policemen or counterintelligence operatives. They are usually amateurs who find themselves unwillingly in the company of hardened criminals, revolutionaries or spies. The protagonist usually begins out of his depth, a bumbling

antihero An antihero (sometimes spelled as anti-hero) or antiheroine is a main character in a story who may lack conventional heroic qualities and attributes, such as idealism, courage, and morality. Although antiheroes may sometimes perform actions ...

surprised to find himself facing extreme danger, who nonetheless eventually manages to surprise himself as well as the professionals by a decisive action that outwits his far more experienced opponents. That plot is used, for example, in '' Journey into Fear'', '' Epitaph for a Spy'', ''The Mask of Dimitrios'', ''The Night-Comers''/''State of Siege'', ''Passage of Arms'', ''The Light of Day'', '' Dirty Story'', ''The Levanter'', and ''

Doctor Frigo ''Doctor Frigo'' is a 1974 novel by Eric Ambler. Plot Dr. Ernesto Castillo is a young, cynical physician living and practicing on the fictional French-Caribbean Island St. Paul-les-Alizés. His nickname, "Dr. Frigo", means, literally, "Dr. Froz ...

''. Another recurring plot element is statelessness and exile: characters who are exiled from their homelands or who face the danger of being exiled and not granted residence in any country.

Reception and influence

Many authors of international thrillers have acknowledged a debt to Ambler, including

Graham Greene Henry Graham Greene (2 October 1904 – 3 April 1991) was an English writer and journalist regarded by many as one of the leading English novelists of the 20th century. Combining literary acclaim with widespread popularity, Greene acquir ...

Ian Fleming Ian Lancaster Fleming (28 May 1908 – 12 August 1964) was a British writer who is best known for his postwar ''James Bond'' series of spy novels. Fleming came from a wealthy family connected to the merchant bank Robert Fleming & Co., a ...

John le Carré David John Moore Cornwell (19 October 193112 December 2020), better known by his pen name John le Carré ( ), was a British and Irish author, best known for his espionage novels, many of which were successfully adapted for film or television. ...

Julian Symons Julian Gustave Symons (originally Gustave Julian Symons) (pronounced ''SIMM-ons''; 30 May 1912 – 19 November 1994) was a British crime writer and poet. He also wrote social and military history, biography and studies of literature. He was bor ...

Alan Furst Alan Furst (; born 1941) is a Jewish-American author of historical spy novels. Furst has been called "an heir to the tradition of Eric Ambler and Graham Greene," whom he cites along with Joseph Roth and Arthur Koestler as important influences. M ...

, and

Frederick Forsyth Frederick McCarthy Forsyth (born 25 August 1938) is an English novelist and journalist. He is best known for thrillers such as ''The Day of the Jackal'', ''The Odessa File'', '' The Fourth Protocol'', '' The Dogs of War'', ''The Devil's Alter ...

Works

Novels

* ''

The Dark Frontier ''The Dark Frontier'' (1936) is Eric Ambler's first novel, about whose genesis he writes: "... Became press agent for film star, but soon after joined big London advertising agency as copywriter and 'ideas man'. During next few years wrote i ...

'' (1936) * ''

Uncommon Danger ''Uncommon Danger'' is the second novel by British thriller writer Eric Ambler, published in 1937. It was published in the United States as ''Background To Danger''. In his autobiography, ''Here Lies Eric Ambler'', Ambler explains that "Backgr ...

'' (1937), US title: ''Background to Danger'' * '' Epitaph for a Spy'' (1938) * '' Cause for Alarm'' (1938) * ''

'' (1939), US title: ''A Coffin for Dimitrios'' * '' Journey into Fear'' (1940) * ''

'' (1951) * ''

The Schirmer Inheritance ''The Schirmer Inheritance'' is a 1953 novel by Eric Ambler Eric Clifford Ambler OBE (28 June 1909 – 22 October 1998) was an English author of thrillers, in particular spy novels, who introduced a new realism to the genre. Also working ...

'' (1953) * ''

The Night-Comers ''The Night-Comers'' is a 1956 novel by Eric Ambler. In the United States it was published as ''State of Siege''. The cover artist when the book was reprinted by Pan Books was S. R. Boldero. Plot Steve Fraser is an engineer working on a dam o ...

'' (1956), also published as ''State of Siege'' * ''

Passage of Arms ''Passage of Arms'' is a 1959 novel by Eric Ambler. Plot Girija Krishnan, a bookkeeper at a rubber plantation in Malaya, has one ambition in life: to found and establish a local bus company and transport system. But he has no money to financ ...

'' (1959);

Gold Dagger The Gold Dagger is an award given annually by the Crime Writers' Association of the United Kingdom since 1960 for the best crime novel of the year. From 1955 to 1959, the organization named their top honor as the Crossed Red Herring Award. From ...

Award * '' The Light of Day'' (1962), also published as ''Topkapi''; Edgar Award for Best Novel, 1964 * ''

A Kind of Anger ''A Kind of Anger'' is a novel by British thriller writer Eric Ambler, first published in 1964. Like many of Ambler's post-war novels the thriller plot is laced with elements of comedy. Plot summary A car comes hurtling down the drive of a rem ...

'' (1964) * '' Dirty Story'' (1967), also published as ''This Gun For Hire'' * ''

The Intercom Conspiracy ''The Intercom Conspiracy'' is a novel by British thriller writer Eric Ambler, first published in 1969. It was adapted for television as ''A Quiet Conspiracy''. Plot Two senior military officers from unnamed minor north Europeans countries are ...

'' (1969), also published as ''The Quiet Conspiracy'' * ''

The Levanter ''The Levanter'' is a 1972 novel by Eric Ambler. Plot Michael Howell is a "levantine mongrel" who has inherited his family's Middle-Eastern business. He is forced by the Palestine Action Force to produce bombs for them. The story is framed by ...

'' (1972);

Award * ''

'' (1974) * ''

Send No More Roses ''Send No More Roses'' is a 1977 novel by Eric Ambler Eric Clifford Ambler OBE (28 June 1909 – 22 October 1998) was an English author of thrillers, in particular spy novels, who introduced a new realism to the genre. Also working as a sc ...

'' (1977), US title: ''The Siege of the Villa Lipp'' * ''

The Care of Time ''The Care of Time'' (1981) is the last novel by British spy fiction writer Eric Ambler. It deals with the theme of international terrorism, using fictional unpublished memoirs of Russian terrorist Sergey Nechayev as a plot device. Plot Robert ...

'' (1981)

Short stories and non-fiction

* ''The Ability to Kill: and Other Pieces'' (1963). Published with a chapter on John Bodkin Adams removed because of libel concerns. * ''To Catch A Spy'' (1964). An anthology of stories. * ''Here Lies Eric Ambler: An Autobiography'' (1985). Edgar Award for Best Critical/Biographical Work, 1987. * ''Waiting for Orders'' (1991). Contains eight stories mostly written in 1939–40 while Ambler awaited his call to military duty: *# "The Intrusions of Dr. Czissar". Six ingenious detective stories featuring Dr Jan Czissar, a refugee Czech detective formerly of the Prague police. *# "The Army of the Shadows". A suspense story about an English surgeon travelling in the Swiss Alps who becomes entangled in the intrigues of pre-war anti-Nazis. *# "The Blood Bargain". A suspense story about a Latin American dictator who cleverly gains his release from insurgents but then finds exile extremely dangerous. * ''The Story so Far: Memories and Other Fictions'' (1993). Nine autobiographical stories covering different periods of Ambler's life.

Short stories (first publication)

* "The Army of the Shadows" (1939) in ''

The Queen's Book of the Red Cross ''The Queen's Book of the Red Cross'' was published in November 1939 in a fundraising effort to aid the Red Cross during World War II. The book was sponsored by Queen Elizabeth, and its contents were contributed by fifty British authors and artis ...

as Eliot Reed (with Charles Rodda)

* ''Skytip'' (1950) * ''Tender to Danger'' (1951), also published as ''Tender to Moonlight'' * ''The Maras Affair'' (1953) * ''Charter to Danger'' (1954) * ''Passport to Panic'' (1958)

Film screenplays

* ''

The New Lot ''The New Lot'' is a 1943 British drama film directed by Carol Reed and starring Eric Ambler, Robert Donat, Kathleen Harrison, Bernard Lee, Raymond Huntley, John Laurie, Peter Ustinov and Austin Trevor, with music by Richard Addinsell. It is a ...

'' (1943) * ''

The Way Ahead ''The Way Ahead'' (also known as ''Immortal Battalion'') (1944) is a British Second World War drama film directed by Carol Reed. The screenplay was written by Eric Ambler and Peter Ustinov. The film stars David Niven, Stanley Holloway and Willi ...

'' (1944) * '' The October Man'' (1947) * '' The Passionate Friends'' (1949, based on the novel '' The Passionate Friends'' by

H. G. Wells Herbert George Wells"Wells, H. G."
Revised 18 May 2015. ''

Highly Dangerous ''Highly Dangerous'' is a 1950 British spy film starring Margaret Lockwood. The screenplay was written by Eric Ambler. It was released in the US by Lippert Pictures as ''Time Running Out''. Plot Frances Gray is as a British entomologist trying t ...

'' (1950) * ''

The Clouded Yellow ''The Clouded Yellow'' is a 1950 British mystery film directed by Ralph Thomas and produced by Betty E. Box for Carillon Films. A dismissed secret service agent falls in love with a disturbed young woman who is wrongly accused of murder and t ...

'' (uncredited) (1950, screenplay by Janet Green) * ''

The Magic Box ''The Magic Box'' is a 1951 British Technicolor biographical drama film directed by John Boulting. The film stars Robert Donat as William Friese-Greene, with numerous cameo appearances by performers such as Peter Ustinov and Laurence Olivie ...

'' (1951) * ''

Encore An encore is an additional performance given by performers after the planned show has ended, usually in response to extended applause from the audience.Lalange Cochrane, in ''Oxford Companion to Music'', Alison Latham, ed., Oxford University Pre ...

'' (1951, based on short stories by

W. Somerset Maugham William Somerset Maugham ( ; 25 January 1874 – 16 December 1965) was an English writer, known for his plays, novels and short stories. Born in Paris, where he spent his first ten years, Maugham was schooled in England and went to a German un ...

) * '' The Promoter'' also known as ''The Card'' (1952, based on the novel ''

The Card ''The Card'' is a comic novel written by Arnold Bennett in 1911 (entitled ''Denry the Audacious'' in the American edition). It was later made into a 1952 movie, starring Alec Guinness and Petula Clark. Like much of Bennett's best work, it i ...

'' by

Arnold Bennett Enoch Arnold Bennett (27 May 1867 – 27 March 1931) was an English author, best known as a novelist. He wrote prolifically: between the 1890s and the 1930s he completed 34 novels, seven volumes of short stories, 13 plays (some in collaboratio ...

) * '' The Cruel Sea'' (1953, based on the novel '' The Cruel Sea'' by

) * '' Shoot First'' also known as ''Rough Shoot'' (1953, based on a novel by

Geoffrey Household Geoffrey Edward West Household (30 November 1900 – 4 October 1988) was a prolific British novelist who specialized in thrillers. He is best known for his novel '' Rogue Male'' ( 1939). Personal life He was born in Bristol; his father Hora ...

) * ''

The Purple Plain ''The Purple Plain'' is a 1954 British war film directed by Robert Parrish, with Gregory Peck playing a Royal Canadian Air Force pilot serving in the Royal Air Force in the Burma campaign in the closing months of the Second World War, who is b ...

'' (1954, based on the novel ''

'' by

H. E. Bates Herbert Ernest Bates (16 May 1905 – 29 January 1974), better known as H. E. Bates, was an English writer. His best-known works include ''Love for Lydia'', '' The Darling Buds of May'', and '' My Uncle Silas''. Early life H.E. Bates was ...

) * ''

Lease of Life ''Lease of Life'' is a 1954 British drama film made by Ealing Studios and directed by Charles Frend. The film was designed as a star-vehicle for Robert Donat, representing his return to the screen after an absence of over three years during whi ...

'' (1954) * '' Yangtse Incident: The Story of H.M.S. Amethyst'' (1957, based on a non-fiction book by

Lawrence Earl Lawrence Earl (April 29, 1915 – April 5, 2005), born Lawrence Earl Wiezel, was a Canadian photojournalist and author of several books.A Night to Remember'' (1958, based on the non-fiction book '' A Night to Remember'' by

Walter Lord John Walter Lord Jr. (October 8, 1917 – May 19, 2002) was an American author, lawyer, copywriter and popular historian best known for his 1955 account of the sinking of the RMS ''Titanic'', '' A Night to Remember''. Biography Early life Lor ...

) * ''

The Wreck of the Mary Deare ''The Wreck of the Mary Deare'' (in the UK published as ''The Mary Deare'') is a 1956 novel written by British author Hammond Innes, which was later adapted as a film starring Gary Cooper released in 1959 by MGM. According to Jack Adrian, the ...

'' (1959, based on the novel ''

'' by

Hammond Innes Ralph Hammond Innes (15 July 1913 – 10 June 1998) was a British novelist who wrote over 30 novels, as well as works for children and travel books. Biography Innes was born in Horsham, Sussex, and educated at Feltonfleet School, Cobham, Surrey ...

) * ''

Mutiny on the Bounty The mutiny on the Royal Navy vessel occurred in the South Pacific Ocean on 28 April 1789. Disaffected crewmen, led by acting-Lieutenant Fletcher Christian, seized control of the ship from their captain, Lieutenant William Bligh, and set h ...

'' (uncredited) (1962)

Television

* '' Checkmate'' (1960) television series * ''

Alfred Hitchcock Presents ''Alfred Hitchcock Presents'' is an American television anthology series created, hosted and produced by Alfred Hitchcock, aired on CBS and NBC between 1955 and 1965. It features dramas, thrillers and mysteries. Between 1962 and 1965 it was ren ...

: Act of Faith'' (TV episode, 1962) * ''

Love Hate Love ''Love Hate Love'' is a 1971 American made-for-television drama film starring Ryan O'Neal. Reception The ''Los Angeles Times'' called the film "for the most part, improbably developed...O'Neal... is the main strength of this movie." The movie wa ...

'' (TV movie, 1970)

Film adaptations

*'' Journey into Fear'' (1943, based on the novel '' Journey into Fear'') *''

Background to Danger ''Background to Danger'' is a 1943 World War II spy film starring George Raft and featuring Brenda Marshall, Sydney Greenstreet, and Peter Lorre. Based on the 1937 novel '' Uncommon Danger'' by Eric Ambler and set in politically neutral Turke ...

'' (1943, based on the novel ''

'') *''

Hotel Reserve ''Hotel Reserve'' is a 1944 British spy film starring James Mason as an innocent man caught up in pre-Second World War espionage. Other cast members include Lucie Mannheim, Raymond Lovell and Herbert Lom. It was based on Eric Ambler's 1938 novel ...

'' (1944, based on the novel '' Epitaph for a Spy'') *''

'' (1944, based on the novel ''

'') *''Epitaph for a Spy'' (1953, TV miniseries based on the novel '' Epitaph for a Spy'') *''

Climax! ''Climax!'' (later known as ''Climax Mystery Theater'') is an American television anthology series that aired on CBS from 1954 to 1958. The series was hosted by William Lundigan and later co-hosted by Mary Costa. It was one of the few CBS progra ...

: Epitaph for a Spy'' (1954, TV series episode based on the novel '' Epitaph for a Spy'') *''

: Journey into Fear'' (1956, TV series episode based on the novel '' Journey into Fear'') *''The Schirmer Inheritance'' (1957, TV miniseries based on the novel ''

'') *''

Moment of Fear ''Moment of Fear'' is an American anthology television series. It was broadcast by NBC, depicting people unexpectedly placed in peril. It debuted 1 July 1960 and ran eight new episodes through 9 September. It featured appearances by E. G. Marsha ...

: A Touch of Guilt'' (1960, TV series episode based on the novel ''

'') *''Epitaph for a Spy'' (1963, TV miniseries based on the novel '' Epitaph for a Spy'') *'' Topkapi'' (1964, based on the novel '' The Light of Day'') *''Journey into Fear: Seller's Market'' (1966, unaired TV pilot) *'' Journey into Fear'' (1975, based on the novel '' Journey into Fear'') *''Ricatto internazionale'' (Italy, 1980, TV miniseries based on the novel ''

'') *''Eine Art von Zorn'' (West Germany, 1984, based on the novel ''

'') *''A Quiet Conspiracy'' (1989, TV miniseries based on the novel ''

'') *''The Care of Time'' (1990, based on the novel ''

'')

References

Literature

* Ronald J. Ambrosetti: ''Eric Ambler''. New York: Twayne Publ. u.a. 1994. (= Twayne's English authors series; 507) . * Peter Lewis: ''Eric Ambler''. New York: Continuum 1990. * Snyder, Robert Lance. "Eric Ambler's Revisionist Thrillers: ''Epitaph for a Spy'', ''A Coffin for Dimitrios'', and ''The'' Intercom ''Conspiracy''." ''Papers on Language & Literature'' 45 (Summer 2009): 227–60. * Snyder, Robert Lance. "'The Jungles of International Bureaucracy': Criminality and Detection in Eric Ambler's ''The Siege of the Villa Lipp''." ''Connotations: A Journal for Critical Debate'' 20.2–3 (2010/2011): 272–88. * Snyder, Robert Lance. ''The Art of Indirection in British Espionage Fiction: A Critical Study of Six Novelists''. Jefferson, NC: McFarland, 2011. * Snyder, Robert Lance. "Ethnography, Doubling, and Equivocal Narration in Eric Ambler's ''The Levanter''." ''The CEA Critic'' 77.1 (2015): 58–70. * Snyder, Robert Lance. "Transforming the Thriller: Narrative Deferral and 'Second-Wave Terrorism' in Eric Ambler's ''The Care of Time''." ''South Atlantic Review'' 82.2 (2017): 136–53. * Snyder, Robert Lance. ''Eric Ambler's Novels: Critiquing Modernity''. Lanham, MD: Lexington Books, 2020. * ''Eric Ambler'', edited by the Filmkritiker-Kooperative. München: Verlag Filmkritik 1982. (= Filmkritik; Jg. 26, 1982, H. 12 = Gesamtfolge; 312). * Gerd Haffmans (ed.): ''Über Eric Ambler. Zeugnisse von Alfred Hitchcock bis Helmut Heissenbüttel''. Zürich: Diogenes 1989. (= Diogenes-TB; 20607) . * Stefan Howald: ''Eric Ambler. Eine Biographie''. Zürich: Diogenes 2002. * Bernhard Valentinitsch,Historisch-politische Hintergründe in Eric Amblers Politthriller 'The Levanter'.In:JIPSS(= Journal for Intelligence, Propaganda and Security Studies).1/2013.Graz 2013,p. 7–23.

External links

*
"Come Out of the Darkness Into the Light of Day"
at EthanIverson.com – Iverson commentary on Ambler's 18 novels, and guest contributions *
Eliot Reed
(joint pseudonym of Ambler and Charles Rodda) at LC Authorities, with 6 records, an
at WorldCat
* {{DEFAULTSORT:Ambler, Eric 1909 births 1998 deaths Military personnel from London Royal Artillery officers British Army personnel of World War II British thriller writers British male screenwriters Edgar Award winners Members of the Detection Club People educated at Colfe's School Writers from London Officers of the Order of the British Empire Cartier Diamond Dagger winners 20th-century English novelists British male novelists 20th-century English male writers 20th-century British screenwriters