A classic World War IIera noir with a pageturning plot a cast of colorfullysinister characters and a protagonist who is thrust into the heart of politicalintrig... » 

A classic World War IIera noir with a pageturning plot a cast of colorfullysinister characters and a protagonist who is thrust into the heart of politicalintrigue this captivating 1943 novel parallels the spy novels of GrahameGreene Eric Ambler and the films of Hitchcock and Lang. But in signatureHughes fashion The Blackbirder has a genrebending twist its hardboiledprotagonist is a woman.Born of American expatriate parents Julie Guilles was a pretty sheltered richgirl growing up in Paris a favorite of the Ritz Bar set. But everythingchanged when the Nazis rolled into the City of Lights. After three years oflife underground Julie is hiding out in New York but she knows trouble iscoming when the corpse of an acquaintance appears on her doorstep. With a hostof possible dangers on her tailthe Gestapo the FBI and the New York copssheembarks on a desperate journey to Santa Fe in search of her last best hope.The Blackbirderis a legend among refugees a trafficker in human souls whoflies under the radar to bring people to safety across the Mexican borderfor aprice.With no resources at her disposal but a smuggled diamond necklace and her ownrazorsharp wits Julie must navigate a tangle of dangersand take a stand inthe worldwide struggle that has shattered the lives of millions. In contrast tothe typical representations of wartime women as Mrs. Minivers guarding homeand hearth Dorothy B. Hughes gives her intrepid heroine a place at the heartof the actionDorothy B. Hughes 19041993 is the author of numerous hardboiled mysterynovels. Three of her books became successful films The Fallen Sparrow1943 Ride the Pink Horse 1947 and In a Lonely Place 1950 reprintedby the Feminist Press in 2003. In 1978 she was named a Grand Master by theMystery Writers of America. «