The Melting Man

Name: The Melting Man
Rating: 4.15 (117 reviews)

by Victor Canning Book 4 in the Rex Carver Mysteries series.

First published 1968

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4.1(117)

Rex Carver refuses millionaire Cavan O’Dowda’s request to recover a stolen Mercedes until O’Dowda’s daughter persuades him to reconsider. The car disappeared in southern France, while its driver reached Cannes with no memory of the preceding two days. It soon becomes evident that the real objective is not the vehicle but confidential material concealed inside it.

Carver follows the trail between Évian and the Riviera, encountering political intermediaries, international agents and criminals who understand the documents’ value better than he does. The final Rex Carver novel retains the series’ mixture of private detection and espionage while shifting attention towards post-colonial political interests and covert trade. Its 1968 setting presents Europe as a meeting ground for governments, wealthy private clients and emerging international power networks.