Ni penija više, ni penija manje
Four men - a professor, a doctor, a gallery owner and an aristocrat - are swindled out of a million pounds by stockbroker Harvey Metcalfe. They team up for revenge, aiming to recover exactly what they lost through a series of ingeniously devised scams.
Archer's brilliant debut novel follows Stephen Bradley (an American professor at Oxford), Robin Oakley (a distinguished physician), Jean-Pierre Lamans (a French gallery owner) and James Brigsley (an impoverished aristocrat) as they fall for the con of the unscrupulous Harvey Metcalfe. Through a fraudulent oil investment, the crooked broker steals a million pounds from them.
Rather than go to the police, the four conned men devise a sophisticated plan of revenge - to get back exactly what they lost, not a penny more, not a penny less. Each uses his skills and knowledge for a part of the plan: a medical fraud in Monte Carlo, a gambling scheme at Ascot, a fraudulent sale of Impressionists and finally, a dramatic medical operation.
Archer masterfully builds suspense through a series of interconnected scams, showing how an ordinary man can outsmart a professional con man. The novel is full of witty twists, British humour and the satisfaction of the "little man" winning. This story of honesty among thieves laid the foundations of Archer's style - fast-paced action, relatable characters and an unexpected ending that changes everything.
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