Run, Spy, Run is the first novel in the long-running Nick Carter-Killmaster series.
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The book was first published in February 1964 (Number A101F) by Award Books part of the Beacon-Signal division of Universal Publishing and Distributing Corporation (New York, USA), part of the Conde Nast Publications Inc. The novel was written by Valerie Moolman. Copyright was registered in the US on 21 April 1964.[1]
The story takes place in early September 1963. After relaxing following a successful mission in Jamaica, secret agent Nick Carter receives an anonymous letter asking that he return to New York via a specific flight where the writer will contact him on the plane. On the flight Carter is contacted by stewardess Rita Jameson, who believes Carter to be a private investigator. Carter is asked to help solve the mystery surrounding a plane crash that killed Rita Jameson's pilot fiance and for which he has been named responsible. Also on board is a minor diplomat with an artificial hand. Upon disembarking in New York, the diplomat is killed by a bomb that appears to have been contained within his own artificial hand. Carter learns that "the man with the steel hand" is the fourth anti-Communist politician/diplomat to have been killed by explosions linked to planes in recent months. Their successors are all pro-Communist sympathizers. Rita Jameson is murdered and attempts are made on Carter's life indicating that the crash that killed Jameson's fiance and the murder of "the man with the steel hand" at least are connected. Government agencies around the world suspect that all 4 crashes are indeed linked and cover up the fact (prompting Jameson's independent investigation). Carter and Julia Baron are assigned to protect US Ambassador to the United Nations, Lyle Harcourt - a staunch anti-Communist - as he travels to London. On board, Carter and Baron foil a plot by a suicide bomber to set off a bomb. The would-be bomber commits suicide by poison before he can be interrogated. In London, Carter and Baron contact the US Ambassador to the United Kingdom, Henry Judson. However,they become suspicious of him when he probes the meaning of coded messages sent to Carter from AXE via the embassy. As they leave the embassy, Carter and Baron are knocked out and transported to the London hideout of Mr. Judas - an international terrorist who hires out his services to the highest bidder. He is currently employed by China to destabilise anti-Communist sentiment among world leaders. As they are about to be tortured and murdered by Mr. Judas and his sexually sadisdic henchman, Braille, they manage to escape, killing Braille and wounding Mr. Judas in the process. In revenge and to prevent Carter and Baron identifying him in future, Mr. Judas arranges to have Harcourt kidnapped, thereby forcing Carter and Baron to attend a potentially fatal meeting. Carter and Baron meet Mr. Judas to arrange Harcourt's release. Mr. Judas attempts to bribe Carter into planting a bomb on the US President's plane. After a struggle Mr. Judas is thwarted and Harcourt rescued. Mr. Judas escapes into the London fog.
In this first novel of the series, Carter is described as tall, lean and handsome with a classic profile and magnificently muscled body. He has wide-set steel gray eyes that are icy, cruel and dangerous. He is hard-faced, with a firm straight mouth, laugh-lines around the eyes, and a firm cleft chin. His hair is thick and dark. He has a small tattoo of a blue axe on the inside right lower arm near the elbow, a knife scar on the shoulder, a shrapnel scar on the right thigh. He has a sixth sense for danger. He practices yoga.
Promotional material was quoted on the cover of the first US edition as follows:
In Chapter 1 it is stated that Carter spent 5 years in OSS (Office of Strategic Services). The OSS existed only for 3 years (13 June 1942 to 20 September 1945) before being superseded by the CIA.