"Mark One: The Dummy" by John Ball (1911-1988)

 

Publisher: Little, Brown and Company

Copyright: 1974

ISBN: 0316079502

This is the second book of Mr. Ball's that I read, and it was just as enjoyable as the first one. In fact is now so good that I have to go and actually buy a copy because I know I'll want to read it again.

The story revolves around a very successful espionage writer who's writing is so authentic and true to life that he is mistaken for one of his characters, Mark Day, whom because of the detail everyone believes is actually patterned after his own life because they think he is in fact a secret agent for some division of the American government.

He doesn't really help his case in denying this, because he does somewhat resemble his lead character, and having lived with the character for so long he has the ability to slip into his mindset and perform just as if he was the agent. When A woman shows up claiming to be his agents love interest, things get very interesting in that he knows very well that she's a fictional character, but she too acts just like the character he designed.

Based solely on the title I assume that Mr. Ball was planning on writing more in this series, unfortunately he never did.

This is a very interesting and fun to read book. I think it would make a very good movie, as long as Hollywood didn't present it as a "James Bondish" style of movie.