Cobra Trap: Sheets [Hardcover]

Peter O'Donnell (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 12, 1996

Created in a 1950s comic strip that is still in syndication in more than 40 countries today, the stories of Modesty Blaise have spawned a cult following around the world. These are the first new Modesty stories in 11 years, and they span her career, from the early days of running the Network, to her shadowy work for British Intelligence. From Tangier, to the Pyrenees, to a South American jungle—Modesty and her trusted lieutenant Willie Garvin dispatch an old nemesis, upset a particularly wicked gang of kidnappers, and risk their lives to rescue old friends from certain death. The skill and nerve that Modesty and her accomplices display in combat and under pressure will delight Modesty fans, both new and old.

--This text refers to an alternate Hardcover edition.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

It's taken five years for this 13th and final Modesty Blaise cult classic to reach American shores, and fans who have followed the action-packed exploits of the lethal crime-fighting team of femme fatale Blaise and her knife-wielding partner, Willie Garvin, will not be disappointed with this collection of five short stories. O'Donnell's immensely satisfying farewell to the team (which originated in a 1963 comic strip and the 1965 novel Modesty Blaise) spans Modesty's entire career, thus serving as a fitting introduction to newcomers and satisfying retrospective for fans. "The Bellman" finds Modesty and Willie being hunted on a deserted island by three assassins. In "The Dark Angels," the two protect an oilman from a team of acrobatic killers. "Old Alex," a direct sequel to the novel Dead Man's Handle, mixes an amnesia tale with a fight to the death with the industrial spy group Salamander Four. "The Girl with the Black Balloon" is a devilishly clever kidnapping/rescue caper. And the final, title story features a 52-year-old Modesty, long retired but back in action to save friends from a South American uprising. Often called a female James Bond and certainly the first of the breed Modesty never lapses into self-parody and her illegal capers are governed by a moral code never crossed. Emphasizing hand-to-hand combat over automatic weapons, the octogenarian author still dazzles with exciting action, surprising twists and refreshing humor. His heroine will be missed (until her adventures are brought back into print). (May)April 11, his 81st birthday.

Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

--This text refers to an alternate Hardcover edition.

Review

"The finest escapist thrillers ever written."  —The Times

"Before Buffy, before Charlie's Angels, before Purdy and Emma Peel there was Modesty Blaise."  —The Observer

"The Modesty Blaise [titles] are seminal British crime novels and a high-point of popular fiction."  —Crime Time

--This text refers to the Paperback edition.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover
• Publisher: Souvenir Press Ltd (September 12, 1996)
• ISBN-10: 0285633414
• ISBN-13: 978-0285633414
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (15 customer reviews)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Going Out In Style, June 15, 2001

By 

bibliowoman "pencesa" (CA United States) - See all my reviews

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This review is from: Cobra Trap (Modesty Blaise series) (Hardcover)

As a Modesty Blaise fan since 1966, when I was 14, I have avidly followed and collected all the books, and even met Mr. O'Donnell in 1985 and got 2 of my hardbounds autographed. I was both excited and reluctant to read the 'last' of the MB series. But I did, and was glad. The separate stories were classic MB and Willie, but it still did not prepare me for COBRA TRAP, the final adventure. I admire Mr. O'Donnell's accurate portrayal of the way MB and WG would want to end their action careers. As a female investigator about MB's age,(27 yrs in the field), he is right on the psychology of his ending! Cheers and kudos!!!

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars All Hail to Modesty and Willie, May 20, 2002

By 

Oscar Logrono Brache (Miami, FL USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Cobra Trap (Modesty Blaise series) (Hardcover)

Way back in the seventies when I was a little boy back in the Dominican Repúblic I got introduced to Modesty Blaise via the newspaper strips,been a comic fan all my life I never really got to know her well because she never had(at least to my knowledge)a regular comic series,two or three weeks ago I remenbered her and got into mile high comics and Amazon com to try to get something on her,when I bought the Cobra trap I thought that it was a comic book so my first emotion receiving it was of dissapointment,nevertheless I took the time to read it and to my surprise the novel hooked me,I fell in love with Modesty and all his enviroment,it's much better (as good as they are),than the comics books I got reprinting the strips,beautiful written and very nonchalant it has the same style of another series I love very well,the Avengers with _Steed and Emma Peel,I went through the book swiftly and in the interin ordered two more books of Modesty Blaise,this was before I reached the final chapter(The Cobra Trap) last night,full of emotion and incredibly written it lead me to belive it was a something new developing when it was a revelation of what the relationship between Modesty and Willie standed and why he always was thwe first one,full of emotion I've never read anything like this before,not written like this anyway,I'd really like to hear what Mr. O'Donnel feelings were when he wrote down the last page,it should has been a very hard thing to do for him.

Outstanding,to every one who loves fiction,read it!!!

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A fitting conclusion for the series, November 27, 2005

By 

Jules Jones "sf and romance author" - See all my reviews

This review is from: Cobra Trap (Modesty Blaise series) (Hardcover)

The final Modesty Blaise book is a collection of five novelettes and novellas covering the full span of Modesty Blaise's career, from the early days of the Network to Modesty and Willie coming out of retirement for one last caper. It's a fine collection for long-term fans, providing both new stories and closure for several long term story threads from the series. I don't think it's the ideal place for a new fan to start, because the references to events in earlier books may act as spoilers for those who haven't read those books yet, and the impact of the title story will be blunted for those who haven't had several books in which to become attached to the characters. It is however possible to enjoy these stories without ever having read any other Modesty Blaise books or the comic strip, and while ideally new readers should start with an earlier book in this series, they shouldn't be put off starting with Cobra Trap if it's the only one readily available to them.

The stories are classic Modesty Blaise. Once again O'Donnell demonstrates the appeal of a heroine and hero who are quite willing to go outside the law, but never to step outside their own moral code. For Modesty and Willie the ends do not justify the means. You know that the villains will lose in the end, but there will be no easy solution, and the good guys may well pay a high price for their victory. The stories are often hilarious, sometimes heart wrenching, and always thrilling to read. Some of the stories rely on the most outrageous coincidences, but with this level of writing there is no problem in suspending disbelief. This is a beautifully written and wonderfully entertaining book, and the final story is a bittersweet but emotionally right conclusion to the series.