Your Turn, Mr. Moto

January 6, 2020
First published in 1935, this stellar entry in the American Mystery Classics series from Marquand (1893–1960) introduces an enigmatic Japanese agent known only as Mr. Moto. U.S. Navy Intelligence Cmdr. James Driscoll asks American pilot K.C. Lee, whose experience during WWI led him to an unsatisfying career as a stunt flyer and product endorser, to write down his version “of certain peculiar transactions which took place in Japan and China.” Flash back to a year earlier in Tokyo. Lee, who drinks “to drown the depression that inevitably follows a man unlucky enough to become a publicized hero,” is preparing to make a flight from Japan to the States on behalf of a tobacco company. When the job is cancelled, Lee ends up meeting a Russian femme fatale named Sonya, as well as Moto, who offers him a replacement gig flying the Pacific on behalf of Japan. Lee’s acceptance leads to murder and further intrigue. Marquand’s skillful portrayal of a deeply flawed lead makes this a standout. Those seeking literary spy fiction will be rewarded.