"I am simply a 'book drunkard'. Books have the same irresistable temptation for me that liquor has for its devotee. I cannot withstand them." (L. M. Montgomery)
Of all the books in the Cotton Malone series I'd read, this one has the least solving of codes and cryptograms. It is, however, the most action-packed and is quite the thriller, and page-turner. It can be read as a standalone, but is better read in sequence for a clearer picture of character development and interaction.