Alistair MacLean novel, (c)1961, originally published as by
Ian Stuart.
This twisty tale involves one of MacLean's favorite character types, the tough, ruthless secret agent. He is sent to an island posing as a rocket scientist, on the trail of eight missing scientists. Once on the island he finds a conspiracy to blackmail the world using an experimental long-range missile.
PLOT SPOILER
In a beautiful MacLean twist, the agent's boss is the actual man behind the conspiracy. He sends the agent into the situation as a patsy, not realizing that the agent would be able to not only survive and escape, but would put it all together and kill him.