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| Book Title | Triple |
| Genre | Thriller |
| Author | Ken Follett |
| Publisher | New American Library |
| Published | 1979 |
| Format | Mass Market Paperback |
| Condition | Good |
| Condition Notes | Vintage mass-market paperback with noticeable but acceptable age and reading wear. The cream front cover shows overall rubbing, surface soiling and age toning, with heavier wear along the edges and corners. There is a prominent diagonal crease across the upper-right corner, additional smaller creases, and some edge chipping. The cover remains firmly intact, the distinctive artwork is complete, and all lettering is clear and readable. Considering its age, this is a solid Good vintage reading copy. |
| Condition | Good |
It is 1968, and Israeli intelligence learns that Egypt may soon possess the capability to build nuclear weapons. Israel desperately needs uranium for its own nuclear program—but acquiring enough without attracting international attention appears impossible.
The assignment falls to Israeli intelligence agent Nat Dickstein, a survivor of Nazi persecution whose intelligence and nerve make him uniquely suited to the mission. His audacious plan is to secretly steal a massive shipment of uranium without allowing anyone to discover where it has gone.
But Dickstein isn’t operating unnoticed. The KGB, Egyptian intelligence, and Palestinian Fedayeen all have their own interests in the operation, creating a deadly international contest of deception and counterespionage. What follows is a race in which one mistake could alter the balance of power in the Middle East.
Follett based the premise on the mysterious real-world disappearance of uranium associated with what became known as Operation Plumbat, turning historical speculation into a fast-moving espionage thriller. Follett later recalled that the novel became a worldwide success and reached number one on the American bestseller list.
EugeneBookStore Summary
Triple is classic early Ken Follett—Cold War espionage, secret agents, nuclear weapons, international politics, deception, and an almost impossible mission.
What makes the novel especially interesting is its connection to actual Cold War history. Follett took the mysterious disappearance of a uranium shipment and imagined how Israeli intelligence might have accomplished it. The result has the intrigue of a spy novel but enough historical grounding to make the story feel unsettlingly plausible.
Readers who enjoyed Eye of the Needle or The Key to Rebecca should find Triple an especially natural next choice.
Collector Notes
This is the 1980 Signet mass-market paperback edition, ISBN 9780451094476, with the original $3.50 cover price still printed at the upper right. The novel itself was first published in 1979, so this is not the first edition, but it is an early American paperback from the period when Follett was establishing himself as a major international thriller writer. The distinctive cream, black, red, and blue geometric cover gives this printing considerable vintage character. Triple also has an interesting place in Follett’s career: it followed the enormous success of Eye of the Needle, and Follett has said he worried about whether he could repeat that success. He ultimately did—Triple became another worldwide bestseller and reached #1 in the United States. For a Follett collection, this is an attractive period reading edition even though its visible wear prevents it from commanding true collector-condition pricing.
