Book Reviews, September 1957, September 1957
"The Millionth Chance," by James Leaser. 176 pp., 8¾ in. by 5½ in. (Hamish Hamilton, Ltd., 90, Great Russell Street, London, W.C.1. 18s.) This is the story, dramatic, tragic but technically and…
The Earl of Cottenharn has followed up his first novel ” All Out,” with another dealing with the same characters who enlivened the pages of that book. This is ” Sicilian Circuit,” recently published by Cassells at 7s. 6d. The story concerns a remarkable Turbine-car which is the invention of a young Russian who has worked for many years in the factory of a well-known Continental make. The Soviet authorities decide that the blessings of this invention should be reaped by the country of Peter Drovin
sky’s birth, and the plot to prevent the car being raced at Brooklands and in the Targa Florio is the theme of an exciting story.
The descriptions of the two races are naturally, from the sporting motorists point of view, the most enjoyable parts of the book, and the fact that it is written by an experienced motorist guarantees its accuracy and freedom from those errors which so often disfigure the work of novelists. Lord Cottenham is evidently a profound enemy of the present Russian
regime, reacting inevitably in favour of Fascism. Providing the reader does not allow his personal political opinions to be ruffled either by the reference to Russians as ” filthy, treacherous cur-dogs” and “bloody-minded, butchering swine” or the author’s approval of the thoroughness with which the Italian Fascists seal peoples’ cameras in the vicinity of the frontier, ” Sicilian Circuit” can be thoroughly recommended as a motor-racing novel with a most pleasant ring of authenticity about it.