Ruth Roman

Rich playgirl Kit Jordan (nee Katherine Lawson Chandler) is in Acapulco vacationing with her current husband, Pete Jordan, formerly an American beach boy working the Acapulco shores for rich women. Meanwhile, the body of one of Pete's fellow beach boys, Billy Andrews, washes to shore. On his wrist is a bracelet engraved with "Love is thin ice." The police investigate whether it was murder or suicide. Conflict arises when Billy's old girlfriend, Carol, makes a play for Pete, and beach boy Hank tries to score with Kit, and the stability of the marriage is put to the test. —K. Jackson <kjackson@moon.jic.com> The dead body of a young man is discovered washed ashore the beach in Acapulco, the victim identified as American Billy Andrews. His death, which Lt. Riccardo Andrade is investigating, points to it being a possible suicide. The focus then moves to the circle in which he was known to travel as a beach gigolo, he among the stable of men who prey upon primarily middle age, wealthy female tourists. The center of this circle now revolves around the married Jordons, Kit and Pete, the latter who used to be among those gigolos and the former who used to use their services and who "dated" Billy before she met and married Pete. They now provide guidance to any of the beach community who needs help. While Pete does not take advantage of Kit and her money, Kit is more dependent on him emotionally, she arguably unable to handle it if he were ever to leave her. The king of the gigolos is now Hank Walker, who mentors another younger man, Chuck Austin. Hank not only uses sex to make money, but uses it to make money in a worse way in blackmail if the opportunity arises, his latest target being middle age American Margot Eliot, who is more aware of the situation than Hank may realize. Hank also has his sights set back on Kit, as a local source of money in seeing the easy street in which Pete seems to live. Also arriving onto the scene is Billy's former girlfriend, American Carol Lambert, in her search for him. As a bond of sorts forms between Pete and Carol, the question then becomes if the Jordons' marriage can withstand this intrusion, especially on the somewhat shaky foundation on which it was built. —Huggo

A commander receives a citation for an attack on Erwin Rommel's headquarters, which is actually undeserved, as the commander is unfit for his job. On top of that, unbeknownst to him, his wife is having an affair with one of his officers. In North Africa during World War II, Major David Brand is assigned to lead a British commando raid into German-held Benghazi to retrieve whatever documents they can lay their hands on at the German headquarters. His number two will be Capt. Jimmy Leith who speaks Arabic fluently and knows Benghazi well. Brand also learns that his beautiful wife Jane and Leith were lovers before the war, creating tension between the two. Brand is untested in battle and freezes at a critical moment, losing the respect of his men. After the raid, the trek back is arduous and takes its toll on the men. It also results in only one of the two senior officers surviving. —garykmcd Unfit commander receives an undeserved citation for an attack on Rommel's headquarters. Unbeknownst to him, his wife was once in love with one of his officers. —frankfob2@yahoo.com

In South America, after Jeff Dawson and Dutch Peterson's oil rigs are dynamited by local bandits, the two partners resort to risky transportation of nitroglycerin to raise money. In a hypothetical country in South America, Jeff Dawson and his partner Dutch Peterson have invested all their savings in a lease contract to explore oil. However, their expectation ruins when bandits blow the derrick of the oil well with dynamite and they get stranded in the town without any money. In despair, they accept the risky transportation of nitroglycerin to raise US$ 800.00 and Dutch is shot in the leg by road thieves; but Jeff discovers that their employer is a trickster and they area not paid for their job. When their former friend Paco Conway meets them, Jeff finds that he is a local tycoon and is married with Marina Conway, who had a past with him. Paco hires Jeff his foreman to help him with his eighteen oil wells while Dutch is recovering in the hospital. Meanwhile the criminals press Paco to pay US$ 50,000.00 otherwise they will blow his wells and Marina revives her love and desire for Jeff, leading the trio to a tragedy. —Claudio Carvalho, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

When two strangers meet on a train, they wonder if each committed murder for the other.

Gun salesman Steve Farrell gets two of his new Colt .45 pistols stolen from him by ruthless killer Jason Brett but vows to recover them. Gun salesman Steve Farrell gets two of his new Colt .45 pistols stolen from him by ruthless killer Jason Brett and vows to recover them as Brett and his gang leave behind wake of robbery and murder throughout the territory. When Farrell recovers a stagecoach carrying gold and brings it back to town, he is made a deputy but unknown to him the sheriff is on league with the outlaws as is Paul and Beth Donovan, an apparently clean-cut young couple with ambitions for quick wealth. Although the town members are apathetic toward helping Steve, he gets plenty of assistance from Walking Bear, an Indian chief grateful that Steve saved his life. —duke1029@aol.com

Boxer Midge Kelly rises to fame...mainly by stepping on other people. Hitchhiking west with his lame brother Connie, Midge Kelly is hustled unprepared into a pro boxing match. Though he's severely beaten, manager Tommy Haley finds him promising. In California, Midge and Connie find nothing but a menial job from which Midge gets relief by seducing Emma, a lovely young waitress. One shotgun marriage later, ambitious Midge falls back on the only option he knows: boxing. Seduced by cheering crowds, money, and a succession of blondes, Midge becomes more and more of a hero in public...and a heel in private.