The Diving Dames Affair
The previous Man from U.N.C.L.E. book by Peter Leslie (The Radioactive Camel Affair) was a good spy novel, but I felt it was a little too realistic in using real-life politics to feel like it was truly part of the U.N.C.L.E. universe.
This time, though, Leslie produced a fun U.N.C.L.E. romp. Napoleon Solo is sent to Brazil to investigate the deaths of several members of DAMES, a female missionary organization, because an aspect of the case looks like it might involve world security.
Well, it certainly does concern the security of the world. THRUSH is secretly funding the construction of a dam that it supposed to be the source of power for a planned new city. But in reality, the dam and the new lake it forms it hiding a THRUSH plot to obtain world domination.
When Solo goes missing, Ilya is sent to find him. Eventually, Ilya and a lady security expert who works for DAMES are teaming up, infiltrating an underwater THRUSH base to both rescue Solo and save the world.
It really is great fun. Leslie tells a story that could have been an excellent two-part TV episode, though the advantage of the book is including plot elements that would probably have broken the budget of a ‘60s network show.