Helen MacInnes has written a new novel of international espionage and has called it "The Venetian Affair." It starts in Paris and ends where the title promises. It involves a divorced drama critic and a pretty young widow, experiencing the less sordid thrills of the Cold War, and takes them to many places of interest, two or three good restaurants, and more than one dark alley. The widow has tasteful clothes, and the critic possesses more intelligence and courage than is usual for his profession. This is probably all the information that a great many readers will require. The brand name is on the package, and it would be churlish to examine the contents before purchase.

However, Miss MacInnes' status as a dependable treat deserves some study. There are many accomplished ladies writing about the more domestic and cozy forms of murder, but few who have made a...