Finnish edition

Bagley’s novel was published in Finland by Werner Söderström Osakeyhtiö (WSOY) under the title Islannin peli, which translates as ‘Iceland game’. The novel was translated into Finnish by Matti Kannosto. The hardback edition shown above was published in 1972 (ISBN 951-0-00441-3) with cover design by Tapani Aartomas and cover photography by Leo Nieminen. The translation of the dust jacket text reads:

Adventure specialist Desmond Bagley had a hit last year with his book Mission for six [The Spoilers]. Now he delivers an even tougher story: spine tingling, easy to read, fate changing Iceland game, an ingeniously crafted agent’s joyride through Iceland’s uncompromising landscape.

The Scot’s national dress Sgian dubh is a great weapon. British Agent Alan Stewart discovers that it also works perfectly on Icelandic soil. A few hours after he has landed at Keflavik airport the Sgian dubh’s victim lies at his feet after suffering cardiac arrest. In the future, the local Scottish knife will no longer be enough. The international game is played hard in Iceland; the great powers of intelligence and cold-blooded killers are on the job, and not even his own British agents can be trusted. Alan Stewart offers a number of possibilities; to be thrown into the opening of a crater, scalded by Geysir or simply just to get shot in the neck. And why all these strange situations? Just because Stewart is in possession of a metal box, which he is told to deliver somewhere. And because many are interested in the top-secret contents of the box. But Alan Stewart is slow to startle and quick to learn. Every second he realises the hot rules of the cold game.