Henry Pulling , a retired bank manager in his mid 50's meets his aunt at his mothers funeral. From this meeting Henry travels the globe with his Aunt. His first adventure is when his mothers ashes are swapped out for weed by his Aunt's much younger lover to hide it from the police, the ashes go down the drain and Henry ends up being interrogated by the law.
Next there is currency smuggling in Europe, followed by gold smuggling. We travel on the Orient Express and by air. As the novel progresses it becomes obvious that Henry's Aunt is really his mother and that her sister raised Henry as the Aunt was a working girl, performer and petty crook.
This is my favourite of the Greene's that I've read. It doesn't get a mention with his "serious" works but this is a great story of how you only get one crack at this life so don't waste your time because it'll be gone before you know it.
Great fun and the ending is spot on, Henry might have started late in living his life but he is not going to waste anymore time on his flower garden.
As Rod Stewart says in The Killing of Georgie: Parts I & II
Never wait or hesitate
Get in kid, before its too late
You may never get another chance
'Cos youth's a mask but it dont last
Live it long and live it fast
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