The Devils' Mountain

About the Book

Sheitani Kopje, the Devils’ Mountain, is a strange geographical feature on the East African coast north of Dar es Salaam. It is infested by deadly snakes given to strange behavior. Vicious Somali smugglers use it as a base. An unstable Tanzanian army officer claims it as his own. Theories as to its nature vary: immensely valuable natural mineral deposit, remnant of ancient African civilization, extra terrestrial intrusion, natural nuclear reactor.

 Despite his age and frailty, retired American diplomat Dodo Dillon leads an expedition to find the truth. With him are five sharply etched characters: Sandra Worth, the beautiful political appointee, former Presidential mistress, now U.S. Ambassador, Sandra Worth, her mean, demented, wealthy, and greedy husband, Henry, Tanzanian army officer, “Mad Major” Mwenge, disgruntled young Wali Manawaletta, nephew of the former president of the county, and his American-born wife, Maria.

The novel portrays their conflicting ambitions as Dodo tries to cope with attacks by snakes and Somalis, a mighty storm that seals them all inside the mountain, Sandra’s sexual appeal to him, her husband’s homicidal tendencies, and Major Mwenge’s unpredictable twists and turns.

Dodo never really solves the mystery of Sheitani Kopje but gets everyone out safely except Henry who blows himself up. Subsequently Dodo has a brief affair with Sandra but she walks out on him for a rich Greek shipping magnate and we last see him back in the bush hunting buffalo with Mwenge.

About the Author

James W. Spain, born in Chicago in 1926 not far from the Englewood Rail Yards, grew up during the Great Depression, and was educated at the University of Chicago and Columbia University. He spent most of his life as a career diplomat, serving as U.S. Ambassador in Tanzania, the United Nations, Turkey, and Sri Lanka. He is the author of three books on the Pathans of Pakistan; American Diplomacy in Turkey; a diplomatic memoir, In Those Days ; a book of short stories, Innocents of the Latter Day; and several “Dodo Dillon” tales about the adventures of a retired American diplomat in exotic corners of the world.