Eric Ambler is often said to have invented the modern suspense novel. Beginning in 1937, he wrote a series of novels that introduced ordinary protagonists thrust into political intrigue they were ill-prepared to deal with. These novels were touted for their realism, and Ambler established himself as a thriller writer of depth and originality. In the process he paved the way for such writers as John Le Carre, Len Deighton, and Robert Ludlum.