Waiting for Orders collects nine short stories that span the sixty-year career of master spy novelist Eric Ambler. The stories include thrilling portrayals of wartime Europe in “The Army of the Shadows” (1939); six cases featuring a refugee Czech detective, Dr. Czissar (1940); “The Blood Bargain” (1972), a Central American political thriller; and “The One Who Did for Blagden Cole” (1992), a detective story of sorts about the death of a painter. In four accompanying essays, Ambler shares intriguing anecdotes from  different phases of his career, offering unique insight into his writing process. This intriguing and varied collection is a perfect introduction to the life and writing of one of the twentieth century’s greatest thriller writers.