The Third Man
by Graham Green

  An out of work pulp fiction novelist, Holly Martins, arrives in a post war Vienna divided into sectors by the victorious allies, and where a shortage of supplies has lead to a flourishing black market. He arrives at the invitation of an ex-school friend, Harry Lime, who has offered him a job, only to discover that Lime has recently died in a peculiar traffic accident.

  From talking to Lime's friends and associates, Martins soon notices that some of the stories are inconsistent, and determines to discover what really happened to Harry Lime. As he investigates the mysterious death of his old friend, Martins develops a conspiracy theory after learning that a 'third man' was present at the time of Harry's death, and after running into interference from an investigating British officer, Major Calloway. The situation is complicated when Martins falls in love with Harry Lime's grief-stricken lover, Anna.