'The classic thriller by the absolute best thriller writer alive' P.J. O'Rourke 'Absorbing, intelligent - True entertainment' New Yorker 'McCarry is an exceptional novelist' Alan Furst 'McCarry's thrillers really thrill, his political insight is praised by senior politicians and his erudition, experience and good writing turn spy stories into literature. McCarry and his dynamic alter-egos wipe the floor with the opposition' Telegraph

Charles McCarry established an international reputation with the publication of his worldwide bestseller The Tears of Autumn in 1975, and altogether has written ten critically acclaimed espionage and crime novels featuring Paul Christopher, the most elegant of spies. During the Cold War, he was an intelligence officer operating under deep cover in Europe, Africa and Asia, and he draws on his own experience when writing his books, giving them a tangible, believable feel.