In his most exhilarating novel yet, William Boyd transports you to the vibrant streets of sixties London, as an accidental spy is drawn into the shadows of espionage and obsession . . .

'William Boyd once again brings to the spy novel his particular storytelling genius. The result is brilliant fun' MICK HERRON

'Wonderfully ambiguous with notions of twisted reality and uncertain memory' ANN CLEEVES

'A wonderfully intricate novel of espionage and elegant skulduggery' JOHN BANVILLE

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An accidental spy. A web of betrayals. A mystery that will take you around the world . . .

Gabriel Dax is a young man haunted by the memories of a tragedy: every night, when sleep finally comes, he dreams about his childhood home in flames. His days are spent on the move as an acclaimed travel writer, capturing changing landscapes in the grip of the Cold War. When he's offered the chance to interview a political figure, his ambition leads him unwittingly into the shadows of espionage.

As Gabriel's reluctant initiation takes hold, he is drawn deeper into duplicity. Falling under the spell of Faith Green, an enigmatic and ruthless MI6 handler, he becomes 'her spy', unable to resist her demands. But amid the peril, paranoia and passion consuming Gabriel's new covert life, it will be the revelations closer to home that change the rest of his story . . .

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'Engaging, intelligent and deeply satisfying. I rate him one of our greatest living novelists' PETER JAMES

'I enjoyed it hugely. Boyd is one of my favourite authors - he never disappoints' KATE ATKINSON

'Beautifully crafted and pleasingly unpredictable, the work of a man who knows what he is doing and makes it look effortless' JAMES RUNCIE

'Simply the best realistic storyteller of his generation' SEBASTIAN FAULKS

'There are few reading pleasures as great as giving in to a William Boyd novel' SUNDAY TIMES

'For page-turning glamour, you can bank on a William Boyd novel to hit the spot' GUARDIAN

'A gripping, must-read spy thriller. Boyd pulls out all the stops here for a gripping and galloping tale of murky espionage' i

William Boyd, The Bookseller bestseller, April 2023