Prime minister of the political thriller, Len Deighton is back in top form with the first of a new trilogy in the continuing saga of Bernard Samson, the intrepid, insolent, and enigmatic agent of Deighton's blockbuster series: the Game, Set, and Match and Hook, Line, and Sinker trilogies.

In Faith Samson is beset. After her years on the "other side," his wife, Fiona, is finally back in his life. But the cool and sophisticated Fiona can't help but know about the affair with Gloria, an attractive coworker half Bernard's age. And Bernard has other troubles, like his secret orders to leave California for the grim streets of Magdeburg, where, hours after his arrival, he finds himself in a shootout with Stasi agents on a dark country road-another airtight mission down the drain. At the time of darkest danger, Bernard needs his best friend, Werner, but Werner is exiled and in disgrace.