It is the final novel in the second of three trilogies about Bernard Samson, a middle-aged and somewhat jaded intelligence officer working for the British Secret Intelligence Service (MI6).

It tells the entire story in the previous five novels from the third person perspective (Bernard Samson's bosses, his colleagues, his girlfriend Gloria, and most of all his wife Fiona).

Thus it fills in the gaps in the story, as the previous five books only reveal what Bernard can see and think he understands.

[1] Publishers Weekly gave a negative review, writing the book was disappointing, passionless, and unsuspenseful.

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