The book begins with a foreword by novelist Michael Gilbert, and is the third novel to feature Overseas Police Adviser Peter Craig.

The meeting turns sour and the MI6 man is murdered after learning that the KGB have a mole in the British Embassy in Rome, but his killers do not realise that a concealed microphone has recorded everything.

Craig interviews the main suspects, Adams, Ransome and Warren, and discovers that all have motive as well as opportunity to work with the Russians.

Sir Watkyn volunteers to send false messages, implying that MI6 is blackmailing the Russian Ambassador, in order to lure out the spy.

With Kahn's help, Craig approaches the Roman mafia and convinces them that the KGB has set them up and caused the CIA to investigate them.