Former SAS Major Harry Maxim is assigned to Number 10 Downing Street as a special assistant to George Harbinger, private secretary to the Prime Minister, following the suicide of his predecessor with the British Secret Service.

Maxim is assigned to protect Professor John White Tyler, Britain's premier military strategist on nuclear weapons policy and famed war hero (as well as an insatiable lecher).

Such as a hand grenade thrown through the door to the Prime Minister's residence, or the death of a Czech defector?

Lyall originally wrote The Secret Servant as the pilot episode of a proposed BBC TV series.

The role of Harry Maxim was played by Charles Dance, with Jill Meager as Agnes Algar, Harvey Ashby as George Harbinger and Dan O'Herlihy as Prof. John White Tyler.