Hong Kong, 1991. The colony is preparing for Chinese rule.

Geoff Howells, a government-trained killing machine, is brought out of retirement and sent to there. His brief: to assassinate Chinese Mafia leader, Simon Ng. Howells devises a dangerous and complicated plan to reach his intended victim - only to find himself the next target.

Patrick Dugan, a Hong Kong policeman, has been held back in his career because of his family connections: his sister is married to Simon Ng. But when Ng's daughter is kidnapped and Ng himself disappears, Dugan gets caught up in a series of violent events and an international spy ring that has spun out of control . . .

PRAISE FOR STEPHEN LEATHER

'The sort of book that could easily take up a complete weekend - and be time really well spent . . . A story that's as topical as today's headlines' -- Bolton Evening News

'Stephen Leather should be nestling in your bookshelves alongside Frederick Forsyth and Jack Higgins' -- Daily Mail

'A master of the thriller genre' - Irish Times

'As tough as British thrillers get . . . gripping' - Irish Independent