A ferociously cool fable.

A most impressive book in which the tension, more like a chronic ache than a sharp stab of pain, never lets go.

Deighton's fiction has stood the test of time. His habitually acerbic narrative voice still has much to say to contemporary readers ... Now a fresh generation have the chance to sample Deighton's wares as Penguin republishes many of his books.

Like lying back in a hot bath with a large malt whisky - absolute bliss.

Len Deighton's spy novels are so good they make me sad the Cold War is over.

Len Deighton is the Flaubert of the contemporary thriller writers.

The self-conscious cool of Deighton's writing has dated in the best way possible ... Stone-cold Cold War classic.