February 1981. The Cold War is in full swing. Richard Brodick decides to follow in his father's footsteps and seeks an exciting role in what used to be called the Great Game, only to find that it turns out to be less of an adventure and more brutal betrayal.

As a contract 'head agent' for Britain's Secret Intelligence Service based in Pakistan, Brodick's job is to train Afghans to capture video of the war against the Soviets. He is expected to follow orders, toe the line, keep Mrs T happy back in London. However, what he finds on the ground-in both Pakistan and Afghanistan-is a murky world of blurred lines and conflicting stories. He quickly realises he cannot trust anything he has been told, by anyone.

What he had thought would be an adventure spying on the Soviets and their Afghan communist allies turns sour when he's ordered to kill his best friend. Will he betray his country or his friend? What side will he choose?

"The mystery is why there aren't more books as good as this. The answer is very few of us have been to places as dark as this... John Fullerton has." Martin Cruz Smith (The Monkey House)