The dead body of a young girl found floating in the Thames leads Bond into the haunts of a secret sect which is connected with Scorpius, the biggest arms dealer to terrorists worldwide; Bond soon finds himself in the middle of a deadly game of terrorism and arms supplies. John Gardner is author of six previous James Bond titles, including Ice Breaker, Licence Renewed and Nobody Lives For Ever, as well as other thrillers such as The Nostrodamus Traitor, The Garden of Weapons and The Quiet Dogs.