This book, the first in the series, is set 25 years after WWII. David Audley is a desk man in British intelligence, who is suddenly asked to go into the field. During the war, a pilot was smuggling from war torn Berlin to Britain. He intended to do one last haul, of something so valuable that Russia have been searching for it ever since. His plane crashed on the way home and the pilot,the plane and the secret hoarde disappeared with him. Now, the plane has suddenly been unearthed, and the story has also been unburied. The Russians are still interested and Audley is sent to find out what he stole and where it is.During his investigation, Audley meets the pilot's daughter and becomes involved with her. He is a very human character and nervous of the violence and danger he encounters. I liked him very much and thought the plot was thought provoking and extremely interesting. The book is set during 1969/1970 (I wasn't quite sure of the exact date), and there is a casual sexism in the way people talk, which placed the novel firmly during that time period. There is also a real feeling for those Cold War years, when suspicion reigned on all sides and the second world war was still something that most of the population remembered personally.I have to admit that I had never read this author before and it is always wonderful to discover a great author that you have missed. This is an intelligent and well written thriller, a pleasure to read and I look forward to following Audley's adventures.
