This being my first encounter with the world of Henry Porter, I had not read previous Paul Samson thrillers. It didn't matter: Porter soon caught my attention and brought me up to speed. A lot has gone on in the past, clearly, but now is apparently the time to settle old scores. A former spy legend, Robert Harland, is murdered on a Baltic beach. International billionaire Denis Hisami is handed papers soaked with poisonous chemicals on his way to give evidence to a congressional committee in Washington DC. And in London Paul Samson, ex-MI6, protege of Harland, friend of Hisami and lover of Hisami's wife Anastasia, is attacked by a knife-wielding beggar whilst doing some private sector work surveilling a young woman called Zoe Freemantle who is involved with a dubious not-for-profit eco-agency called Greenmantle.
From there, it's a matter of unravelling a complicated intrigue dating back to pre-1989 East Berlin and stretching all the way to the White House and Number 10 Downing Street. In other words it's today's dystopia: Russian interference and its billionaire backers, especially the tech bros. Porter does it really well. He has the international aspect just right. His characters are complex and compelling. The final set-piece in the reconvened congressional hearing is absolutely masterful. For once we actually need the post-climax epilogue to fully understand what just happened. I was very impressed. Henry Porter goes on my list of must-reads.
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