With the Cold War over Harry Oakham, experienced spy, is out of a job, bitter at what the service has done to him after a lifetime of danger and the erosion of his personal life Contacting colleagues, enemies, killers and moles, he builds up a syndicate of ruthless professionals for hire to anyone who can pay, but he hasn't reckoned with Rosa, a bright new Foreign Office talent, reeling from a broken marriage and seconded to check on an old spy Neither wants their future changed, or emotional complications, but after they meet things begin to go wrong for Harry, the syndicate, and most of all for Rosa