"Superior suspense" propels this thrilling tale of vengeance and political intrigue from the author of This City Is Ours (The New York Times).

On the peaceful island of Elba in the late seventies, charismatic and enigmatic billionaire Jean-Paul Becker has gathered the prime minister of Britain, the presidents of France and Italy, and the chancellor of West Germany for a summit meeting.

Becker coolly informs the heads of state they are under house arrest and that Europe will soon be under his control; the efficiency of big business will replace the instability of democracy and the infighting between different countries.

As Becker watches and directs from his private jet, the most powerful industrial complex in the world swings into action, mobilizing private security firms whose impact far outnumbers the country's police and armed forces' manpower.

Can anything stop such a surprisingly simple plot or the man behind it?

The son of a Greek prostitute and a Nazi fleeing his war crimes, Becker survived a desperate childhood. Buffeted by fate, he became determined to thrive—whatever the cost.

"Spellbinding . . . Intriguing . . . Fascinating." —The San Diego Union-Tribune

"Outrageously entertaining . . . Difficult to resist." —Library Journal