ABOUT THE BOOK

The first in a new series of Lawrence Block titles featuring Evan Michael Tanner. He is 34 years old and hasn't slept a wink since a piece of shrapnel destroyed the sleep centre in his brain during the Korean War. Tanner loves lost causes and beautiful women. The FBI has a thick file on him; the CIA taps his phone and a super-secret intelligence agency wants him to be their man!

He never intended to be a spy...anymore than he planned to lead a revolution in Macedonia or land up in a Turkish jail. But those kinds of things just seemed to happen when Tanner was around - particularly when there were 573 pounds of pure gold waiting to be found and a beautiful blonde counting on him to gain freedom for her native land....

CRITICAL ACCLAIM

'Wonderfully detailed and inspiring writing' - The London Guardian

'Block is one of the best' - Washington Post

'..if you are coming new to Lawrence Block.....it will be the beginning of a beautiful friendship' - Vincent Banville, Irish Times

'A master of crime fiction' - Jonathan Kellerman