An incredible novel, a story that begins with a small bereaved child confused by the terrible events which have orphaned him. As an adult, Gabriel is still struggling to come to terms with what happened on that fateful night as he travels through countries writing books about his experiences. He's asked to do a task for a friend of his Foreign Office brother and he is very gradually drawn into a net of subterfuge and double dealing. This is a great story which kept me on my toes trying to work out what might happen next. Weaving through the 1960s Cold War period, spies and warfare, this was an enthralling read. Gabriel's character is one you warm to, as you follow him through a maze of subterfuge, finding yourself wishing him on to success. A great read, I couldn't put the book down!

A great William Boyd novel - a bit of Africa, intended and unintended spies, families and the associated confused emotions as well a loveable lead character. I very much enjoyed this book. There is a level of humour as the guileless Gabriel is sucked into the undercover world of international spying. There is also sadness as Gabriel faces the tragedy of his mother's death and his relationship with his brother. Great read.

William Boyd gives a masterful rendition of this complex, brilliant story. The summary provided by Waterstones carefully avoids "spoilers" and I will endeavour to do the same. What is impressive is the manner in which the story shows Gabriel drawn into a significant (and true) episode in the Cold War of the early1960s.What follows is a compelling and utterly convincing narrative. At the end, the reader is left with admiration for Gabriel's mastery of his new role, but some degree of doubt... I believe a sequel is on its way. I can't wait to read it.

A superb book with a beautifully defined central figure. The plot is brilliantly handled; I'm not sure I quite understood all the details - but neither did Dax! Boyd writes in outstandingly good English: elegant sentence construction and meticulous punctuation. (Two spelling errors: benefitting {one 't'} and compliments {where 'e' is needed}. I cannot find the pages).