This is still a good book but unfortunately reality did rather pull the rug from under thriller writers chairs. How? The Berlin wall fell and suddenly Russia was no longer the great threat (unlike now!) It meant that good though this is it seemed oddly dated. And it is good. The usual great writing with the twists and turns we have come to expect. I noticed another reviewer elsewhere is complaining about Samson being "clueless" and not able work things out. They are missing the point of this kind of book. If the hero could work it all out then it would make for a very short novel!