Spawned in the bleak poverty of an East Anglian fishing port, Catesby is a spy with a big anti-establishment chip on his shoulder. He loves his country, but despises the class who run it. Loathed by the Americans and trusted by the Russians, Catesby is sent to negotiate a secret deal with Moscow to break the Cuban Missile Crisis deadlock. But before that can happen, Catesby meets the Midnight Swimmer, who has a chilling message for Washington. A sophisticated novel, full of twists and turns that merge historical fact with fiction. ""Outstanding third novel... Wilson is a master at working the history of the period-the Cuban missile crisis in particular-into his intricate tale of high politicaldrama and deadly action.""-Publishers Weekly.