From the author of Restless and Any Human Heart comes an espionage novel about a travel writer drawn into his brother's shadowy orbit when he is asked to purchase a particular painting in Cadiz.

Gabriel Drax is a young man haunted by the memories of his youth—every night, when sleep finally comes, he dreams about his childhood home in flames. His days are spent on the move as a travel writer, capturing the changing landscapes of a world in the grip of the Cold War, and very occasionally couriering packages and obscure messages for his brother, whom he quietly suspects of being a spy.

A tap on the shoulder pulls Gabriel further into the shadows of his life, and into the orbit of Faith Green, an MI6 handler. She makes Gabriel an offer: he must make a trip to Cadiz, Spain, and buy a painting, and in turn will receive a life-changing sum. But in that sun-drenched, suspicious sea town he will find more than just a paycheck and spy craft—in the rolling waves of the Mediterranean, life-changing choices and consequences beckon.