Former secret agent O'Brine's third novel is based on a long revenge and one actual horrific episode (1944 and the SS takeover-massacre of an Italian town) as well as the truly appalling facts and figures of residual Naziism. This also collaborates with Mills (1969) as Pavane, the younger man Mills had trained, hopes to leave the service (as did Mills) after falling in love with the widow of a Soviet defector. But there's an assignment first, ""catching up with history"" and the SS executioner Kappler under the eyes of the CIA, KGB and the vigilant ""Auntie"" of MI6. Few words in foreshortened sentences ending with Willcos contribute to the impression of laconic urgency and it's quite all right of its predictable kind.