Edward Leithen is thrust into a terrifying underworld when a friend disappears, revealing a vast international conspiracy of intellectual anarchists. As he peels back the layers of a hidden criminal empire, he realizes that the thin veneer of civilization is under direct attack. This fast-paced thriller introduced the concept of the "power-house" of global manipulation long before modern conspiracy tropes. It remains a taut, intellectual chase through the foggy streets of London and beyond.