RaveThe New York TimesThe intricacies of the plot, partly based on Maugham’s history as a British spy in charge of a team of secret agents, make this one of Kerr’s best technical efforts. But it’s the characterization of Maugham and the sound of his voice — 'It’s just too awful to be blackmailed by a chap who goes to the same shoemaker as oneself' — that makes this novel memorable.
