Paul Chavasse is back but this time he finds that his physical and mental health is failing and as a result is pensioned off by the secret service. Feeling used up he stumbles into a Chinese restaurant where money is being demanded in a local gang protection scheme. As usual Paul jumps in head first and helps to defend the establishment. However, little was as it seems and the uncle of the restaurant owner reveals himself to be a Shaolin Monk, in repayment for Paul’s help he trains in him the ancient art of Chi…

Back to full health, Paul is taken back to original position, only to find he is on his most dangerous mission yet. He has to infiltrate the ring of Max Donner, a self made millionaire, who is linked to some very shady characters. Russian scientists that have defected to the west are strangely disappearing and Chavasse must find out the answers. Relocated to the northern Scottish shore he must unravel the mysteries and stop what could become a full scale war.

Although I really enjoyed this novel, the nearly exact same story was repeated in another Higgins offering with the inimitable Sean Dillon. This spoilt my enjoyment but if I had read this novel first I think it would have gotten 4 stars instead of 3. ( )