Set over the course of six decades, documents the despair and hope of a spy who suffers the murder of friends and enjoys the success of mentoring protégés. The story is told through alternative viewpoints of Raymond, his protégés, and the French villain. The novel digs deeply into questions of love, self-doubt and hatred, all foisted upon Raymond during a career from which, he discovers, it is impossible to retire. An octogenarian at the end, Raymond learns that the Frenchman is planning to kill again. To thwart the Frenchman's plot, the old spy and his protégés must engage in one last mission.