A lawyer gets caught in the crossfire of a deadly civil war in Africa

Richard Deaken has lost his nerve. Once a globally renowned trial lawyer, he has suffered a string of bad results that have sapped his confidence and dulled the edge necessary for success in the high-stakes world of international law. Resigned to life in obscurity, he has retreated to an unimpressive office in Geneva, where the trickle of low-paying clients doesn't come close to supporting the lifestyle that he - and his wife - are used to. But a big case is right around the corner.

Deaken's new employers are soldiers in a vicious African civil war on the brink of erupting into unprecedented bloodshed. An order of $50 million worth of arms is on its way to his client's opponents, and to stop it they have kidnapped the arms dealer's son. They ask Deaken to negotiate the ransom - the guns in exchange for the child - and he cannot say no, because the guerillas have also kidnapped his wife.

Genre: Mystery