Times were turbulent in the Orient. Japan, China and Russia were willing to go to any lengths to obtain their goals. The Japanese had their top Secret Agent, the super-polite, but super-deadly Mr. I.A. Moto, working night and day. Moto's prime objective was the safe delivery to Mongolia of a silver inlaid cigarette case...a very special case. To the uninformed it would appear to be a simple enough task, but you can be sure that whenever Mr. Moto is involved, nothing is what it seems.

"The ingredients of the usual international thriller are mixed with shrewd, grim humor here to make a good tale." (New York Times)